Nine members of the Westmont (Illinois) Korean Church youth group drove in the church van to Mexico to participate in a mission project from August 9–16, 2003. The goal was to help the Adventist church at Nuefo Laredo.

Since most of us had not traveled to Mexico before, we anticipated, as we neared the Mexican border, that it wouldn’t be much different from what was on the American side. After all, even on the American side of the border, everything was in Spanish. However, as soon as we crossed the border, the differences were very real. Everyone became quiet as they looked out the windows at a landscape very different from what we were used to seeing in Illinois.

As our week began, we met with Cynthia, Guatemo, Carlos, Queztecoatle, Fernando, and Esperanza, plus their parents who were to be our Mexican host family and with whom we would be working. Even though we arrived at the work site each morning at about five o’clock, they came earlier to greet us and show us what the day’s jobs would be. Usually, our job was to clear the church area and to help mix and pour concrete.

Each day they also brought us a delicious lunch which we greatly enjoyed and then worked a bit longer before "siesta time." During siesta time, we prepared the materials for our evening Vacation Bible School (VBS) and tried to rest a bit. At 5:30 in the evening, we drove back to the "templo" to greet our VBS kids and conduct the programs.

The kids were so special. They were growing up in Nuevo Laredo, one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico, worse than we could ever imagine. They lived in small, one-room shacks on dirt streets, had few clothes and toys, and did not have shoes. In Nuevo Laredo, the wealthy live in concrete homes, but the not-so-fortunate have homes made from scraps of wood, bricks, or corrugated metal. Stray dogs wander the streets.

In spite of the poverty in which they live, the boys and girls were full of smiles and always greeted us warmly. They would wait for our arrival and then run out to greet us, in the sunshine or the rain. They gave of their love so freely that it amazed us.

Our one week in Mexico passed by so quickly, but it was enough time for us to learn a lot about God’s grace. He provides His grace so wonderfully, and sometimes we forget how His eye watches over the sparrows. Our Westmont youth group learned a lot about the beauty of people’s hearts and souls, and we look forward to going to Mexico again next year to serve God by helping people.

Jenny An is a Westmont Adventist Youth member.