Mexico
Each year, Bridgeway takes a team of high schoolers to serve in Mexico during their Spring Break. During our pre-trip training, we remind students we are bringing Jesus to the Mexicans because He is already there. Rather, we go to Mexico to build relationships, learn from and with our Mexican friends, and ultimately let God minister through us.
During this trip, our students are pushed relationally, spiritually, and emotionally. They typically serve through work projects and participate in outreach ministries. No matter how physically exhausted they are, they wake up each morning looking to the Lord to refresh them. This year’s trip was particularly powerful because we were able to partner with students the same age as our team from a church in Cancun.
For an entire week, students from two different churches, countries, and cultures served together, worshiped together, and formed new friendships. Our students were able to share their love for the Lord and encourage many of their new Mexican friends in their faith. By the end of the week, Eric, a student from the Mexican team, gave his life to Christ! As a result of their week with our students, this team of Mexican teenagers decided to start a youth group at their church so they can continue to pursue the Lord together.
We spent one morning at rehab center. While we had planned on performing dramas, sharing testimonies, and having a time of worship, we did not plan on how the Holy Spirit would show up in that place. Chris, one of the students from Bridgeway recalls, “At one point, while we were singing, almost everyone threw up their hands and asked for prayer. It was as if the Holy Spirit had come into the room and washed over everyone.” Chris and another student went over to a teenager and laid hands on him to pray. The young man didn’t know English, but he seemed to understand and feel God’s presence in that moment.
It was a privilege to partner with this church in Cancun, and our trip was an amazing opportunity to help our students see how God ministers in powerful ways around the globe. Savaughn, one of our youth, sums up the experience, saying, “I’ll always be grateful for the time I’ve spent with teens from the community, and I can’t wait to see them again!”