Cancun, Mexico ~ 2023

This week the BACC Mission Team is serving in Cancun, Mexico. Throughout the week, we like to stay connected to see how God is working in ways only He can, so we ask one of the team to write a blog for each day.

Cancun ~ Day Six, June 14th

I am really not sure how to even start to write this last entry.  This is the third time I’ve began.  How can I even try to express the huge range of emotions running through me right now?  I’ll start with this: today was our last day at the Back2Back community center in Tres Reyes.We started with an early departure for the community center.  We had worship time with the staff in the palapa.  The staff then turned the tables on us and prayed over us (rather than us praying for them). 

We moved into quiet time, then small group time. It was even more meaningful for me to have quiet time in the spot where we have been working so  hard this week, sweating and drinking water, trying to figure out how to build things with no instructions.

Then it hit me pretty hard:  when we wake up tomorrow, we will not be driving to the Community Center.

This lead me to thinking about the items we built. How is it possible that our mission trip is over? Has it really been 6 days?  My team’s instructions were “build 6 benches.” We were shown older ones we could look at to use as a guide.  Then the wood pile. Then the tool shed.  Those with experience grabbed tools needed.  Others grabbed wood.  Another team member and I measured the width between the palapa poles and then the parts of the old benches, making a diagram of the palapa and the bench….mainly because we had no idea how to do anything else at this point.   Those experienced with construction/assembly gave instructions on how to use tools safely. Everyone was given a task and started on their task. We would often stop and discuss as a team what next steps should be.  Was it easy?  Absolutely not. The first day we built 2 benches in about 5-6 hours.  Honestly it was a bit heartbreaking to see that our days labor only produced 2.

But as a team we grew stronger, leaning on each other and trusting each other in order to determine how to even start.  I knew my strength was not in assembly.  Others knew where their strengths were as well.  On the next project day we worked to make a better plan and made 2 benches, and had most of the wood for the remaining 2 benches cut in about half that time.

Some of us had no idea what the tools we used this week are called, let alone how to use them.  But looking to those wiser than us we learned and we found the advice we sought.  There is no “instruction manual” for life.  We have the Bible and those in our families and church to guide us.  For me this a great example of the kingdom of God…..turning to others, working together, and growing so we can in turn teach others and grow.  By myself I would still be sitting and looking at the wood pile and tool shed; but with everyone working together we achieved our goal. 

And back to todays schedule (sorry for the sidetrack).
After small group time we worked hard to finish projects. The “trash can house”, as it was aptly named, was completed so staining could begin. Benches were completed and stained. Cleanup was done.

As we finished there were many things we scattered around to help with. Some helped with dishes. Others played soccer with the children. Some worked on cleaning the center.

At the end of our day at the Community Center we took a picture of the entire group on the benches. I held back tears taking it; wondering who will sit on them next week, next month, and even 2 years from now.  Who will be impacted because they can take a seat on them to worship God? Who might take a break from the heat to rest and rehydrate?  Who will sit and learn something new about themselves, or about their walk with God? What family might sit on them together for the first time?

If you made it this far, thank you for following along.  And thank you even more for your prayers this week.
Beth

Cancun ~ Day 5, June 13th
Today we headed back to the Tres Reyes Community Center to kick off the day. 

We got a more in depth look at Back 2 Back's newest program called Reggio Emilio. After they learned about some abuse in some of the kids' schools, they decided to try a more direct approach to help the kids learn, grow, and develop.

There are 10 kids in all (5 young ones and 5 older kiddos). Each classroom is set up based on the Montessori model, so they get to learn through exploring and trying different things. When we got to visit the classrooms, the little kiddos were moving all around, drawing with chalk on paper, and in general just constantly moving around. One of the boys had several small bridge models that he had built out of popsicle sticks sitting on a tray in the front of the room.

