A team of adults and students from Liberty Christian Fellowship will be going to Puebla, Mexico June 20-28. This page will be updated with that content during the trip!

TRIP UPDATES

 Updates will be posted during the trip.

 DAY 7

Hola! Today was our last day here in Puebla Mexico. Early in the morning a group woke up to got see a clear view of the volcano, since it was finally visible. Then we had breakfast which was chilaquiles with salsa verde, beans, bread, yogurt with granola, and bananas. We then had our last devotional wrapping up our topic of abiding in Christ through not just doing works for God, but being with Him. Then we split up to finish our work projects from the week. 

Some of the group went to a shop up the street with Lori to get some last minute trinkets. At the store there are many pottery and marble things to buy which are local to Puebla. Back at the camp the sand team finally was able to finish moving the pile to a different part of camp. While other team members helped chop wood from a tree that was torn down. Lastly a crew helped finish up the concrete in front of the Chapel. Our team was excited to be able to finish all of the projects needed to be done this week. We got reenergized before heading to lunch by hitting up the snack shop for the last time. Then for Lunch we had pasta, beans, and chicken with peppers along with a frozen chocolate banana for dessert. Before heading to Santo Tomas people did their own thing by either packing or playing wiffle ball. 

When we were heading to Santo Tomas for the kids camp it started to rain! Almost every afternoon there has been the threat of rain, and today was the first time the rain actually forced us to shift around our plans. We started inside the tent and kids began to trickle in. We shifted the schedule a bit to ensure that the kids could be able to play games outside once the rain hopefully stopped. We had our craft first which was a popsicle stick cross and the kids could color and decorate it.

The rain lightened up and the kids were able to play basketball, wiffle ball and minute to win it games. They had the most fun flipping water bottles to then play tic tac toe.

The craft went with Audrey’s important message to finish out the week with Jesus being the ultimate way of rescue from sin. At the end of the message, the kids all received a little flashlight to remind them that Jesus is the light of the world. Audrey invited all the kids to accept Jesus into their life and two kids from Santo Tomas shared that they were ready to give their lives to Jesus. The youth from Agua Viva prayed with them through their decision. Praise God! 

We all stuffed into three cars to go back the camp for dinner. Before we started eating, we were able to say our thank you’s to Brian and Lori for hosting us and making this trip possible. We each got to get a prayer card and sticker from the Smiths to remind us about the ministry they have growing in Puebla. Then we had hamburgers with actual ham on it and the regular toppings as well. The youth group from Agua Viva surprised us with homemade elote which is Mexican street corn. You spread a layer of mayonnaise on the corn with cheese, lime, and tajin. Yum! They also gifted us with pens that had sculpted artistic representations of Mexican men and women placed on top. We ended the night by playing different games together before we leave tomorrow. 

Thank you again for your continued support and prayers all throughout the week and what God has shown us throughout the week. 

Adeline and Megan

 DAY 6

Hey guys, today we had an excellent day in Puebla Mexico. We started off the day with some wonderful blueberry pancakes and well seasoned bacon, which reminded some of us a taste of home and comfort. Then after breakfast we had our devos and it was over Galatians 5:16-25 which was about “Not yielding to the Holy spirit, holds back our abiding” as well as asking if we are allowing the Holy spirit to control every area our lives. 

Once we finished our devos we had some time to work on some projects which consisted of moving sand, trimming trees, building a rope course, and pouring concrete for the camp’s new church. 

After that we had a delightful cookout lunch under the camps pavilion which we enjoyed alongside the staff here at the Oasis to get to know them and sort of come together as one. We had refried beans, Mexican rice, and a variation of different meats along with some toppings that we would put into tortillas along side a salad. After the meal we also enjoyed some cheesecake which we had as a celebration for one of the kitchen staffs birthday who we also all sang happy birthday to. When lunch was over we had some free time- some people played basketball, soccer, card games, and then some people hung out in their cabins.

