Three members of the Chao family from St. Simon joined us on the Tijuana Ministry Mission trip this summer. Upon their return, students Dominic (19yrs) and Marissa (17yrs) wrote to their family and friends who had helped them to raise the money to go on the trip and make donations to the ministry. Here is the thank you message where they so eloquently spoke of their experience. We are publishing it here for you to enjoy their personal testimony.
Dear friends and family,
We’re back home from spending one week in Tijuana, and we’re filled with gratitude to all of you who helped make this incredible experience possible. Your generosity and support allowed us to be part of something truly amazing and impactful.
Our pastor from St. Simon Father Brendan also came on this trip, and he said something that really stuck with us; “We are not there to bring Jesus to them. We’re there to touch Christ in them. Christ is already there, and frankly we will be the ones who will be humbled by that experience.”
Over the course of the week, there were countless moments where we felt God’s presence. We’d like to share a few of those moments with you.
Marissa:
During our trip, we had the opportunity to visit an AIDS and tuberculosis clinic. At first, I was reluctant to go with my mom and brother on this visit because the other teens were all at the third house, and I didn’t want to miss out on the construction. However, I’m grateful that I went.
At the clinic, a man named Rafa showed us around. He was warm, welcoming, and cracked jokes the minute we arrived. I was surprised to find such a homey atmosphere. What we saw wasn’t a cold, sterile environment, but instead a community with lots of friendly cats and dogs, people hanging laundry, Selena Gomez playing on the radio, and kids laughing.
Rafa shared his personal story with us. He told us that he had been involved with heroin and lived a high-risk lifestyle which ultimately led to him contracting HIV. At one point, he was even living on the streets. When he arrived at the clinic he was also suffering from a pretty advanced stage of TB. Despite his circumstances, Rafa found love and peace at the clinic.
He told us he was sure he would die, but made a promise to God that if he survived he would change his life around and dedicate himself to caring for other patients at the clinic. He talked about his recovery as a miracle.
I remember something Rafa said that was very touching: “If God decides to make me a rich man, I will be happy and accept it, and if God decides that I will be poor, I will be happy and accept it.” These words demonstrated how much trust Rafa had in God. Despite having little in material things, Rafa had an abundance of gratitude and joy for the mercy he received. I hope that I’m able to live as Rafa does; thankful for every moment that God has given me.
Dominic:
I went on this trip thinking we’d be the ones giving – building houses, sharing meals, donating old soccer gear. We were headed to an impoverished region where basic necessities like running water, electricity, and many other things I take for granted were considered luxuries. But what I hadn’t expected was what I received in return. The warmth, the joy, the faith of the people there, it poured out from them. One part of the trip that was especially memorable for me was working at the children’s camp. While the construction projects were rewarding, it was the time and experiences I got to share with the kids that left some of the deepest impressions. For two days, I’d connected with a bunch of the boys through our mutual love for soccer, transcending language barriers. On the third day, we went on an excursion, and I missed the camp. But as we passed by on our way back from the AIDS clinic, I had a chance to say a quick hello. As I stepped off the bus, I was immediately met with a hug from Abul, and received a flurry of fist bumps and excited greetings from the other kids I’d played with. In that instant, I realized it wasn’t just about what we were giving them; it was about the connection we’d forged. That feeling was mutual, a gift I will cherish.
We definitely hope to return to Tijuana and next summer can’t come soon enough. Thank you all once again for your generous support that made this enriching trip possible.
Best,
Dominic and Marissa