Voices of Hope: Stories from Our Trip to Mexico

At the end of August 2024, Calvary sent 17 people to Mexico to build a home and bring a family closer to Christ. We arrived at Yugo Ministries in Ensenada, Mexico, on Sunday afternoon and prepared to meet the family Calvary had been paired with.

Meet The Leon-Castro Family

Fransisco and Maria have one son named Sebastian. Fransisco is a fisherman who works extremely hard to provide for his family. When he is not fishing, he drives a dump truck for his father alongside his brothers. Maria is a housewife while she attends law school. She expressed that she wants to become a lawyer who deals in property management. Sebastian is a three-year-old little boy who loves construction equipment, toys, and cars. 

Our Spiritual Journey with the Family

After arriving at Yugo and settling in, we met Fransisco, Maria, and Sebastian. We talked and laughed, broke bread together, and began our relationship. We started to pour Jesus into their hearts, planting a seed. On the first day of building the house, we opened with prayer and asked God for the blessings needed to build this home in three days. Many of us on the team spoke to Fransisco and Maria. We learned that Maria’s father owned the land and gave them a section to build a house. Maria’s father honestly did not believe people from a church had come to build them a home. 

On day two, we started the day in a circle and read the family our favorite verse and what it meant to us. Martin, a man looking for his cattle that had wandered onto the property, had come to introduce himself and ended up listening to the verses. He walked away halfway through, and our foreman, Richie, went to him and brought him back to the circle. After we finished telling our stories about our verses with tears in many eyes, Richie told Martin everything said was meant for him, too, and asked if we could pray for him. We gathered around Martin and prayed for him; another seed had been planted. We then began to cover the walls of the house with bible verses. 

On day three, we laughed and joked and were more intentional in steering our conversations toward Jesus. We worked hard to get the house close to the finish line and God close to their hearts. That evening, the team went to Wal-Mart and Home Depot to get things for the family because they had nothing. We brought clothes, pots and pans, toys for Sebastian, and a water cistern so the family could have water. All this could be done due to generous donations through Acts 1:8. Our Church family at Calvary was an asset to the team from thousands of miles away. 

Day four, which is known as dedication day, is a very emotional day for everyone involved. We got to the worksite, and after the morning prayer, we finished the house. This is the day we give the family the key to the home, and they fix us a meal for lunch. Maria’s father, mother, and cousin showed up for this day. They watched as each of us on the team took hold of the key and let God speak through us to the family. We then gave the family the key and let them enter the home. While in the house, Richie walked in and told them they had seen all the good god has done and heard all the talk of God. Richie challenged them: were they ready to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior? With tears in their eyes, Fransisco and Maria accepted Jesus and let us pray over them and Sebastian. 

After the key ceremony, the family returned the kindness by cooking lunch for us. Lunch was fish tacos made from a shark Martin had caught the day before. Fransisco and Maria’s father began to try to start the fire, but the fire wouldn’t start. Meanwhile, Maria’s mother and her cousin were inside the home, getting the Word of God poured into them. After a two-hour delay, the food was beginning to be cooked. Now was the time to pour the Word of God into Maria’s father, and the team did! After everyone had their fill of tacos, Richie once again told Maria’s father, mother, and cousin that they had heard and seen what Jesus can do for them, all they had to do was accept Him into their lives. Maria’s father, mother, and cousin all accepted Jesus into their life, and let us pray over them!

We went to Mexico to build a home for a less fortunate family, but we also went to share the gospel. Calvary Baptist Church succeeded in building the home on time and was also used by God in adding five souls into His Kingdom. Hopefully, with seeds planted, they will go out and be disciples to others in their community and beyond.