For several years the team in our Mexico field has served refugees and immigrants staying at the border, awaiting their official paperwork to cross into the US. This ministry has expanded and fluctuated to meet the needs of a wide variety of people from all over the world. Grocery boxes, English classes, rides to church on Sundays, a safe place to share their stories, and so much more have been provided in Piedras Negras for those fleeing their home countries.
Read more about our work with refugees on the boarder…
Last year, Larissa noticed another need and was inspired to expand the ministry further. “We have known the hard situation that they live in general,” shared Larissa. “Then, I started to notice that the girls needed a spiritual space. A moment and space just for girls, a place where we could learn about our Identity in God, the beautiful design and how we look in his eyes.”
“The desire of my heart is to be able to share and explain how the Lord prepares us,” Larissa continued. “It doesn’t matter what happened in the past or what is happening in the present, He desires to be close to us. So we are learning about the little first steps in our journey with Him, and what he is wanting of us as women.”
The group began meeting once a week, sharing their own stories while diving into the word together. “Many of these women are not Christians,” explained Judy Minton, Director of the Mexico field. “They are hearing these bible stories for the first time, or at least in a new light than what they have experienced before.”
Larissa elaborated, “One day we were talking about the story of Joseph and one of the girls said, ‘He suffered, just like us.’ For me that was a moment of clarity. We are learning the stories of the bible, about the ailments that God’s people in the past experienced too. The Lord is working. Sometimes it is hard because they feel so sad and depressed but it’s beautiful when they can realize that they are not alone and in the middle of their desperation they can praise the Lord.”
Bible study has also become its own community. Many of the women who participate are also moms, so the staff provide a children’s class during the bible study. Larissa has also hosted special events for the group such as a spa day and meals for the women to share a taste of their home. Mexico intern Marissa shared, “These wonderful women are from all different parts of South America, including Honduras, Venezuela, and Mexico. Many are in huge seasons of change and are hungry for community.”
“All of this started with the desire to show them a little of the things that the Lord has been sharing with us as his children. I am also learning a lot from them! I feel a great responsibility, admiration, and gratitude all at the same time. I love them so much and I love that we have this space for women to share and learn.”
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Please pray for the continuation of this ministry as we enter a busy season for CrossRoads and Larissa heals from a medical complication.
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