MEET ELLIE HEFLEY: she went, she served, and she learned that the Lord invites us in so we can invite others in as well.
Where did you go on your mission trip, and how did you serve while you were there?
I was a part of a team that got to serve in Mexico for twelve days. Ministry. We got to do ministry, we got to love some kiddos, build a house, and ultimately show His light. Although teams always go to Tijuana and expect to make big impacts, we come home impacted as well.
Were you at all nervous about going and serving internationally?
Walking into this trip I was beyond scared, not because I didn't think that the Lord would work but because I was frightened that He would work in ways that turned my life upside down. I knew walking in that I wanted to be a missionary and I was afraid that Jesus would be like "no Ellie I've got other plans." I was scared that maybe I wasn't listening to God, and I was listening to what I wanted. But let me tell you, we believe in a Father who is righteous and good and who delivers in His promises.
How did you serve while you were there?
Our team arrived to the base night one to get settled and get ready for what the week had for us. I was on top of the world obviously because Jesus lit a fire that couldn't be tamed once we got to base. When we arrived at base it felt like home. That night I slept knowing that God's promise is good and that he would be present throughout our week of ministry. The next morning we woke up to head to the build site. We arrived to a concrete slab surrounded by the structure that the family currently lived in. As our vans pulled up, I knew that I wanted to be with the kids, and that with them is where the Lord wanted me to be as well. We prayed over the concrete slab that would turn into their home and then the team got to work. I was on paint crew, and it was really special because we got to invite the kids into it. We painted with them for so many hours and created relationship and connection with them. That is the really cool thing about the Creator too; He invites us into ministry so that we can invite others in.
The build that took place over the course of three days and was the most life-giving and life-changing experience. God moved in my heart and the heart of our team so much. Something that I've always known but not experienced is the wonder and joy that comes from God. Naomi, the seven year-old in the family taught me this. She showed me how to have fun and be curious and create relationships in a way that I had never seen before. Naomi is an adventurous little spirit that encapsulates the wonder of the Creator. She taught us games, songs and once a room was built her and I easily spun around the room like ballerinas for ten minutes. I had the amazing privilege of going grocery shopping with the family on day three of the build and it was such a joy filled experience. Our team raised $480 for the family to spend on groceries - crazy right?! The Lord really showed up for this family and delivered them into something bigger and better. Going shopping with the family and experiencing that with them was incredible! They ended up filling up FOUR shopping carts with things that they needed. The mom, Mari-Cruz, at one point looked at me during the shopping and simply said "muy felicidades" which means "very happy."
I'm thankful for a joy like this, a joy that is cultivated when the Lord delivers His promises, and a thankfulness that comes when she can provide for her family. As we closed day three of our build our team blessed the family and they keys to the house. The team prayed and told the family how much they meant to us and to God and how thankful we were for them. Philippians 1:3 is what I said to them, "I thank God every time I think of you".
Later that night we had a worship time where we could do interactive activities like draw, create name tags, etc. And continually as I was praying the Lord was saying "a key" over and over again. So I wrote it down and as I was drawing this key the Lord was said "keys to the kingdom, you have them." And then we worshiped and we celebrated how GOOD God is and how good he continues to be and I thought nothing of the key. But later that night around 12am I sat on the bathroom floor journaling (because it was the only place that I could have the lights on) and I sat there and God continues to knock on the door of my heart by saying "Ellie you didn't just give keys to a house today, you gave keys to a kingdom. Why wouldn't you want to do this?". It was the call to mission work, a call to dive into ministry in Mexico after I graduate. I am so so thankful for a Creator that His faithfulness is our confidence.
What’s one experience from your time in Mexico you hope to never forget?
Day five was one of the most special days to me because our entire team went to a church that was housing around one-hundred migrant families. These families had been deported or were trying to seek asylum in the US. We arrived at the church with kiddos running to meet us. Our team went to their court area and we got to play with the kids for hours. From bracelet making to basketball these kids wanted to do it all and thankfully we had a big enough team that they could. My job was nail painting so I got to paint and talk to so many kids and they also painted my nails too. A little girl names Michelle who is nine years old was my little buddy all day, we painted and made bracelets and colored and did chalk and she introduced me to other kids along the way. This radiant girl was the most welcoming and curious kid ever! Welcoming in a way that she invited people into whatever she was doing and did not shy away. That's the kind of love and light we need in this world, a love that is radiant even in broken circumstances. One thing that struck me the most when we were there was not the kids longing to be known but the kids longing to know us. Consistently I was being asked what my name was or what my favorite color was by these kids who were longing for connection. Michelle painted my face and wrote "Ellie y Michelle." She craved that sense of friendship and connection that only the Creator can provide.
What would you say to someone who feels the call to go and serve but is scared to step outside their comfort zone?
Looking at going outside comfort zones and saying yes to the call to go and serve in such a big and scary thing. But I think that my biggest response is that throughout life with Christ He's going to ask you to do some pretty crazy things and you have the power to say "no" but you also will be missing what He has for you. We believe in a God who is faithful in broken places and He will never leave you stranded, you just have to say "yes". I think that's one of the things that I learned when I was in Tijuana. It's about saying yes to what the Creator wants rather than what you feel like is right for your life.