At the beginning of 2021, I truly surrendered my life to Christ and began my relationship with God. During the early stages of my walk with God, I started attending a college-age ministry through Central Bible Church. A group of us in this ministry attended the 2022 Passion conference. It was on this trip that I felt the call of service on my life. The clear call I heard was not to a specific place or time. The call was “To use my able body to help those who are unable to help themselves”. Although I didn’t know what that meant yet, the Lord sure did.
It was on our long road trip home from this conference that I had a conversation with our youth pastor. He had this hat sitting on the dashboard that said “Homes of Hope”. I asked him what “Homes of Hope” was, and he began explaining the ministry and what a typical trip looked like. The first thing that grabbed my attention was him talking about building a house in 2 days for a family in need. This immediately tugged at my heart, and I knew the Lord was paving a path before me. I thought, “Oh wow, you mean I can use my skills in construction and experienced trades to bless a family in need?” This sounds exactly like the call I just received on my life: “To use my able body to help those who are unable to help themselves”. We continued to talk about the details, and my heart was continually being tugged towards this place. About a week later, I talked to this pastor again and told him that I was very interested in this type of trip and when I could go. I learned that there was a trip to Tijuana taking place that May. He explained that I needed to raise money to pay for travel and expenses going there, while there, and on the way back. The cost was terrifying to hear at first. I thought, “Oh wow, I don’t know how I’m going to do that”. Only 2 weeks later, I had the trip 90% funded already. I was astonished at how quick the Lord had moved. It only further solidified my calling, and I knew He had big plans for me. There was not going to be a single speed bump, big or small, that would stop the path he had already paved before me.
Fast forward about 4 months, and this small group of college students arrived in San Diego to meet the rest of our team. As we drove down to the YWAM base in Tijuana, I remember thinking, “I’m just here to build a house and bless this family with my skills”. Little did I know that the Lord was about to open my eyes exponentially. On the first couple of days, we start building this house and finish it within a day and a half. Building the house while this single mom with her 2 daughters worked alongside, painting and helping with what they could, was an incredible experience. The most moving part of the build was our house dedication, where we were able to individually take a moment to pray and give words of encouragement to the family. We left that day, and I thought, “My work here is finished”.
The next day, we went to an orphanage where we cooked breakfast for the children. We played, we laughed, and we were present with kids who didn’t have much, yet they were joyful. Later that day, we traveled to the “Hope Zone” in downtown Tijuana, which is home to the largest red light district in North America. We had to drive right through the heart of brokenness on our way in, and I began to feel an even deeper tug on my heart. That day, we walked through the streets and began to talk with the people of Tijuana. Many were homeless, starving, battling illnesses, and addictions. We had the opportunity to hand out Bibles and pray with these people. We laughed, we cried, we talked, we prayed, we hugged. The Lord was clearly at work in these people and making his name known in this city filled with darkness. We spent the rest of our time in Tijuana at the Hope Zone just pouring into the lives of families, children, and individuals. I had never anticipated falling in love with this ministry, the ministry that I wasn’t originally concerned with. I came to Tijuana to build a house. I left Tijuana feeling as though I was leaving my true home.
Since then, the Lord has gifted me with 4 other opportunities to serve the people of Tijuana and make his name known, to shine a light in a very dark place. My heart burns for the place and the people of Tijuana through the ministries of “Homes of Hope” and “Hope Zone”. I know the Lord has not finished the plans he made for me in Tijuana. My family and I will continue to pour into these people and serve them as much as He allows.
Hope Beyond the Walls 