Open My Eyes

Aug 25, 2024 | by The Fellowship

Last year, I was excited to hear about a 2024 Student Ministry mission trip planned with Living Water International to the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico.  Having been on mission trips to Mexico previously, I remembered that the experiences had been incredible. So, I asked to be included, and the pastors graciously welcomed me to join the team.

Living Water International is a faith-based, non-profit organization that helps communities in developing countries to create sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs. Established 34 years ago in1990, the company has completed 24,000 projects worldwide that include drilling new wells as well as rehabilitating non-working wells and other projects to make potable water available to communities. The Fellowship has been a faithful supporter of Living Water through the years and raised much funding for the company through Advent Conspiracy, a Christmas emphasis on giving gifts that honor Jesus through helping the needy around the world.

As the trip was approaching (July 21-27, 2024), I found myself experiencing considerable anxiety as well as questions.  The purpose of the trip would be to lay pipe and complete other projects to make potable water more accessible to a rural village that only received water once or twice every 15 days.  Did God really intend for me to go on this trip?  Am I just going for an adventure in another country? What do I bring to the team? Am I physically able to be an asset -- or will I drag the team down?  

As each day of the trip evolved, God was very gracious to calm my anxieties and to meet the needs of our whole team.  Still, as an analytical person, I struggled to fully understand our role in Oaxaca.  Yes, we accomplished some important tasks, and a significant part of our trip cost helped fund the work.  But I felt like I was missing something.  The community had 40 or 50 hard-working people who had already begun working. Could we really make a difference?  I kept asking God to open my eyes.

And He did!  My vision for what He was working out in Oaxaca was just too small!  The Living Water organization is based on Jesus being the true, eternal living water.  Ultimately, the mission is to bring the Gospel to the communities that they serve.  Our Father’s desire is to give every person in each house the thirst-ending, lifesaving living water that only Jesus Christ provides.  We were able to pray as a group with the people, present a cinema screening for the kids of the Gospel message in cartoon mode, and have conversations with adults about our faith.  It is clear that God will not stop working in Oaxaca until the ultimate goal of sharing Jesus Christ with every person is reached.

The Lord also allowed me to see that most of the people have never been the recipients of help from a group of missionaries.  This explains why they were so amazingly gracious and hospitable.  The impact of God sending His children from another country to help in these communities is not to be underestimated.  God is continually growing His kingdom in ways that we cannot even imagine. 

Others on the trip have also shared their thoughts.  One of our students commented: “I witnessed the profound impact of faith and community as God’s love illuminated the lives of those around me. Each day, we engaged with families, shared meals, and participated in service projects that transformed not only the physical landscape, but also the hearts of everyone involved. I saw children’s eyes light up with joy every morning when we entered the village, and I felt the warmth of gratitude from families who opened their arms to us. In moments of prayer, the vibrant spirit of the community was very powerful. Every day I was reminded that God’s presence is often the most palpable in acts of kindness and unity. This experience deepened my understanding of faith in action and showed me that we were equally blessed by the love and resilience of the community.”

Another adult on the trip noted:  “Our team was more changed by the people we worked alongside than anything. The unity, dedication, and love displayed from each person in the community was a bright reflection of the Lord. What a reminder for us independent Americans of what it means to come together in love for a common goal -- living water. While some people were getting access to physical water for the first time near their homes, there was a clear comparison revealed of the mission that the Church must come together to do in order to bring the living water of Jesus to the nations. We must stay focused with the kind of zeal that was displayed by these people as they shoveled or completed projects in the hot sun to make water accessible to their own people. So many people need the living water that Jesus provides. I am thankful for such a beautiful picture to hold in my memory as I push forward for the sake of the Gospel alongside His Church!”

The Lord leads us to participate in projects such as this, and He gives glimpses of His overall plan.  These glimpses motivate us to not only be ambassadors for our Savior in the mission field, but also to be spokespeople for Living Water and similar ministries at home. 

Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only … 
James 1:22