The Attic, Grace's student ministry, recently returned from its annual missions trip to central Mexico, an 850-mile bus ride from the familiar surroundings of Austin. Upon arrival, the 45 students and leaders split into three teams for their week-long ministry in the cities of Querétaro, Celaya and Salamanca.

Working in partnership with Mexican churches and GCC missionary families of the Lamberts and Browns, Attic students served through a wide variety of opportunities. They helped pour an extensive concrete roof for a new church, lead Bible clubs for children, taught conversational English to university students, painted a Bible mural for a church's children's ministry, performed numerous open-air evangelistic mimes, participated in Sunday worship services, painted the home of a disabled man, did landscaping for a new church property, and shared personal testimonies of the life-changing power of Jesus to small and large crowds. In addition to the work and ministry, students broadened their cultural experience by staying in the homes of Mexican church families, most of whom spoke little or no English.

Teens, parents and youth workers gathered in the Attic one Sunday morning to hear how the Lord worked through the trip. Here is some of what the students shared:

"God taught me the power of prayer….It was the most powerful thing I had ever seen."

"We were created to praise God. That’s not just with your mouth. You get to praise him with your body in the work you do. And you get to do it all day long. Some people have scars as a testament to the work being done for the Lord."

"When we went to Salamanca all these families welcomed us in with all their hearts. It’s amazing how much love and caring they give."

"Mexico can change your life."

"I learned after the trip how far I am from being content with where I am."

"I got to know our team so well. It was an honor to serve and pray with them. You really get to know people best when your praying with them and working along side them."

"It was incredible. The Lord really does answer prayer. There wasn’t one thing on the trip that we prayed for that didn’t happen. You could tell God was reaching down and giving us a hug."

"God taught me He can help us conquer our fears."

"In the John Piper video we watch on the bus ride home, he said to make life choices that display God’s glory. I wanted to be like that. We all are missionaries and should be showing God's glory even when we’re not in Mexico."

"I think it’s really cool that the Mexican were serving us when we went there to serve them.  I know I’m going to look for more opportunities to be like that."

"One of the biggest things I got was the relationships that formed….Another thing was a true joy that comes in serving others."

"My main take-away from this trip was my own insignificance compared to Christ.  In America, it’s so easy to just get caught up in things….God taught me that the world doesn’t revolve around me."