Oaxaca Mission Trip
January 31st, 2025, we endeavored on Heartland Baptist Fellowships 5th trip to Oaxaca Mexico. The team consisted of: Mitch, Jody, Tristan Newland, Caleb Larcom, David and Anita Nebel. Oaxaca is a Southwestern state of Mexico, next to the state of Chiapas, and about a 10-hour drive to Guatemala. It is a beautiful state full of rich culture and color.
You may be wondering why we have been there so many times. And that is due to our supported missionaries Joe and Amy Hendrigsman being on the field there. We have been able to GO in support of them almost since the beginning of their time on the field there. First in 2019, then again in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025.
Almost every year consists of a slightly different team, and different work. Our first few trips saw much physical labor, and many of the buildings that are now utilized for the ministry were not built yet. This year we experienced a much different labor. Joining Joe and Amy, in starting the foundational groundwork of a new church plant in San Andres Paxtlan in the rural mountains of Oaxaca, reaching the Zapotec people.
We have seen God move mightily, watching bible studies turn into churches, that now have buildings and native pastors. We implore you to get into the business of sowing, and reaping, and watching God give the increase. It is astonishing to be apart of God building His church.
As many of you know, Joe and Amy have a huge part in scripture distribution. This is a large part of their ministry, and we were able to take part in that by sending a truck load of scripture with another pastor, after he had helped Joe transport thousands of bibles (assembled at HBF, and Grace Baptist) into Guatemala, by barge across the river!
There was much accomplished in the hearts of men and women on this trip. But the biggest thing we do is to join side by side with Joe and Amy, to comfort and encourage them on the field of battle. They are faithful soldiers on foreign soil, taking the borderless gospel to the uttermost.
This year, as I stood atop a remote mountain, looking out across the range, seeing all of the villages, and many unseen. I was moved with compassion, thinking about how small Oaxaca is in contrast to the world, and how there are so many, who have yet to hear the gospel in their heart language. God forbid we sit idly by, as the day draws near, where they can no longer hear but the bitter cries of agony. We must reach for those in the uttermost, from every mountain peak, crying unto all who will hear, that there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Nehemiah 4:19-21 KJV - (19) And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. (20) In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us. (21) So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.