Cliff Dwellers

This year’s Camp Sonshine Mexico trip was centered on the theme “Hecho Para Servir” (Made to Serve). That phrase did not just shape our campers. It shaped me as a leader.

Scripture reminds us that this calling is not accidental:

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Trip Snapshot

• Camp Sonshine International Team: 24 total
  • 23 from the U.S., 1 from Australia
  • 9 Guys, 15 Ladies
  • 8 High Schoolers, 14 College Students/Adults
• Vida International (LSMI) Team: Angel, Janeth, Isaac, Abi, Judson, Guillermo, Ana, and many more
• Program: 5 days of camp at 2 locations with 2 end of week celebrations
• Locations: San Vicente and Mezcales
• Tacos eaten: 700+ (probably)

Lessons from Leading

One of my biggest lessons this week was staying grounded in my foundation. Christ and the mission to unlock and unleash Kingdom builders.

It is easy in leadership to slip into doing mode, but Jesus continually calls us back to who we are serving and why.

“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.”
Matthew 23:11

At the beginning of the week, I could see everything that needed to be done. For a moment, I slipped into full action mode. Doing, fixing, managing. But it did not take long to realize that I was not just there to execute camp. I was there to lead a team of capable people.

So I slowed down.

I intentionally gave ownership to others. Over camp supplies. Over logistics. Over problem-solving. Over their own decision-making. Many of our team members were in a new environment or had grown used to being told exactly what to do. Instead of answering every “What can I do?” “Where is this?” question, I encouraged them to pause, think, and ask themselves first.

This shift reflected something we talk about often in our devotional. Serving does not mean removing responsibility from others. It means empowering them to step into it.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
1 Peter 4:10

People began owning their roles. They started helping one another. They carried this skill into other parts of the week. Watching leaders emerge and confidence grow was one of the most rewarding parts of the trip.

Trying New Things and Calling Them “Mistakes”

Over the years, I have found a lot of joy in recreating meaningful experiences. Seeing what works. Repeating it. Adding a twist. I am deeply grateful for the leaders who shaped me, who modeled life-changing ministry.

This trip required something different.

On our Fun Day, we headed to the beach. The plan was solid. Breakfast, sandwiches, chips, snacks, and everything packed.

Somewhere between the hotel and the van, the food got left behind.

We did not realize it until we were standing on the beach.

So we improvised.

We went to a restaurant for lunch and used the money we had originally budgeted for dinner. When we returned to the hotel that night, we ate the sandwiches then.

The beach itself also required adaptation. The location we were recommended turned out to be extremely rocky and hard on our feet. It was not sustainable. So we packed up, loaded the vans again, and went to a different beach.

That second beach was excellent. The waves were great. The area was beautiful. The experience was better than we could have planned.

At that moment, I felt a little like a failure. That was not the truth. Looking back, it is clear how God used disruption to teach us something important.

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
Proverbs 16:9

If we had gone to the same beach as the year before, there would not have been restaurants nearby. If we had arrived at the rocky beach with our sandwiches, we might not have moved at all. Every unexpected change forced us to adapt, and every adaptation led to something better.

Later that evening, as we ate sandwiches back at the hotel, our team realized something else. Eating simply at night after a long beach day made far more sense than going out to eat when everyone was exhausted.

What felt like a mistake became a better way.

That day reminded us that serving requires flexibility, humility, and trust. God often uses inconvenience to form character.

Ultimately, I look back at this day as the day we got to have church on the beach. Thanks, future pastor Denham, for the reminder to “trust in the Lord.”

A Camp First: When the Police Showed Up

When I got back from Mexico, our team shared countless stories of life change and impact. About a week later, I realized I never asked Jeff. “Have we ever had the police called to camp?”

The answer was no. Until now.

The two community centers we serve are in areas of significant poverty. One location sits in what was once a squatters village, where families built homes only as resources allowed. Historically in my experience, police presence in these areas was rare, but that has begun to change.

One day during camp, I was called urgently back to the center. When I arrived, I saw a police truck and officers speaking with my dad and Angel, the local pastor.

Despite the initial fear, the interaction became an opportunity.

The officers had noticed the activity and asked what was happening. Angel and my dad shared about camp, our mission, and the positive impact year after year.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

Later in the week, another police visit occurred, again not as a threat but as protection for our campers and community. Twice in one week, camp became a visible witness of peace, care, and restoration.

One moment stood out deeply. A boy who had often caused problems at camp in previous years was injured while standing up for someone else. This year, he was engaged, participating, and choosing a better way.

That is the quiet work of the gospel.

Missionaries Who Look Like Jesus

Throughout the week, I saw Jesus lived out through our hosts, especially Angel and his family.

They paused for people even in busy moments. They stayed up late building relationships. They welcomed both familiar faces and new ones with the same care.

“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”
Mark 10:45

Angel lives this out daily, and it shapes everyone around him.

Grateful Beyond Words

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead a team of young people and a few older ones to Mexico.

Grateful to serve alongside my family.
Grateful to be served by family.
Grateful to support a team learning how to live out their calling.
Grateful for the same team that believed the best about me and served well.
Grateful for ministries who empower others to lead and make mistakes along the way.
Grateful to be serving a God who loves us and wants an abundant life for us. 

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”
Colossians 3:23

I could retell the tale of many life-changing moments, but I think I’ll finish with this. This trip reminded me that leadership is not about doing everything. It is about empowering others to step into who God is calling them to be. That is what “Hecho Para Servir” looked like in real life.