As we switched to the big kiddos room, it sounded like there was a mini concert going on. When we stepped inside, we could see them all on one side of the classroom.  Two of the boys were playing their guitars and singing worship at the top of their lungs. It was so beautiful...the innocence of these young hearts who have dealt with so much in their young lives, lifting their voices in praise!

After a short Q&A with some of the staff members, we split into teams and headed back out to our work projects. More benches were being built, trying to finish the trash house, and starting to put together a small garden area. Once again, it was such a team effort - 2 teams working in sync together,  accomplishing some big goals to help love on the staff, the kiddos, and their families.

From there, we loaded in the vans and headed off to the public beach. Driving through the hotel district of Cancun, it was a striking difference to everywhere else we had been spending time this week. 

The Tres Reyes Community struggles to make ends meet, with exposed wires, giant potholes across all of the roads, garbage everywhere, and many houses seemingly unfinished or unstable, barely able to house their families. Yet these giant resorts welcome visitors every day in lavish ways, spending untold amounts of money to entice foreigners to stay with them. They use their workers (often from the community we are serving this week) so much to make a minimal living that they get to spend very little time with their families.

From our view on the beach, though,  we got to see more of the community. There were many people out on the beach, enjoying the sun and the waves, and we were fortunate enough to be a part of it. 

We took time to look out at the water, to spend some quiet time with God. There is nothing like the roar of the rolling waves and the wind to tune out all other problems you may have been facing. Today we got to do our end of day debriefing while at the ocean, sharing our pictures of the day, and remembering how we had seen God move, when we were seeing exactly how God was moving right in front of us. Such beautiful memories!

When we arrived back at the house, we had some empanadas for dinner before a free rest of the night. What started out for me as sweeping to try and remove the sand we had dragged in ended with several long, meaningful conversations with other team members. What an opportunity to share life and learn from others!

As we end today, preparing for our last full day of serving, there is a camaraderie amongst our group, and I can't shake the idea that our little group gives me a picture of God's big kingdom and hiw He designed it to be! There is an air of finality coming, but we will choose tomorrow to dig deep once more and do all that we can to serve together and further God's kingdom even more!
Crystal

Cancun ~ Day 4, June 12th
Today was a fun, but yet very busy day.  We capped it off with an hour (actually more) of worship ending around 9 pm, a perfect way to end it.

After a wonderful breakfast, prepared by some members of our teams (Blue Ash Community Church and Red Door), we started the day with additional Trauma training. This is so beneficial to help everyone understand what has been going on in the lives of the families we serve and how to best interact with the children.

We then left for the Community Center. Today looked different because there were no projects work on.  First we split into teams in order to work alongside the AM kids classes. This was amazing! The kids loved playing games and asking us questions.   We had translators in each room for assistance.

Next we had a prayer walk.  What is a prayer walk?  It is a time where we split into 3 groups, each lead by a Back2Back social worker. We each travelled to the house of a family to spend time with them, and to pray with them and for them. Again, translators were very helpful.  The mother of the house I visited beamed with pride as she introduced us to her children, around the outside of her home, her bountiful garden, their chickens/ducks/turkeys, and an extra room they had in the back of her home.  Her husband works with concrete and masonry, so he adds a little to their home as they can.  The mother was so full of joy and love - she was a vision of a proud mother.  She gave our group a prayer request for each of the children, her husband, her father in law, and herself. It was humbling to be able to pray for the specific needs of the family while we were there.

After the prayer walk we travelled back to the center for lunch with the B2B staff. 

This afternoon was special because they held the “Moms Market”.  It began with the mothers coming in for a women’s workshop. It was very similar to BACC Summer Sunset series, with games, encouragement, and fellowship.  During this workshop the team split again into classrooms to work alongside the PM group of children.

Then the mothers set up their booths at the market, held outside on the palapa at the Community Center. They each bring something they’ve made to sell; then the teams have time to shop.  The booths were truly amazing. One family was selling journals they each had a part in making!  They were beautifully painted and then woven together.

