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When: March 14-20, 2009 Where: Ensenada and Maneadero, Mexico Who: Neighborhood's sixth, seventh, eighth grades,  staff, and chaperone parents Why: See "Annual Mexico Outreach" article How: Fly to San Diego, then travel by two chartered buses to YWAM's Ensenada missions base

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This vision statement aligns itself well with the commission given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spi rit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

In fulfilling this great commission, the Apostle Paul notes in Romans 10:12-1 5, unless preachers of the Gospel are sent, how will they hear? At Neighborhood, we hope not only to provide an excellent education to our students, but to plant some "missions seeds."

Missions is at the heart of Neighborhood Christian School because missions, reaching out to all the people groups of the world, is at the heart of Scripture. From Genesis to Revelation, God's message has one significant linking thread, His heart to bless all people groups, to reconcile all people back into a relationship with Him. God chooses to do this by working through those who already have a personal relationship with Him, those who call themselves Christians.

With this commission from our Lord Jesus in mind, being blessed abundantly here in the States, and having a foreign-speaking people right at our southern border, Neighborhood staff and administration have felt led to implement an annual mission outreach for our sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.

Each year, Neighborhood's sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students, staff members, and parents travel to Ensenada, Mexico, and the surrounding areas to reach out to those people who don't yet have a personal relationship with Jesus. Working with the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) missions training base in Ensenada, Mexico, and an indigenous Christian pastor, Neighborhood's team performs dramas, gives testimonies, creates crafts, and shares Jesus with hundreds of migrant farm children and their families in and around the Ensenada area. In addition, our seventh and eighth graders build two homes for two needy families!

Throughout the year, the students learn what it takes to do God's work in the mission field, including writing support letters (requesting prayers, financial support, etc.), outreach preparation and planning (learning dramas, songs, balloon making, culture norms, etc.), and having a heart to do God's will. The outreach takes place in mid-March each year, with an average of 60-80 team members (students, parents, and staff). The team flies from Sacramento to San Diego where YWAM staff members transport the team to and from Ensenada.

Pastor Roberto Nino, who lives in the area and pastors a Christian church in Maneadero (just south of Ensenada), works closely with our group and provides very caring and effective follow-up teaching for the people with whom we interact. Neighborhood's team plants seeds, Pastor Nino waters those seeds, and God provides the abundant fruit from those efforts. The blessings and the fruit, however, are felt not only in the Mexican people we reach, but in our team members.

Testimonies from students, parents, and staff evidence God's hand in bringing to fruition those seeds planted by this annual short-term missions outreach. Not only are we able to bring light into the lives of our neighbors to the south, but God is using these trips to water those seeds planted in the hearts of Neighborhood students and parents. We excitedly await the results of what God will be doing in and through the lives of our Neighborhood missionaries.