YWAM El Paso - Juárez

 

It’s hard to believe I’ve been with YWAM-EPJ for six months!  It’s been a great time of learning, serving and getting to know the staff.   I’ve been given two areas to focus on, helping at the El Paso office, and helping with Short Term Missions on both sides of the border.  I’ve been given the opportunity to help expand the ministry here in El Paso, as the current situation in Járez has escalated to a level where teams that would like to participate in ministry, but are requesting not to cross the border into Járez.  I was able to line up this last team with three ministries here in El Paso that YWAM-EPJ has not yet worked with, to establish relationship and find out how we can help long-term.  

 

Cannon Air-force Base Team

From Clovis, New Mexico

A one week team from Cannon AFB came to participate in missions on the USA side of the boarder. They put together a fantastic program filled with fun things like face painting, bubbles, praise flags, games and they even had a big air-balloon for the kids to play with.  We were able to minister at a the Lee & Beula Moor Children’s home, digging a drainage ditch, and ministering to the kids.  We helped at the YWAM-EPJ office, with building a fence, and paving holes in the parking lot.  The team ministered at Iglesia Bautista Bethel, a latin church with 60+ kids.  

 

They also painted the inside of the ‘in process of being renovated’ building in down town El Paso for a ministry called Dame La Mano.  Dame La Mano (Give Me a Hand) is a new ministry that is helping families who have lost their homes, to have shelter and food.  The tiny, sad, two story building they are in, already has 13 families living there.  The team did a fabulous job of painting and got to spend some time with the tenants.

 

Even with out air-conditioning in the YWAM Well House, the Cannon AFB team kept a positive attitude and worked very hard.  

 

Adventuras Misioneras

Adventuras Misioneras is a one week program for teenagers from Járez to participate in Missions with YWAM-EPJ.  I had the opportunity to be with them a few days during their week.  I was impressed by the program the YWAM-EPJ staff had put together for them.  The kids were encouraged to seek the Lord, specifically for what their ‘passion’ is in life and how to move in it in a Godly way.  They were taught how to give their testimony and minster to others.  I spent an afternoon watching a group of them put together thier ministry skits, they had fun and they worked hard, they came up with fabulous, and impactive skits.  I was blessed to be apart.  

  

Moving Again

My living situation here in El Paso is changing.  I came to a decision making point with the end of my 6 month lease.  As a responsible person, I did not feel comfortable signing another rental lease with the level of finances I have coming in.  Rental properties in El Paso are very expensive, I believe it’s due to the large Army Base here called Ft. Bliss.  After a month of fasting and prayer (and house hunting), I felt lead to move back to the Mimbres Valley, NM, to my parent’s property which cuts back on rental fees.  

 

I’m making the 3 hour drive once a week and working with the YWAM-EPJ base part-time.  I am hoping that as I spend more time working with YWAM and do some more fund raising, more missionary support funds will come in each month so I can afford to live closer and be a full time member of the ministry.