Our next activity was a visit to Parque Palapas for dinner.  We had the opportunity to eat authentic local cuisine. There were several food and treat restaurants for us to select from. The food was delicious and the experience was like no other.

We headed back to the team house for “picture of the day”, followed by worship.

Pretty safe to say we are all exhausted and ready to rest our muscles for a morning of project work tomorrow.
Beth

Cancun ~ Day 3, June 11th
Today was a really beautiful day from start to finish.  We started the day by attending church at Comunidad De Fe (Community of Faith).  The church felt strangely like BACC with similar colors and wood tones. It was nice to feel like we were at home. We worshiped together in Spanish and even though we may not have known all the words, there was a sense of community and togetherness knowing we were all worshiping and praising Jesus together. They gave us headsets that translated the message into English which was very cool. It was no coincidence that the message was about how God uses ordinary, normal people to be his hands and feet to expand the Kingdom. Often in our lives we can feel very ill equipped. The lies we believe about not being good enough, smart enough, strong enough, capable enough often paralyze us from stepping in to what Jesus calls us to do.  And that’s just what the enemy wants. The disciples were normal people, in fact some were pretty awful people before knowing Jesus. But WITH GOD, our seemingly ordinary can make an incredible impact. 

We had the blessing of experiencing that a few hours later at the B2B Tres Reyes Community Center during our special Father’s Day celebration. Building into the Dads in the community has been a big focus of the Strong Families program that is thriving in Cancun. Often fathers in these communities work long hours and because of that, and many other reasons, it can be difficult to have quality time and build relationships with their kids. Today we were able to create an experience for Dads and their kids to have fun, connect with each other, and have a little friendly competition too!  We started the event by taking family photos of the dads and their kids and printed them on site with a frame they could paint and decorate. The families played a game together on the basketball court and then enjoyed a meal together. And as someone who helped prepare the meal over sizzling hot oil in the kitchen, I was cooler in the kitchen than anyone on that basketball court!! :) Thanks to the generosity of you all at BACC, we were able to provide Pinewood Derby Car Kits to over 12 families. The dads and their children chiseled the cars, painted them and watched their handiwork speed down the track we constructed yesterday.  I don’t think any of them stopped smiling from the minute they walked in to the minute we cheered and high fived them out. Before leaving the staff encouraged the families to spend a moment together. Praying, embracing, and speaking life into each other. I don’t think there was a dry eye under that Palapa. It was a very powerful moment and for some, a very emotional moment. While we are thankful to know the love of our heavenly Father, we all also have an earthly father and sometimes that relationship isn’t simple. Giving these dads an opportunity to be present in their kids' lives, build something together and then celebrate in the success of the project was something I hope they remember forever. Something seemingly ordinary like wood and spray paint, WITH GOD made an impact in a father’s relationship with their children. 

During our debriefing at the end of the day there were lots of big feelings. Some of us thankful for the loving, supportive relationships we have with our own fathers and for others, sadness over the loss of a father or mourning a relationship that never existed. Wherever you are on that spectrum, rest in knowing that your Father in Heaven loves you in a way that is beyond comprehension. He wants to be in relationship with you and know your heart. When our earthy fathers can fall short, He never does. 
Ally

Cancun - Day 2, June 10th
We woke up today for our first full day in Cancun, heading to the Community Center in the Tres Reyes community. After some trauma and beliefs training, and a tour of the facility, we were ready and waiting to find out what God had in store for us today, and it didn’t take long for us to find out. 

As we sat under the Palapas (the thatched roof pavilion), we listened to Evelio (who is the only man who handles all of the maintenance needs at the property) describe all of the projects that he was hopeful we could help him with. We were reminded of the blessing this was to him, having 18 other sets of hands to help him with this labor that he carries out day-to-day, all on his own. Once he finished, we divided up into teams, and then got started on 4 different projects. 