Once the time came around for us to start heading over to Santo Tomas we all piled into our 2 vans that we are using as transporting to get around. The club/VBS went very well and we had a good turn out of children to come as well as we didn’t have to worry about rain getting in the way because it was a clear and beautiful day. We played kickball, soccer, and drew on the concrete with chalk. 

After the games we did our craft which was writing positive characteristics that God has given us on rocks as well as coloring bookmarks with bible verses on them. Following the craft we had a skit/play written and directed Abi Fox of the Bible story of Ester which most of the team acted in. 

Once we got back from Santo Tomas we had a dinner of Tostados which had on them refried beans, lettuce, chicken and cheese with fruit options of watermelon and pineapple. After everyone finished their dinner people fellowshipped in many different ways whether that be playing whiffle ball out in the nice weather, playing ping pong and other games, or just chilling at a table all chatting together. That’s the end of the blog for Day 6, thank you for reading and once again we thank you for your prayers and support throughout our trip. 

Philip and Isaac

 DAY 5

Hola! Thank you all for your prayers as we continue to serve in Mexico. Today was another amazing day spent in Puebla! To start the day we had an amazing traditional Mexican breakfast of eggs with salsa verde along side some beans. To follow breakfast was our devotional time in which we covered allowing God’s words to take over our lives and how we can live in accordance to that. 

After amazing group discussion we went outside for our work projects and saw something we’ve haven’t seen this trip. THE SUN WITH BLUE SKIES! This great weather allowed us to finish some of our work projects around the camp! After days of fighting the wet dirt pile, the group in charge of the dirt finished excavating the pile from one end of the camp to the other. Other groups working on the high ropes course, wood stacking, and sand spreading made great progress also. 

BEFORE AND AFTERS

This hard work was rewarded with a fantastic lunch of fried pork chops, a delightful vegetable medley, and of course some freaking refried beans :( After lunch our hardworking team got the opportunity to relax in a quiet time or even take a refreshing plunge into a frigid pool of which Scott joined in. 

Following this relaxing time we packed into the vans to head to Santo Tomás. With rain seemingly approaching. The team prepared for indoor games. Praise God for allowing the rain to stay away long to enough to let the kids have a blast with frisbees and jump ropes outside! 

We also had a special surprise of a mock ninja warrior course provided by the missionaries here that the kids absolutely loved. At the conclusion of the sports time, we headed into the tent to make friendship bracelets with the message that Christ is our one true friend. After the chaos subsided, the one and only Megan brought us home with a message over Daniel 3, showing us God’s friendships through the hot and the cold. 

Quickly following a snack and cleaning up the kids camp, we rushed back to Camp Aqua Viva for the churches weekly Bible study! We got to meet new friends and connect with familiar faces after a study over Colossians. In order to build relationships with the residents of Puebla we played several challenging games that allowed us to bond. From charades to Bible games we had shared several laughs and memories with our many new friends. The moment that’s constantly been on our minds then met us face to face, TACOS. We all shared a rewarding meal of pork tacos that were incredible. Following the meal many of the team found opportunities to bond and share stories with the church members. 

What a rewarding day that the Lord prepared for us. Again we thank you all for your continuous prayers and support throughout this trip. We look forward to an exciting day tomorrow. 

Xander and Cooper

 DAY 4

Buenas noches! Another wonderful day on the camp! Today was a pretty raining day in the morning. For breakfast we had french toast (yum!) and we also had some eggs, fruit, and yogurt. It was refreshing to eat similar to American food that we have at home. Throughout the week we enjoyed authentic Mexican meals that consists of (A LOT) of tasty beans, homemade corn tortillas, huevos (eggs), and atole- which is this super tasty creamy drink that basically tastes like a melted milkshake. As we wrapped up our breakfast conversation we headed over to the living room area to do our devotional for the day where we read Hebrew 12, 1 Corinthians 9, Philippians 3, and learned how to equip ourselves to run the race Christ set before us with ENDURANCE! It was incredible getting to hear everyone’s insight from the Holy Spirit as we allowed the Lord to lead us in our conversation with each other about His Word. Fellowship within the team has been on a high as we have gotten to know each other better.

