Love In Action - San Felipe Mission Trip

Our San Felipe mission trip was a meaningful and impactful experience from beginning to end. A total of sixteen of us departed from the church on Monday morning at 6:30 AM, and after a long week of fruitful ministry, we returned on Friday at 4 PM. During our time, we ministered to and shared the Gospel with the most loving and sweet children in the orphanage. We repainted a local church, we helped to beautify the Sonrise orphanage property, and did even more! Read below for more details on our story!

From the moment the team crossed into Mexico, God’s presence and provision were unmistakable. The group served with unity and joy, painting a local church, installing privacy fencing, clearing thorn-covered areas, and preparing meals that blessed the 24 kids and 9 staff members at the orphanage. Each morning, the team was led in Scripture and given a devotional challenge focused on practicing unseen acts of service, which the group carried out beautifully all week.

A highlight came when the children received English bookmarks with Bible verses. They immediately ran to grab their Spanish Bibles, flipping through pages to find each verse and reading them aloud to one another. A small gift became a powerful moment of genuine hunger for God’s Word. On our very first day of ministry with the children, each child received a handmade pillowcase created by one of our team members. These heartfelt gifts brought huge smiles, comfort, and excitement as they began their week with us. We were also able to sing worship songs with the children, filling the orphanage with joyful praise.

One of the most impactful experiences was visiting a Christian men’s rehabilitation center. Although the space could accommodate around 16 men, only 3 men were currently living there. The facility had no built-in electricity, only a few small generators, no plumbing, and extremely minimal living conditions, yet the men were overflowing with joy and gratitude. Despite having so little, they worshipped passionately, shared testimonies of God’s grace, and expressed deep thankfulness simply for the opportunity to be in a place of healing and discipleship. During prayer, many were moved to tears as the men’s humility and spiritual hunger touched the hearts of everyone on the team. It was a moment that deeply impacted everyone present.

Throughout the week, relationships with the children at the orphanage grew stronger. The team played, prayed, shared meals, and worshiped with them. Several children even asked if our team members could become their padrinos, a touching and sobering reminder of the depth of need and longing for connection.

The evening services were an incredible part of the trip:

• Pastor César preached a heartfelt message on November 4th about how our testimonies impact the lives of those around us, and how God uses ordinary people and their stories to draw others closer to Him.

• Pastor Craig preached on November 5th from Luke 10:38-42, sharing a message titled “Working and Worshipping.” He encouraged the congregation not to lose sight of worship while serving, reminding everyone that Jesus values our presence more than our performance. The message resonated deeply among the local churches.

• Joe preached on Thursday, November 6th, delivering a message on how God is a relational God, rather than a transactional one. He encouraged the church to see God not as someone to “earn” from but as a Father who desires a genuine relationship with His children.

On Thursday night, several local Christian churches gathered for a special service of worship and fellowship. As the service concluded, the entire church gathering joined together in prayer. An invitation was extended for people to come to Jesus for the first time or to rededicate their lives. We prayed together as a unified Church, believing that several responded with sincerity and openness to God’s Word. That night, we were also able to bless a missionary in Mexico with 50 Bibles to take into unreached areas, places heavily controlled by sicarios and local gangs. This missionary faithfully enters these challenging regions to bring the hope of God’s Word.

By the end of the week, the local church was freshly painted, the orphanage grounds had been improved, children were fed and cared for, the Gospel was shared, and meaningful relationships were formed that will continue beyond this trip. The team crossed back into the U.S. smoothly and arrived home grateful, changed, and full of joy.

God moved! Lives were touched! Seeds were planted! Our partnership with San Felipe is just beginning; we are excited to see what God has in store for the future.