Our 5-person crew was spread out over all the projects, working alongside team members from the rest of the group we are with. Some were building new benches, others were hanging windows and doors in the little bit of expansion they were doing, and I was on the team that was building the trash house (yes…you read that right!). And the final group was building a pinewood derby racetrack, to prepare for tomorrow’s Father’s Day activity that has been planned (stay tuned for those stories tomorrow). 

The most unique part about our “assignments” was that we didn’t have instructions to follow. We were given materials and shown a couple of examples, but were told we needed to work together as a team to complete each of our tasks. So we were diving in deep with people we have known for barely more than 24 hours. At home, I feel like this can be a challenge in every day life - dealing with people we barely know to accomplish things, struggling to communicate effectively. But here, everyone simply moved forward, had conversations, shared thoughts, asked questions, and began figuring it out, 1 step at a time, loving each other through it. 

At varying points today, each of our team stepped out into an area they weren’t necessarily comfortable with. Deanna was excited to help with the Pinewood Derby track, where she sanded, and sanded, and sanded some more! Ally jumped in and didn’t hesitate to grab the drill to pre-drill holes and screw the boards together. As Ally drilled, I looked up and saw Beth taking a couple of turns on one of the mitre saws. Nancy jumped in caulking windows, and then rounded out the day by sanding some of the benches the kids will use every day. 

Every one of us, on both teams, stepped into roles that we would have never expected, did things we would have never thought of, and accomplished more than any of the staff likely anticipated. That would be enough of a takeaway for today. But the reality is that God revealed a bigger picture today. That picture was the harmony with which our teams worked together effortlessly as if we had known each other for many years. Everyone took risks, everyone shared, and together we helped create the vision. 

In debriefing I realized this is the way I view God’s kingdom, and the way it SHOULD work - every person working together to fulfill the purposes we are given. When we each are willing to say yes, to step in whenever and wherever we are needed, then we are truly God’s hands and feet in a way that is real and tangible. Today I believe we all witnessed a glimpse of what it is like “On earth as it is in heaven”, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it!
Crystal 

Cancun ~ Day 1, June 9th
We made it!

Waking up this morning came with some big feelings of fear and anxiety. It was flight day! Walking into the airport, not sure where to go or what to do; it was really pretty easy in the grand scheme of things. My favorite part was as we waited for our boarding time, we got to ride on the tram! Backward and forward, laughing all the way, taking pictures. Another first time experience for me, and it was nice for just a moment to not think about what was coming up. 

The flight was a bit scary at times. The take off was good but climbing to the skies was a bit harder. There were some bumps throughout the ride, and each one shook my nerves a bit. Not being able to hold on to anything was hard. I had to take several deep breaths. But, the TVs and movies on the back of the seats made it that much better! 

SPOILER ALERT: During the flight, a few of us watched the same movie: Jesus Revolution. . . Ally’s take away was that we are all in search of acceptance and it’s our jobs as Christians to help others feel comfortable. For me, the whole scene with the footwashing and the door going both ways was so powerful. 

Once we got to Cancun, getting through customs (hooray for the stamp) and finding the luggage, were the next steps. One bag took a little longer to come out, but in the end, all luggage made it! Thank God! 

We are safe and cozy in the house tonight. We get to head out to the site tomorrow to start our work. What do you have in store for us, God?

Cancun, Mexico ~ 2022

In June of 2022, the BACC Team went with Back2Back Ministries to Cancun, Mexico from June 17th - June 23rd. During our mission trips, we like to stay connected with the team and see how God is working in ways only he can, so we ask one of the team to write a blog for each day.

Cancun - Day 6

As I started the day today, laying in bed before finally crawling out, I prayed over the day, our last day, that God would help me to have open eyes, open ears, and an open heart to what He wanted to show me today. As we drove to Tres Reyes again today, I listened to a friend’s song that was sent before we left about Just Being and waiting (which is not my strength). But after several glimpses throughout the day, I get ready to head home, knowing that God answered.