It has been so sweet to be able to connect and get closer with other students on the team. Some would play card games, board games, or enjoy the “Area de Juegos” where there is a ping pong table, and carpet hockey. Others would meet one on one and share their testimonies/stories and dive deep. In the afternoon, it’s nice to have time to relax and have quiet time before the day picks up again. We had work projects planned for the early afternoon, but a steady rain led to today including more rest time, where that fellowship got to continue.

At 3:30pm the team headed back to Santo Tomas to keep serving the youth. When we got there we set up and played games and play-dough with the kids. Then, we split the kids up for some organized games. Some played baseball, and the others played kick ball (or foot base, as they called it in Spanish to the kids). It was fun to see all the kids there participating and cheering saying: “Corre! Corre! (Run! Run!)”. 

Next we headed back to the tent for our craft which was weaving yarn on a paper plate to create a cross with a saying: “Dios nos persigue” (Christ pursues us). After the craft, Bryan led us in some fun worship songs with the kids. It was incredible how loud that tent was singing praises to the LORD! Lastly, Xander gave an amazing message on how God rescues His people through Moses from the enslavement of Egypt. As we wrapped up we played a few more games with the kids and had some snacks. 

However… before we could leave the big van got stuck in the mud! All of the guys were pushing and pulling but nothing helped as the car sunk further into the ground. Scott (love this guy) took all of the girls back to the camp then went back to help the guys get the van out. The girls rested, ate hot dogs, and played games while in the meantime the guys got a chain to help pull the van out. A friend of the church brought their dump truck to help pull and at first, even that failed. So the guys jumped to the back of the dump truck, and their combined weight finally gave the dump truck what it needed to pull the van out! We were all exhausted at the end of the day as all of us munched and devoured hot dogs over a fire.

-Audrey & Abi

DAY 3

Buenas noches! Thank you for your continued support and prayers. It was another amazing day here in Puebla! We started our day with another filling breakfast consisting of beans, eggs, ham, and bread. After breakfast, Bryan (missionary and camp leader) lead us in a powerful devotional in which we talked about the importance of repentance and addressing sin while taking note of Joshua 7. Following our devotional study, we split into teams in order to accomplish needed tasks around the camp.

While some got their hands dirty moving dirt and concrete, others pulled on their rubber gloves in order to clean the cabins from the last campers, tear down unwanted spider webs, and wash the dining room floors. After a long afternoon of serving the camp, many were very excited for lunch in which we ate steak, vegetable pasta, and potatoes. Before our time at the kids camp, we found joy in resting with our time together and the Lord, sitting on a log around the lake.

Around 3:00, we loaded up the vans to head to the Saint Tomás apartments. Once we arrived we set up our tent and supplies, in anticipation for the kids to arrive. The kids trickled in, a few at a time, as we began finding common ground in our love for board games. During the first 45 minutes of camp, we played sports, including basketball, volleyball, and soccer. We found that no matter what language we may speak, sports and the Lord unite us all.

Following sports, our craft team took the reins and lead our 28 new friends in a sun-catcher rainbow. Jules shared the story of Noahs Ark, entertaining the kids with correlating pictures, wrapping the day up beautifully.

We followed our time at the camp at a restaurant called Taqueria El Super Paisa. The food was so excellent, our group demolished 160 tacos. That wrapped up our night, as we headed back to camp for another full day tomorrow.

Once again, we appreciate you all for the love you have shown us.

Hasta mañana!

Jill & Riley

DAY 2

 ¡Hola todos! First off, we want to thank you all for your prayers and support as we have started, and as we continue, our trip. We have been blessed with good hospitality, health, and energy leading into, and through day two. Today we had a pretty chill morning to help us continue to adapt to the new culture and experiences. We started our day off strong with a hearty Mexican breakfast (huevos a la Mexican) as well as atole which is a warm drink that had a base of milk, with vanilla and corn starch to help thicken it. It was delicious! followed by a devotional over John 15 which tells us about how Christ is our vine and we are the branches.

