Ministry partner, Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (CCPC), partnered with La Iglesia Maranatha in Juarez, Mexico thirty years ago.
Katherine Plank, Cherry Creek Pres. team member, shares with Soccer Chaplains United what a typical mission trip to Juarez is like. We will drive from the Denver-Metro area and spend six days living at the church compound. Although this is a short-term mission trip, we always accomplish as much as we possibly can!
In the past years I have attended, our main focus was to host a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for the community. At VBS, we play games, sing songs, dance, read bible stories and craft. We also offer crafts to engage the parents who stay with their children during VBS!
Another objective of our time at La Iglesia Maranatha is to build homes for church or community members. We repair houses and buildings on the church’s compound and we have helped repaint many buildings around the property. Any small fixes with maintenance such as damaged pipes or drywall is attended to our by team as well. Most years when we go there, we even build fun things for the kids! In the past, we have assembled a basketball hoop and trampoline and re-built their playground and soccer goals.
When we go to Juarez, my favorite day is always Sunday! We like to get involved with the church services that take place during our stay. Sometimes we sing a song, pray, or share a sermon with the congregation. After church, the congregation goes to a nearby park and we enjoy a delicious picnic. Following the picnic, nearly everyone plays a huge soccer game together. Before the game begins though, we pull out the jerseys we brought for our Juarez friends. Everyone gets so excited and immediately puts them on! We play until we are all exhausted and our jerseys are soaked with sweat. The kids continue to wear their new jerseys for the rest of the week, every day at Vacation Bible School!
Although our week spent in Juarez is jam-packed, we still find time to play soccer. Soccer removes all language barriers and provides a way for us to come together through a common love, and A LOT of laughing.
Remember, when you support Soccer Chaplains United a portion of your gift automatically goes to help projects and requests like this one for Juarez. You can give specifically to help cover our costs by making a gift through PushPay — simply select Community from the selectable funds. Your financial gift helps us purchase new soccer equipment, sponsor an individual or organization in an outreach effort, and to cover associated costs of providing Bibles, soccer equipment, and other outreach tools locally and around the world!
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