We were back to painting the outside of the building today. As a 2-story building, we couldn’t quite reach the top with the roller extensions, so 4 of us went up on the roof to get the rest. Three had rollers, and I was trailing behind cutting in. I took a break from painting momentarily to simply look around and “be”, and I noticed the Tres Reyes community moving around, going about their lives outside of the community center.

There were kids walking home from school (some with parents, some not), women walking together and chatting, and people working all up and down the street. I made eye contact with one of the women, who happened to look up. We both smiled, and greeted each other with “Hola”, and then she continued on. A little farther up the street men were delivering soda to a local hacienda (store) when another truck tried to get through, but couldn’t fit, so he laid on his horn. I fully expected angry voices once the delivery man came out. But instead, they simply had a brief conversation, laughing and sharing life, before he got in and made room for the truck to get through. No rush, no big deal here…quite different from normal life back at home. 

When it came time for lunch, we split up into groups at different tables, with different staff members at each table. We sat with 4 staff members. Our ladies were Darlene, who is the Site Director, Marianny, who is a teacher, and Lili, who is a psychologist at the Community Center, and then we had Evelio, who is part of the maintenance staff. All of them are at varying levels of learning English, and yet we were able to have great conversations with them about their lives, asking questions of each other about things that are the same or different in our lives and in our countries. 

As we each finished lunch, we were engaged in great conversation with Darlene, who has only been learning English for about a year. Slowly, one by one, every other person left the table except the 4 of us. 

Slowly, in often broken phrases, she shared so much of her heart, and we got to hear even more of her story. She moved to Cancun from Mexico City. She lost her husband 8 years ago, and a son 4 years ago. She has another son who is struggling and requires a lot of her time and attention, and her mother also now lives with them. To see her work with the kids, or welcome our big crazy group to the Community Center, you would never know that she deals with so much…she simply exudes joy and love in all that she does! And when we asked what she enjoys doing in her free time, she talked about her conversations and long walks on the beach with her son. 

Listening to her talk, I felt the urge that we needed to pray over her. And before I knew it, Ally was asking if we could, and she said yes. So we got to bless her with being prayed for specifically. We could tell that it meant a lot to her, and we were blessed by being able to do it. Clearly she is a strong woman with a lot going on, and we would have never known her struggles if we weren’t willing to sit and listen. All of us stepping out of our comfort zones helped bring us closer together!

There were many more ways God spoke to my heart today, giving me glimpses of His heart and how He loves ALL of His children. And it was a great reminder that, no matter the language barriers, the distance, or our perceived shortcomings, our stories can impact anyone who is willing to listen. All because of a simple prayer that started my day! 

~ Crystal

Cancun - Day 5

Today we headed back to Tres Reyes. All 20 of us were exhausted, and wanted to go back to bed. One of the teens from the other team was running so late that his breakfast was a couple giant spoonfuls of ice cream he had bought at our snack stop the day before, and then forgot to grab money before running out of the house (for the snack stop we would have today). Since we knew there would be lots of time spent outside playing with the kids and doing projects, we were hopeful that the overcast day would be a blessing. Instead, the humidity was at an all time high, and it wasn’t the most encouraging environment for working with a cheerful heart.

But, we soon divided up into 3 teams - 1 would play games about patience, another would check balls for next week’s soccer camps, and the last (largest) group would be working on weeding, prepping and painting around the campus. Each of the 3 of us were on a separate group. Nancy helped with games, Ally helped with the soccer balls and nearly overheated organizing the sports closet, and I was part of the projects team. What was about 2 hours of work time felt like nothing, and then we were on to clean up for the morning. 

We had our quiet times and small groups in the open air, and then it was time for lunch. We ate with several staff members, and got to hear several stories about the animals that lived in the jungles that abound here in Cancun (jaguars, panthers, pumas), not to mention the hidden snake story that Juan (one of the teacher’s there) told us about flinging a Boa across the room. It was great to share life, stories, and questions from around the world while we ate.

