Helping to put a face on missions!

Fourteen volunteers from Taylors First Baptist Church, Taylors, South Carolina, spent eight days on a short-term mission trip to El Carmen, Mexico. The team worked with missionaries Don and Ethel, and the local church, Centro Familiar Cristiano, which they helped plant several years ago. This is the fifth year that a volunteer team from Taylors has labored together with the church members in El Carmen.

This year the team ministered and shared with four new communities in and around El Carmen. The team also provided a construction crew to help assemble and erect a greenhouse.

The local church has a vision for planting new churches and Bible study groups in several outlying communities. To enhance these opportunities, the Taylors volunteer team prayerwalked, led craft projects for women and held children activities in El Carmen and in the four outlying areas. These activities enabled the team to work with/encourage and present the Gospel to over 850 people. Several accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior during the ministry efforts, and ten Bible groups are now meeting in the communities.

The El Carmen Church leadership had a vision for a greenhouse mission project – which has tremendous potential for the community. One family in the church donated four acres of property and provided the initial funds to launch this project. In addition, the International Mission Board made a grant from the Baptist Global Response's Human Needs fund to help purchase the materials for the first phase. The Taylors team helped in the installation of the two major structural parts for this facility. Eventually, the greenhouse operation will grow tomatoes, beans, peas and onions, and provide employment for the local men. The sale of the products will generate funds for financial aid for local and international missions.

Those who have experienced short-term missions know that what God does in the hearts of team members is as significant as what He does through them. It is great to see the positive impact that this project had on the lives of everyone involved.

Below are a few comments from team members about the trip:

"This trip changed my life completely."
"I went on this trip to do God's will and He turned it around and used it to bless me."
"This was my first mission trip and it put a face on missions."
"This mission trip reinforces for me that God is calling me to do more mission-type work."

Volunteers are so welcome and needed. Allow God to change your life forever by coming to the Middle America and Caribbean region on a short-term mission trip! Contact information is provided under "For Other Volunteer Opportunities" in the column to the left.