Our Testimonials

Our First Service Trip - October 2005

Our team started with a small handful of members from Cross Sound’s congregation looking for a meaningful experience working in our Lord’s service.  They were the first to actually visit San Pedrito and learn first hand the difficult circumstances in which these people live.  They witnessed many miracles and heard many stories while there.  Their lives and the lives of these families were changed forever.  Little did they know they would quickly learn to love and admire the men, women and children of San Pedrito. 

Several of them now make up a core team committed to the survival and future development of San Pedrito’s  families.  They look forward to sharing their experiences with you first hand and to growing the team and eventually reading your story below.  We hope to continue building this list with each service trip.

Jillian Bateman

When I was first approached about the Chiapas trip, I thought back to my previous mission experiences.  All had been meaningful and life-changing so I thought this would be similar with what I got out of those experiences.  Boy, was I wrong!  This trip was much more then anything I had ever experienced.  I felt as if I became a part of the village and made friends with many new brothers and sisters in Christ.  They were so welcoming and inviting with our group.

Many people that go on trips such as these feel they have to put their guard up, and are anxious of the unknown.  What I saw was a village that despite having survived unthinkable mistreatment and poverty, they nevertheless embraced us with open arms and trust.  They seemed to feel so privileged to share with us their culture and life, when all the while I was the one that felt so privileged and blessed to be apart of it.  There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about our friends from San Pedrito.  If our Island community takes away just a drop of the compassion and patience that they showed to us, then that would be just one more way this Journey with a Village helps more than just the people of San Pedrito.

Ask Jillian about her experience.

Zac Davis

The trip to San Pedrito was my first trip outside of the country and by far one of the greatest experiences in my life!  Not only had I never been outside of the U.S. culture and language or been to a “village”, I had certainly never encountered such an impoverished social-economic climate as San Pedrito.  At the same time, never before had I the honor of being served in such a generous way as by the people of San Pedrito.  They had very little food, but didn’t hesitate to share what they had.  They served us lunch each day and welcomed us to their daily church service.  Given the prevalence of illiteracy among their people, very few of them have ever read a Bible. Yet, they asked for Bibles even though they could not read them.  They have enormously strong faith. It was a humbling and challenging experience that caused me to re-evaluate my own lifestyle. 

Another aspect of the experience that deeply impacted me was the intimacy that I felt among the rest of the mission team.  The team was composed of such a diverse group of people varying in race, age, education, occupation, socio-economic status and more.  We each contributed something special to the efforts that made each of us feel valued not just on the trip, but in general.  I felt a real sense of belonging and unity that invited me into a relationship with each member.  The fellowship was so holy in such a way that it helped me to shed my own issues and reveal more of who I am in Christ Jesus. 

Ask Zac about his experience.

Roland Gonzalez

I led our first service team to San Pedrito in October 2005.  I never imagined that 10 days could so completely and profoundly affect my life.  As an experienced manager of complex projects, and having spent many years in developing countries, I set my expectations low, and was prepared for all the unforeseen problems that happen where there are so many unknown variables.  Yet, nothing went wrong.  How could this be?  There is no scientific explanation for the impossible.  The only possible explanation was the Holy Spirit’s palpable presence in San Pedrito.

I have always believed and tried to live according to the Gospel, but was missing the passion.  I discovered that passion on this trip, and am now hungry to serve and surrender myself without fear.  This for me was  a spiritual convergence - my surrender to the Holy Spirit; a homecoming and reconciliation with my deceased father and ancestors; and finally after all these years starting to understand what the Lord has been preparing me for, something that had completely eluded me.  If I could state just one change in my daily life that summarizes what has happened to me, it would be that I can now really pray in the Lord’s magnificence and splendor and do so in such intimacy.

The Lord used the people of San Pedrito to open my heart and my eyes to him.  I thank them and the Lord for what they have done to me.  I thank the many individuals that supported us and made this possible.  And I thank the members of my team for allowing me the privilege to participate in their individual experiences.  I now know what true grace is. 

This testimonial may seem selfish at first glance.   After all I am talking about everything that I received, rather than their suffering and what we did for them.    However, it is in our receiving that they are empowered, and their dignity is fortified.

Ask Roland about his experience.

Clara Tan-Gonzalez

I am so thankful to God everyday for having given me the opportunity to witness miracles first hand. I have always had people, including my mother, tell me how God has performed miracles in their own lives.  But I had been secretly wondering if I will ever be so loved by God to be graced with such a gift myself.

Getting to Chiapas was the first of many miracles awaiting me.  We have three children at home (ages 18, 5 and 3).  Getting friends to watch them for 10 days while I was gone was not easy. The Lord took care of it and sent to me some angels at the 11th hour to take loving care of them.

Watching the families in San Pedrito struggle day to day just to get basic necessities like food on the table, water to drink and wash, a roof over their heads, has humbled me.  I now appreciate the many things my family and I have, things I took for granted for so long.  A miracle has opened my eyes and softened my heart.  I now see and feel things very differently.

Our new brothers and sisters in San Pedrito have taught me that while they are poor materially, they are very rich and strong in their faith in our Lord.  Knowing and fully trusting God has kept them gotten through an impossible ordeal.  Another miracle.

Finally, the biggest blessing was being there with my husband, Roland, our team leader. Watching him give sermons for the first time in his life, and with no preparation, no training, and in Spanish, was once in a life time gift from God to me. Watching him pray so gracefully, so fluidly and in his ancestors’ language…amazing.  The Holy Spirit was working through him and boy, when God is at work there is no stopping him.

Ask Clara about her experience.

Heidi Schuler

It was such a privilege to go on the first team trip to San Pedrito. I had been to Chiapas for a summer-long internship with Agros, so I was super excited when I heard Cross Sound had taken the step of committing to a Journey With a Village! I am “way into” this because I believe that long-term, sustainable community development is the best way to not only help people but empower them.

The people of San Pedrito are incredible. They are so hospitable to us even though it is a culture shock for them too to have us there. They have gone through so much hardship, and yet they are willing to open up and tell their stories, and begin to dream.

As a musician, I enjoyed hearing San Pedrito’s musicians, who are awesome.

The Agros Mexico staff was great too, and I am very impressed with their creativity and expertise.

The team from Cross Sound was amazing to get to know, and of course, we got to know each other in pretty intense situations at times. I was definitely not in my comfort zone, but I think that’s part of what made it such an amazing trip.

I would jump at the chance to go back on a trip like this any day and it is a joy to be involved in this partnership. I consider walking with the families of San Pedrito an opportunity I can’t miss, and I know God has a lot to teach me through it.

Ask Heidi about her experience.