By Lori and Sam

If we could pick just one word to describe our recent, one-day mission trip to the Tijuana Christian Mission (TCM), it would be “refreshing.” From beginning to end, the trip was a great experience.

One reason the trip felt refreshing was because of the fellowship we experienced with Ed, Letty, Juli, Jose and Leticia.

On the drive down, we shared stories of how we came to faith and marveled at the ways God has used strangers in our lives to speak truth and point us in the right direction. Even though our stories are uniquely different, they share common themes.

The other reason the trip was refreshing was because of the wonderful people at TCM. There, the youth eagerly participated in a worship rehearsal with Ed teaching guitar, Letty leading singing, and Jose at the drums. We especially enjoyed watching the singers and tambourine players become more confident as they progressed.

This was Sam’s first time in Mexico. For him, the highlight of the day was realizing that even though the cities of Irvine and Tijuana are drastically different, the people are still the same. The young people at TCM that we saw laughing, singing and socializing were no different than him and his friends.

For me, the highlights were: (1) sharing this experience with Sam and (2) taking a small step of faith out of my comfort zone. For that one day, I was able to set aside my worries about a stressful job situation and concerns about my aging parents to connect with God’s people. I felt like I was where God wanted me to be.