Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Church group heads to Mexico

Oasis Christian Church

Courtesy photo

Oasis Christian Church member Wes Stumbaugh digs a trench for piping to provide running water to the home of the pastor of Temple Philadelphia Foursquare Church in San Matias, Mexico, during Oasis Christian Church’s mission trip to San Matias last November.

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Oasis Christian Church member Bruce Reumman digs a trench for piping to provide running water to the home of the pastor of Temple Philadelphia Foursquare Church in San Matias, Mexico, during Oasis Christian Church's mission trip to San Matias last November.

Click to enlarge photo

Michaela, left, and Alexa Linderman take a break from outreach and construction projects during Oasis Christian Church's mission trip to San Matias, Mexico, last November.

A trip to Mexico a group of Silverado-area church members plans to embark on is by no means a vacation. But trip organizer Mark Cathey guarantees that attendees will get more out of it than they give.

The group of missionaries from Oasis Christian Church, at 10450 Gilespie St. near Las Vegas Boulevard South and Cactus Avenue, planned to depart Las Vegas on the church's fourth trip to San Matias, Mexico, at 6 p.m. Friday and return Tuesday evening.

The goals of this trip: take the initial construction steps needed to make the crowded children's missionary room of San Matias' Temple Philadelphia Foursquare Church almost double in size and relocate the church's restrooms.

In the past, the goals of the mission trips have included providing running water to the pastor's home and bringing outreach and Bible studies to the neighboring townspeople.

This year, 15 church members from the, have signed up to take the at-least-eight-hour ride to the Baja region of Mexico to give lessons about religion and construction aid to what Cathey described as a poor agricultural community.

The people there average about $150 a month during their agricultural season, he said.

"It's a very poor community, but you'll find a happy people there," he said.

Bruce Reumann, church member and three-time mission participant, said he has enjoyed having a positive impact on the lives of the people in the area and that he feels the people are thankful for the group's efforts.

"These people have such an appreciation for what we bring to them," he said. "The level of appreciation is immense and their desire to reach out really warms my heart."

And as Cathey said, the townspeople are not the only ones who benefit from the group's visit.

Church Pastor Doug Linderman's daughter Alexa, 17, recalled an instance from her mission trip last year that made her evaluate her way of thinking.

"We were in circle prayer and obviously they don't have as much as we do... They were praying in Spanish. I just kept hearing 'Gracias.' It made me realize that when I pray, I just ask him (God) for things, but they have less and all they were doing was thanking him," she said.

The group hopes to finish laying foundations during this trip and to come back and complete the project during its next trip, Cathey said.

The projects are a long-term commitment, he said.

Ricardo Comtreras, 16, who is embarking on his first mission trip, said he's excited.

"If you can't give to God with money, you should give to God with action," he said. "It's like he's calling me."

Ashley Livingston can be reached at 990-8925 or [email protected].

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