Growth in Boldness and Compassion: Reflections on the WMH Border Trip

A team from Watermark Health at one of the border gates near Brownsville.

Partnering with Texans on Mission to Serve the Border Watermark Health partnered with Texans on Mission at the end of June to take a team of ten volunteers to participate in medical clinics alongside Open Hands Community Center. The team served in high-need areas along the border, known as Colonias.

Colonias are communities within 150 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, primarily inhabited by low-income Hispanic families. These areas often lack basic services such as potable water, adequate sewage systems, drainage, utilities, and paved roads, with living conditions comparable to developing nations. According to a 2000 survey, almost half of the households in 96 colonias across six border counties make less than $834 a month.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) has been referred to as one of the unhealthiest areas in America, with approximately 33% of residents lacking health insurance compared to the national average of 9.8%.

Texans on Mission has been working alongside local pastors in the Rio Grand Valley for a number of years, and invited Watermark Health to partner in healthcare outreaches alongside the area churches. At the end of last year a Watermark Health team took a vision trip, and the team that went end of June was the first mission trip to the area from Watermark Health.

Some of our team members shared their learnings and impact stories from their time there.

Emily's Story: Moving Towards the Community

On the third and final day of our RGV medical missions trip, we set out once again, going door to door to speak with people in the neighborhood. We invited them to our clinic, hoping to engage them with the gospel as the Lord would lead. Patient volumes had been lower than initially anticipated, due to many undocumented immigrants being scared of deportation if they went to a public place. We trusted that the Lord would bring those He wanted us to meet. This was an invitation for us to move towards the community.

At one home we talked through the fence with two women and their fourteen-year-old son. When we asked if they thought they would go to heaven, their faces fell as they admitted they did not think that was their future. They listened eagerly and intently as Iliana shared the gospel with the bridge illustration in Spanish. It was clear this was their first time hearing the good news of the free gift of salvation and the security of its promise. While they were not ready to receive Christ at that moment, the three of them happily walked down to the clinic a few hours later, led by the fourteen-year-old, because they were interested in taking home Bibles to learn more.

Where we might have been prone to measuring the success of a medical trip by the number of patients or healings, God was clearly at work, moving towards those who needed the message of hope.

Suzanne's Story: A Heart of Compassion

This experience was eye-opening as we saw and heard about many people living in fear of deportation. We learned a lot about what it was like for many people crossing through Mexico to come to the US and the corruption with the cartel and Mexican government along the border.

Our team was inspired by the people serving there, who were very thankful to be in that community and had a joyful spirit about the work God had for them. The trip grew our humility and compassion for our patients. It also reminded me to be grateful for where God has me planted and serving. I want to continue improving my Spanish and growing my skills to communicate with more patients, especially for gospel conversations.

Christina's Story: Boldness in Prayer

The Lord used this trip to remind me how much we are not in control. One day while the clinic was slow, we decided to walk to a local small business and support them. We were surprised to be warmly welcomed by the owners, and he even asked us to pray for him. Before we started, he ran to the back to get his mom and have us pray over her as well. I was touched by his faith; he even told us he sometimes plays Christian music at the shop, which I noticed playing in the background as we left.

It has been a goal of mine to be bolder in offering prayers for people in my life and even strangers. Last year, my department lost a wonderful coworker who believed in Christ who was known for always praying for people. His faith inspired me to be bolder in prayer with my coworkers in his absence. This trip was a great opportunity to practice that, and since being back, I have been more bold about praying with those I work with. Praise be to God.

These stories from our Border Missions Trip remind us that success is not always measured by numbers but by the lives touched and the seeds planted. Our team was grateful for the opportunity to serve and share the love of Christ with those they met and impacted with compassion for the community and their unique needs.

May we all continue to be bold in our faith and compassionate in our service.