Below is a report from the Mazatlán Mission Trip from team leader Lisa Kurtz:
What a fulfilling week it was! A team of 16 people from LifePoint left on June 15 to head to Mazatlán, Mexico to serve with Back2Back Ministries. This ministry serves vulnerable children focusing on a 5-point development plan: spiritual, physical, educational, emotional, and social development. We were privileged to serve alongside Back2Back staff and interns as we learned more about the ministry and the children they serve.
Our days started with breakfast at the team house followed by time for quiet time and small group devotions. Some mornings would include training by Back2Back staff on the topic of Trauma Competent Care (TCC). This was insightful training to learn more about the children B2B serves and how to best interact with them. It was awesome to see the effort that goes into learning how to best care for these kids. The staff works really hard to continually learn and grow and always keeps striving to do what is best for the children that they serve.
We had a chance to do some work projects at one of the children’s homes – Rancho de los Niños - as they were preparing the new community resource center for its dedication. The new 12 Stones Holistic Center for Child Development will be an awesome new space for the children at Rancho as well as other children in the community. It will include a medical and dental clinic, OT and PT opportunities, as well as a large training space. Eventually the grounds will include a pool, therapy pool, as well as a soccer field and basketball court. This will provide valuable opportunities for these children who may not otherwise have access to such facilities.
Our work projects included A LOT of painting, cleaning up the grounds, cleaning the inside of the building, and of course there was some concrete to be poured, my personal favorite. Our team was always willing to do whatever was asked and worked hard in the hot Mazatlán sun. I think it rained in Indiana almost every day we were gone. On the other hand, Mazatlán has not seen rain since November!
We took the Rancho kids on a couple of field trips. One was to a park near the ocean where some team members stayed and let the kids enjoy the fresh air. Other team members walked with some of the kids up a huge hill to an overlook for beautiful views of the city. It was great to see the kids leave the children’s home and experience something we may all take for granted. Our other field trip with the Rancho kids was to a water park. This was a really fun day! All of the kids loved playing in the water and it was fun to see them laugh and play.
We also got to spend an afternoon at the Salvation Army Children’s Home. This is more of a traditional children’s home with about 30 kids living there. This was an awesome day because the kids just love running around and playing and acting like kids. Some of the popular activities were jumping rope, coloring (even our faces) and of course a soccer game!
We also got to spend some time at the beach with the kids from the Hope Program. This is a program for middle school and high school aged children who B2B tries to move into a family environment with a host family. This teaches the kids valuable life skills and how to be a part of a family unit. It was fun to see these kids as they played at the beach.
We also visited the new Pacific Christian Academy (PCA) school which B2B is starting with the Hope Program kids. This school will use the 5-point development plan to better reach and teach children who may otherwise be left behind.
Each evening would end with a delicious dinner at the team house, followed by worship and debrief. This was a great time to reflect and share our favorite part of the day.
It was such a great week and I feel blessed to have been able to help lead this team. With our small group size, it was easier to get to know everyone better and bond as a group. I think we all learned a lot about Back2Back Ministries, about the children that they serve, and we were able to, even if in a small way, Make A Difference For One.