After lunch the children began to arrive, and we were given the opportunity to play with them, or talk to them. One family arrived with their almost 7 year old son who promptly separated from them, came into the pergola, did a somersault across the floor, then bounded across the rest of the pergola to lay on the stools that were next to us. Then he sat up, we asked his name and age, and then he said something else really quickly in Spanish that none of us understood. And just as quickly, he bounded off again to burn some energy on the nearby playground.

Soon after we noticed one of the teens trying to ask another girl a question, but was having difficulties with them understanding each other. So the 3 of us joined her, and between Ally looking up words in her phone, and us piecing together the few Spanish words we knew, before we knew it, we had learned that she was 10, had 3 brothers, and the first little boy was actually her youngest brother. Where earlier in the week the language barrier had seemed too big, we were now engaging in almost normal conversation. When we learned that her favorite sport was basketball, Ally invited her to play with her.

For the rest of the afternoon, it was time for us to connect with the kids by teaching them the Patience devotional that we created to go along with their Fruits of the Spirit studies they are doing this summer. Juan translated and read Scriptures for us. The kids were so attentive and it was great to see their faces light up as they thought through answers to some of the questions, like what are some things that cause them to be impatient (many of them, especially boys, answered homework without much thought).

But the greatest moment for us was when we presented the coloring sheet as their activity, that was supposed to help them grow their patience. Since the Bible story we shared was the story of Joseph, we had chosen a picture of Joseph and his very detailed coat of many colors. Instantly the kids expressed the level of patience they knew it would take to make them beautiful. But, each one persisted, creating their own unique masterpiece to take home with them. The best moment, though, was when the almost 7 year old we had met earlier put down his paintbrush, picked up his completed picture and loudly exclaimed “Yo tengo patientia” (which means I have patience!). This little boy, who just at the beginning of the school year couldn’t sit still in any classroom, was able to have enough patience to complete a challenging coloring page with paint. A true testament to what Back 2 Back is doing here!

As one of the older girls (who Juan told us is a great artist herself) was finishing her masterpiece, the 3 of us had the opportunity to sit and talk with Juan. We learned so much about his journey and all that God had brought him through to arrive there. As he spoke of his love for all things art and music, and how he worked so hard to share it with the kids day in and day out there, it was clear that he was right where he was supposed to be, doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing. He was using his talents in a big way…exposing these kids to the beauty of art and music, giving them choices in a world where they often don’t get to make many, letting them dream big dreams! God’s love is truly reflected in every part of his life here!

Then we went back outside to join the group to play volleyball before we packed up and headed home for the day.

Overall, the day was a reflection of what little things can do over time, and how God will use any and every “yes” that we give Him.

~ Crystal

Cancun ~ Day 4

We woke up this morning praying for clear blue Cancun skies because this was our beach morning. Thankfully, God answered our 20 prayers and literally held off the rain that the radar had promised! We spent our quiet time and small group time listening to the crashing waves and feeling the salty breeze coming off the bluest waters you’ll see. Standing before the mighty waves and endless blue waters always puts how small we are into perspective. God’s beauty and powerful creation on full display. I kept hearing the song Endless play over in my head… How deep, how high, how vast and how wide is Your love…Endless, endless.

Having that time to just sit in awe and wonder of the world God gave us to live in was so refreshing. Getting plowed by the rough waves that were bringing in the storm wasn’t as refreshing but invigorating none the less! We were laughing, playing, having fun and completely relaxed… grown adults feeling like God’s kids playing in the ocean and man it felt good! Now that you know we got to go to the beach, I bet you wish you were with us!! :)

After the beach, we ran home, had a quick lunch, tried (and failed) to wash the sand off and headed to the Back 2 Back Community Center in Bonfil. Bonfil is a different part of Cancun and has challenges that are different from the Tres Reyes community. Bonfil is more developed and is within the city of Cancun. The children and families of Bonfil battle poverty, crime and addictions. Domestic violence is prevalent and the grip of addiction has destroyed families. The community center provides classes and support services for not only children, but parents as well. In order to be a part of the center, at least one caregiver has to commit to the program as well. By working with the whole family, Back 2 Back social workers are helping empower families to break the cycle of violence and giving them hope. A renewed spirit fueled by the love of Jesus. We broke up into a couple groups, one group helped one of the staff members, Juan, with a devotional class on Patience and the other group got to work clearing the lot of weeds to create more space for the kids to play. You can imagine how big and thick these weeds were given the abundant sun and rain the area provides. Driving through the streets of Bonfil revealed the heartbreaking reality that these families live in day in and day out.

