My eyes were opened in Tecate, Mexico summer of 2001 when I was 15 years old on my FIRST mission trip with the youth group.
On that trip, I saw the Bible in action. You can't REALLY see unless you get out your comfort zone and experience life in someone else's shoes. For this week, I experienced being an orphan. I ate what they ate, slept where they slept, showered with limited water and worked in the hot sun to build up the daycare so they could have a PLACE to learn about Jesus.
I went home CHANGED. Never to be the same again. I was stirred to become a Missionary Nurse and come back one day to serve the kids of Mexico. Over the years, God took me on several more mission trips, opening my eyes to more experiences and world realities.
PEOPLE are the heartbeat of God.
God calls us to care for His people. Widowed. Orphaned. Prisoned. Needy.
What are WE doing to care for His people?
Mark 16:15 says to GO into ALL the WORLD preaching the
GOOD NEWS
I went home CHANGED. Never to be the same again. I was stirred to become a Missionary Nurse and come back one day to serve the kids of Mexico. Over the years, God took me on several more mission trips, opening my eyes to more experiences and world realities.
PEOPLE are the heartbeat of God.
God calls us to care for His people. Widowed. Orphaned. Prisoned. Needy.
What are WE doing to care for His people?
Mark 16:15 says to GO into ALL the WORLD preaching the
GOOD NEWS
Matthew 25:37-39 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
And MEXICO came full circle when I graciously lead a team back there in 2010.
Footprints Mission Ministry
One day over Christmas break in 2009, I EXPLODED with frustration and excitement. The church wasn't doing anything to serve the people in need and God gave me a VISION. He said GO downtown Chicago with garbage bags of coats, hats, etc., but hamburgers for the homeless and go PRAY for them. People who happened to be at my house when I shared that laughed in my face, but I was just BURSTING with INSPIRATION. We got NINE students to join us and a few leaders came. From that day on we started doing MONTHLY trips downtown or to local areas of need. And FOOTPRINTS continued to grow and grow.
Then... God gave me a VISION to take a group to Mexico on a short term mission trip.
Boy was that a big ship to turn. It started turning long before Footprints came to be. This trip to Mexico was stirring in all the weeks I spent talking with my dear friend Lindsy. It was GOING to happen. God was working on something BIG. And in EIGHT months since casting the VISION to the pastor, we had a group of 32 students, parents and leaders all trained and ready to serve at the orphanage in Mexico. I LOVE talking about this story and how QUICKLY God worked all this out. (Ask me more anytime!!!)
Mexico Mission Trip Summer 2010
I learned SO much about leadership on this trip. My role was to have the VISION, to strongly encourage the church leaders to allow it to happen, to gather a team of leaders and inspire the church to GO with us and experience God in another part of the world.
God opened everyone's eyes in different ways. I was OBEDIENT in making the trip happen and God did the rest. Some were inspired to give financially and open a Mexico fund, some went back the next summer, ONE young woman went back for a YEAR (yay God!) and many others went back home CHANGED. Never to be the same again.
One day over Christmas break in 2009, I EXPLODED with frustration and excitement. The church wasn't doing anything to serve the people in need and God gave me a VISION. He said GO downtown Chicago with garbage bags of coats, hats, etc., but hamburgers for the homeless and go PRAY for them. People who happened to be at my house when I shared that laughed in my face, but I was just BURSTING with INSPIRATION. We got NINE students to join us and a few leaders came. From that day on we started doing MONTHLY trips downtown or to local areas of need. And FOOTPRINTS continued to grow and grow.
Then... God gave me a VISION to take a group to Mexico on a short term mission trip.
Boy was that a big ship to turn. It started turning long before Footprints came to be. This trip to Mexico was stirring in all the weeks I spent talking with my dear friend Lindsy. It was GOING to happen. God was working on something BIG. And in EIGHT months since casting the VISION to the pastor, we had a group of 32 students, parents and leaders all trained and ready to serve at the orphanage in Mexico. I LOVE talking about this story and how QUICKLY God worked all this out. (Ask me more anytime!!!)
Mexico Mission Trip Summer 2010
I learned SO much about leadership on this trip. My role was to have the VISION, to strongly encourage the church leaders to allow it to happen, to gather a team of leaders and inspire the church to GO with us and experience God in another part of the world.
God opened everyone's eyes in different ways. I was OBEDIENT in making the trip happen and God did the rest. Some were inspired to give financially and open a Mexico fund, some went back the next summer, ONE young woman went back for a YEAR (yay God!) and many others went back home CHANGED. Never to be the same again.
Dear friends Craig & Lindsy and Leaders with me. Learned so much from their example. Love them.
Art Studio. More opportunity to minister to street kids.
The Gangs all here.
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