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Local youth travelling to Mexico on a mission trip

Emily Plihal
for Express

A concerned group of teenagers will be travelling to Maneadero, Mexico in April to help those less fortunate on a mission trip of a lifetime.

The group of teens, aged 12–18 are going on the trip from April 4 – 14 with Pastor Luc Portelance and his wife Lorraine (who will be acting as the team leaders) and Christine and Roger Fillion (youth leaders). The youth are all members of the McLennan Christian Fellowship Centre in McLennan. They are excited to be going for two weeks to help children who do not have the modern day amenities they’ve been raised with.

Pastor Luc Portelance explains the students will be travelling to a house the fellowship centre purchased a couple of years ago in Mexico.

“We bought a house in Ensenada, Mexico a couple of years ago to use as a mission’s base,” explains Portelance. “The house is used by teams from throughout North America who travel to Mexico as part of Victory Church International’s mission trips.”

Portelance explains he has travelled to Mexico and other countries with a variety of different groups over the years, and this year’s youth group will see a variety of situations that will provide an educational experience for the teens. He says it is amazing to see the compassion these students have for others in difficult predicaments.

“The team is being brought down to help in impoverished areas of Mexico, specifically we will be working with the Oaxacan Indians who are a group of migrant workers who live in less than stellar living conditions,” says Portelance. “We will be working in the Ensenada area, but will also be visiting former McLennan residents Wayne and Claire Wagner in Maneadero. They operate a day care in the city that helps mothers have safe childcare while they search for employment in the community.”

Portelance explains the students will see the plight of the Oaxacan Indians, who travel to cities for work but then do not make enough money to go home. He says they essentially live in dumps, as their home consists of a pallet with a tarp over top for protection from the elements.

“The youth group will see poverty at an extreme,” says Portelance. “We will be distributing food and clothing to those who aren’t dressed properly. Our main focus will be the children.”

The group of 22 children have been introduced to extreme poverty through the fellowship centre. The centre currently sponsors children through the Sam Ministries in Mozambique and World Vision.

The cost of the trip will be about $1,200 per person, this will include the airfare, food and accommodations for the two weeks. The students will be holding a fundraising bottle drive on March 6 to help with the cost of the trip.

Portelance says the students have also been very diligent, raising money via jobs in the community.

The group will also accept cash donations which will garnish a tax deductible receipt. Donations can be made to the McLennan Christian Fellowship, Box 297, McLennan, T0H 2L0.

The daycare the youth will be visiting, has a website which can be visited by going to victoryinjjdaycare.webs.com.

The mission of the daycare is to show the children God's love and provide a safe place while their mothers have gone to work and to bring the word of God into their lives. It will outreach to children and mothers about the Word and love of God, rescue the children from unnecessary confinement so parents can seek employment and to educate them in a safe and comfortable surroundings with fun activities. The daycare also teaches social and motor skills, discipline and personal hygiene.

Portelance explains many less than fortunate in Mexico are forced to leave their children at home to seek employment. He explains this often causes many problems, such as fire or injury due to lack of supervision.

Portelance says he is also contemplating bringing a team into Haiti in the next 12 months to help with the devastation the country has experienced.

The group travelling to Mexico on a mission trip includes: back row: Pastor Luc Portelance, Ashley Friesen, Brittany Friesen, Cherie Friesen, Stephanie Fillion, Jessica Farrell, Josiah Johnson, Jacob Hodgson, Phillip Moore, Christine Fillion, Roger Fillion. Front row: Lorraine Portelance, Jennie Duffin, Keren Moore, Tanaya Johnson, Marina Sanchez, Fernando Sanchez, Hannah Hodgson, Sandi Hodgson. Missing from the photo are Naomi Legal, Jorden Matula, and Morgan Caudron.