Back at the house, Juan came back and led us in a worship night. We sat together as a group and sang together. Worship is always my favorite because I love the way music moves your heart and is prayer set to music. The same songs we sing week in and week out at BACC took on a whole different meaning when I thought about actual orphans becoming sons and daughters, bringing light to the darkness, all the pieces broken and scattered in mercy gathered mended and whole. It was a perfect way to end the already great day.

From beginning to end God blessed our day today and I can’t wait to see what He has in store for us next.

~ Ally

Cancun ~ Day 3

Today was a unique experience that was only possible because of BACC’s prayers and support, and we were so excited to be the hands and feet during it! A chance to experience something new and see God’s faithfulness in how He provides.

A few months before we came, we asked if there was a possibility of doing something special for the kids that we would be interacting with while we were here. Back 2 Back was excited at the thought and offered up a day trip to a local outdoor mall with lots of activities. It is located in the middle of the tourist part of Cancun, and very few of these kids had ever had a chance to do this, or anything that even comes close to this experience. 

In the planning process, God was faithful in providing the funding, both through discounts provided to the large group, as well as donated payments made from other team members who were not able to come. This allowed us to not only do the fun activities with them, but also provide lunch for them as well. 

Breaking down into several smaller groups, the day included tours through the Ripley’s Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, A Maze of Mirrors, a Chocolate Museum, and then on a giant ferris wheel that allowed us to see the entire Cancun area, and the sea waters that surround it. 

From the beginning we weren’t sure if the weather would hold out, since there were lots of clouds on and off throughout the day. But every time it started to rain, we were headed into one of the attractions, and we never had to worry. Then, by the time we came out, it had cleared up and the sun had come out. God’s perfect timing!

But more importantly was seeing the joy of these kids. Since it was a lot of teenage kids, we weren’t sure what to expect. But with each part we went through, it was fun to see them light up with personality. They were full of joy and excitement and were eager to experience every last part of it. 

Whether it was a giant smile as they stood to take a picture in front of the wax figure of their favorite celebrity, pushing every possible button as they walked through the weird facts in the museum, or simply laughing hysterically as yet another person ran into another mirror, it was clear that they were having fun. There were lots of laughs from the kids, the staff, and the mission teams. And when we asked their favorite part at the end, they couldn’t decide…unanimously it was “all of it!”

As if that wasn’t enough, God wanted to show each of us just how much He loves us…He wasn’t done yet!

What we couldn’t plan was the small cultural show that showed up as we were waiting on the last groups to finish. As the 4 men dressed in costumes climbed the pole, played their music, and then descended while swinging around on ropes, all eyes were glued to their performance. It likely is a show that is done fairly frequently here (maybe even every day), but for us, it seemed like it was another way for them to experience a part of their culture that they don’t get to see every day.

A day full of fun and excitement for kids who don’t really get to go many places, especially over the last couple of years. They enjoyed it so much that many of the kids fell asleep on the way home in the large charter buses that they were transported in. 

We couldn’t be more grateful for the planning, the timing, and the many many prayers that made today possible. There were many memories made today that we know those kids will never forget!

