We continue with Briana’s letter to her supporters:

While working with the women, the language barrier posed a few difficulties during the lessons but once it was broken down, everything went smoothly. It’s amazing how far a smile and a small gesture can get you.  The women openly shared stories about their lives and welcomed us into their world with open arms. Leading the women’s Bible study on our own was an awesome experience, but I would have to say that playing with the children was my favorite.

The children were harder for me to understand because they talk a lot faster and slur their words together much more than the women do and they didn’t know how to rephrase what they were saying or slow down, which made it that much more difficult; however, spending time with the children was so rewarding.

My favorite kid was Fuzzy. He was three years old this year and was still the cutest little kid at the church (he even retained his chubby cheeks from last year). The great thing about Fuzzy is that you have to work really hard to keep his attention and get affection from him but once you earn it, he lights up and it makes your whole day. A bad day can be turned around in an instant at the sound of his giggly laugh.

Twice after evening chapel we would break off into our groups (young adult and high school) with a question that we each had to address. The first evening was “What do you have to lay down at the cross and give up to God?” and the second was “What do you feel God is saying to you or what do you think he has laid on your heart?”. It was during this time that we really bonded with each other by trusting our hearts with them and were pushed past former limits while reflecting and deciding to act on what God was telling us.

While in Mexico I not only spread God’s word to the people in Mexicali but was challenged in my faith-challenged to go further, deeper, and more intimate with God. This mission trip was a great experience but it didn’t stop when we crossed the border back into the States. I will now have to bring what I’ve learned and accomplished back with me and share it with those around me. Our purpose as Christians is to further the kingdom of God and share the gospel with everyone around us. I ask that you would continue to keep me in your prayers. Thank you so much for your support.

Briana Hutchinson

Ephesians 6: 19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.“

Briana is a freshman in the Honors College of Grand Valley State University where she is studying nursing.