“Amidst division, the American church is coming together in an unlikely location—the southern border”

On Saturday June 17th, A team of five people from Mill City Church and one from Espiritu Santo church will travel to the Texas Mexico border for a week of service organized by Border Perspective. The team is led by MCC Pastor of Global Impact and Adult Ministries, Paul Olson, and Global Impact Team member Sheryl Hjellming.

A total of six team members will travel to the border to engage with ongoing ministry by local churches to those who have come to the border seeking asylum and a life here in the United States. The team will be helping provide food, water and assistance to those in need around the San Juan, TX / Reynosa, MX border area.  Through the ministry of Border Perspective we will be able to also engage in learning more about the issues at the United States / Mexico border. We will be helping to pack and distribute food, engage in prayer ministry and hear from people working at the border.  

During our team meetings we have been talking about God’s mission for people to know and experience the love of Jesus Christ. We’ve been practicing our Spanish, and brushing up on our cultural competency as well as working on fundraising and getting the word out about the trip. 

“Our participants have included liberals and conservatives, young children and retired folks, immigrants from all backgrounds and American citizens, pastors and agnostics.”

For those who live, work and attend church in cities like San Juan, TX the border ministry has become a regular outreach constituting a way of life driven by God’s compassionate love.  For people living in border towns, they’ve asked for others to come and assist with the efforts that have been going on for decades but have become especially challenging over the past 10 years. 

“The church is everywhere. And when we see things in the news, we should look beyond our opinions of the headlines and wonder: where is the church in this situation, and how can we support the work of the local church?”

The current situation at the border has been described by many as a humanitarian crisis. Most affected are children, some who are unaccompanied by adults. Our goal as a team is not to fix the political issues of the border, but to show compassion, kindness, grace and love.  

Please consider praying each day for our trip…

Saturday — Travel (June 17)

Sunday — Arrival, Orientation Dinner (June 18)

Monday — Thursday (June 19-23)

7:45 AM — Devo Time and Breakfast

8:45 AM — Teams leave for Sites

12:00 — Lunch

3:30 — Finish serving or the day – Break and Clean-up

5:00 — Leaders meeting

6:00 — Dinner

7:00 — Debrief Time & Worship,  (*Church on Wednesday at 7PM)

8:30 — Team time

Friday — Travel (June 24)

Please consider financially supporting one of our team members… the total cost is ~$600/person

• Jocelyna M.
• Sheryl H.
• Renee K.
• Sydney M.
• Paul O.
• John O. 

ONLINE GIVING LINK

Thank you for your support!

Pastor Paul Stephen Olson

MCC Global Impact and Adult Ministries

Quotes taken from Border Perspective website: Borderpersective.com