~ Nancy & Crystal

Cancun ~ Day 2

We started our day with breakfast and a quick training from Back2Back before loading in the vans and heading to the Tres Reyes Community Center. This was about a 20-25 minute bus ride from our house and gave us a peek at the journey the residents need to make it to the city. Tres Reyes Community Center is an amazing place. It was clear by the smiles on TEENAGER’S faces that they appreciate the center, the staff, and the love and support they receive when they are within those walls. Today we hosted Teen Camp at the Tres Reyes Community Center. Over 60 teens from the Tres Reyes Community and the Bonfil Community came together for a day full of games, crafts, and Bible teachings. 

The lesson was on Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time. Though the lesson was entirely in Spanish, Google Translate picked up some pieces for me… Generally, they were explaining to the kids what a true friend is. A true friend doesn’t lead you down destructive paths, a true friend doesn’t speak poorly of you, a true friend encourages you. In Cancun (and honestly in the US, too) there are many negative forces that bide for your attention and affection. People that are not looking out for your best interests and can easily lead you down dark paths. They were encouraging the kids to choose relationships that bring you close to being like Jesus. Something we all could be reminded of... The people in your life, shape your life. 

One of my favorite parts of the day was when the staff led a few worship songs. They were in Spanish, but as soon as the first few chords were played we knew them, too. Very cool to see songs we sing together are the same songs used to praise and worship our God hundreds of miles away. A great example of how we are all one body in Christ.

~ Ally

Cancun - Day 1
Beginning this trip was different…driving to Detroit the day before our flight, not having to get up and leave for the airport by 3am, not going to Haiti, knowing very little about what to expect. All I knew was that we were getting up this morning as a small but mighty team, to welcome what God had waiting for us.

As soon as we got to the airport and arrived at the Delta counter, God showed up! We stood and tried to get our bearings, looking at line upon line that was in front of us. Although we were very early, there is always uncertainty with flights, and making it to the gate on time.

We first started to move in the wrong direction, and nearly ran into a porter there who was crossing in the direction we SHOULD have been going in! She politely asked if we needed help, and Ally snagged her to ask about international check-ins. We chatted a little as she showed us the way, revealing that the long lines were a result of the 1000s of flights that were canceled (hoping ours would not become a part of that list)!.

Not only did she walk us to where we needed to be, she helped us check in at the kiosk, walked us through all of it, and helped us with attaching the tags. As a frequent traveler, I would typically brush off this help, because I didn’t really think we needed it. However, I felt strongly that we needed to accept her help.. 

Fully expecting her to simply tell us which line to get in to drop our bags, I was surprised when she walked to the front of the ticketing line, with us and our bags, and proceeded to find an agent who could help us get our bags off, before heading to security. Somehow she had helped us bypass the entire line of people who were waiting in line to switch flights. She had even given us instructions to get to a newer, recently opened security line that wasn’t known well, so we could get through that faster.

Nearing the end of her services, I felt another prompt to grab a larger tip out of my wallet. As I handed her the tip, she reminded us once again how to get there, and we were beginning to say our goodbyes when I once again felt yet another prompt. 

This time, I knew God wanted me to ask to pray with her. Hesitantly, I spoke up, thanked her, and asked if we could pray for her and with her before she sent us off. Immediately, her face lit up and said yes. When I asked if there was anything specific, we could pray about, she enthusiastically told us about her 93 year old Mother who was at home, still living life to the fullest. No real issues mentioned, but it was obvious that their relationship was extremely important to her. 

So we prayed over both of them. It was nothing miraculous (in my opinion), but she was so touched by the gesture of us asking and following through. She immediately wanted to know more about why we were going to Cancun, what church we attend, and what we were doing. 

When we told her we had an online service, she was thrilled, since her mother has been tentative to go back to church in person, so they typically watch online services instead. She said that they will certainly be checking it out online, as early as this Sunday. So if you see C.J. pop into the chat, make sure to tell her hello!

It was a reminder to me that in the midst of my unknowns, He simply knows! He never has doubt and never misses! So as I process on the end of our first day here, it leaves me wondering what is in store for us, since He showed up in a big way before I even felt like we were “starting”. The reality is, though, that I should always be going, and never stopping when it comes to loving on others!
~ Crystal