Border violence has curtailed an Oklahoma church’s mission trips to Mexico. But a remote mountain village in northern Mexico remains close to members’ hearts. A camp sponsored by the Edmond Church of Christ resulted in four baptisms in Aquiles, Mexico, recently, minister Kent Risley said.

Churches of Christ along the U.S./Mexico border are few in number, but they serve a part of the country that’s hungry for the Gospel, said Miguel Zuniga, minister for the Laredo Church of Christ in Texas. “Our neighbors and brethren to the south have suffered due to the prevalent violence in Mexico,” Zuniga said. “Those of us along the border have also suffered. We encourage U.S. churches to visit stateside churches like Laredo, helping us financially and with church group involvement. For whatever reason, Churches of Christ along the border are by far small in number, weak and need encouragement. Here is a fertile area that needs strengthening to do greater good.”

Will Mexico’s loss be South Texas’ gain? No one wants to see short-term missions come to a grinding halt in Mexico. But violence and other concerns are keeping many U.S. groups from crossing the border. I personally know of three trips canceled this summer and one mission that is no longer guiding groups into the country. Given the border concerns, one logical stop might be just short of the international boundary: the Rio Grande Valley.

Pete and Tammie Baker wrote to tell about their church’s recent mission trip to Leon, Mexico. They had just read our story, “Border violence cancels more Mexico missions.” (We also dealt with this in a recent post about Mexico missions.)
It’s a long way from the Bakers’ home to Leon, where their son and daughter-in-law, Ben and Jazmin, work with a mission team. Pete and Tammie attend the Valley Church of Christ in Wasilla, Alaska. (The name of that small town may sound familiar because of its former mayor, Sarah …

Last year several Churches of Christ canceled mission trips to Mexico due to concerns about border violence. Bobby Ross traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, and produced a firsthand report on the situation there. So far this year we’ve received mixed reports on Mexico mission trips.