After that, we had some free time before lunch which we spent preparing for the kids club that we are getting ready to lead this week in Santo Tomás. We were setting up the crafts and even practicing a skit that we had prepared over Esther for the kids. After that, with the rest of our free time, we played wiffle ball as a team and were able to interact with a few of the locals during that time.

Lunch was delicious too! We had Picadillos which consisted of rice, tomatoes, beef, potatoes and more. After lunch, we were given the opportunity to meet up with the youth group of the local church, Agua Viva! It really allowed to see how God has been working around us. Despite the language barrier that was there, we were able to communicate and create new friendships with the locals. During our time with the youth group, we did many different team building games like musical chairs, tug of war, a sack race, and we wrapped it up with a huge game of kickball!

Towards the end of our time together, it started to pour. Despite the rain we were all having a great time together and decided to stay outside and play volleyball! We spent a total of about three hours with the youth group before it was time to clean up and get dressed for dinner and church.

Dinner was delicious and they prepared tortas for dinner! A torta is similar to a sandwich with breaded chicken, beans, avocados, and Mexican mozzarella! At the end of dinner, one of the locals, named Ander, gave a nice devotional about how we are all called to be missionaries whether locally or foreignly. After that, it was time for church!

We began the service with a mix of worship songs sung in Spanish and in English, it was beautiful to see everyone come together and praise God! David then delivered a message regarding the sermon on the mount and The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). To end the night, we had fellowship with all of our newfound friends. Conversing, playing games, and having a great time together!

Thank you again for the support that you all have sent us with your prayers. We truly know that God has us in his hands and is ready to use us to grow his Kingdom. We also ask for continued prayers for the rest of the time that we have here that we are able to continue to build relationships and help the locals build relationships with God. We love and miss you all!

God bless, 

Hobie & Trent

DAY 1

Hello all! Thank you for your continued prayers over us as we embark on this adventure! After arriving a bit later than we anticipated yesterday evening, we have settled into Puebla nicely. Today we spent our time getting to know the local culture and the missionaries we will be spending time with this week! We woke up and had a delicious breakfast at the dining hall. Here in Mexico they emphasize a hearty breakfast, so we enjoyed fruit, granola, yogurt, refried beans, and chilaquiles. Chilaquiles includes tortilla chips topped with chicken, red sauce, onions, cream, and cheese. Yum!

We then headed out for a day of sightseeing and exploration in the city of Puebla. First, we hiked up to Santuario de la Virgen. This is a cathedral that was built using an ancient pyramid as the foundation. We then headed to a market where we spent time enjoying the creativity of the local people as they displayed handmade bracelets, pottery, and clothing. We also got to experience our first taste of fried grasshopper! Some of us enjoyed it more than others… We then headed to lunch at El Balcon, a local restaurant where we enjoyed more authentic Mexican cuisine. Everyone enjoyed their meals, and the Lord was so faithful to provide meal options for the members of our team with dietary restrictions.

After lunch we drove to the Puebla cathedral and spent time walking around zocalo square. It was so eye-opening to observe the locals’ faith and perspective on the gospel and who Jesus is. This experience gave us a deeper understanding of the need for the love of Jesus to be shared in Mexico. In addition to going to Puebla cathedral, we also went to the oldest library in Latin America and ate churros! Tonight we plan on spending time at the camp and gathering together before church and kids camp begins this week! We have had an amazing first day and can’t wait to see how the Lord continues to move in Puebla this week! 

Again, thank you for your continued support and prayers. They mean so much to us. Please be praying for our team as we navigate language barriers and building relationships with others inside and outside of the camp. We desire that the love of Jesus be evident in all that we do. We love you guys! See you soon!

In Christ,

Emma & Jules