Photo provided Mission team leader Tim Sproessig and group coordinator Abner Castillo planning for the next project.
Even with a language barrier, the language of kids is universal.
That’s what First Christian Church mission team leader Tim Sproessig saw during a recent Vida Nueva Ministries mission trip to Piedras Negras, Mexico. Despite not speaking the same language, the kids who came along got along great with the students of the private Christian school Colegio Antonio Medina Gaona.
“What was really interesting was that our kids, although some spoke just a small amount of Spanish but not too much, were still able to interact and become friends with the students down there,” Sproessig said. “Even though language is a barrier, it didn’t stop them from becoming friends …”
The mission trip took place from Oct. 11 to Oct. 18. Twenty-seven people, three of whom were with Brownstown Christian Church, participated in the trip. As this was mostly a family trip, 10 of those 27 were children ranging from 8 to 17 years old, Sproessig said.
An average day on the mission trip started at 8 a.m. After eating breakfast and getting ready for the day ahead, group members left the dorms to a shop area where they were given their projects. Some people went to classrooms while others worked on projects, which varied greatly.
Among the projects were constructing sidewalks, building metal bunk beds for a church camp and painting projects, including lines on a volleyball court and the outside of a preschool building. A pediatrician, two nurses and a physical therapist who came along also provided a health clinic for parents of the preschool children.
“This ministry also connects with people outside of their actual location there, outside of their specific facility, and they have what’s called an open meal program so kids from the area come in and get lunch,” Sproessig said. “It’s because of knowing those families, we were able to buy food for 10 families and take it out and deliver that to families in the community that were in need.”
After a break for lunch at noon, everyone went back to the classrooms or to the projects they were working on. The days concluded between 4 to 5 p.m. and dinner was provided by local ladies who cooked authentic Mexican meals for them. After dinner, there was time for a devotion and discussion about what happened during the day.
This is far from First Christian Church’s first mission trip with Vida Nueva, as it started out as a fifth grade trip about 30 years ago. They don’t go every year now, but Sproessig said they have gone to this same location at least three times prior to this recent trip. Church members could also sponsor a student at the Christian school this year.
“Several church members wanted to help, that helps the education of that student,” Sproessig said. “They get a scholarship that helps with their tuition, because it is a private school so they have to pay to go to school.”
Everyone shared an attitude of working hard and doing whatever needed to be done during the trip, even the younger kids.
“We only accomplished our goal in the fact that we were able to help wherever it was needed, just to make things better down there,” Sproessig said.
