Witness Moment

A Short-Term Mission Experience in Puerto Rico

In June, a team from St. John’s Lutheran Church, Arnold, Mo., served alongside LCMS missionaries in Puerto Rico.

A first-person account by Veronica Cheney | Cover photo by Erik M. Lunsford | Fall 2024

On the evening of June 11, our team of nine youth and three adults from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Arnold, Mo., landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for a weeklong mission trip with LCMS International Mission. We were excited to be serving alongside LCMS missionaries and staying at the Synod’s mercy house, the CARD (Casa de Amparo y Respuesta a Desastre), in Mayagüez.

The mercy house is well-equipped with a full kitchen, bunk beds and everything short-term teams might need while they serve. It’s also conveniently situated just up the hill from Iglesia Luterana Príncipe de Paz (Prince of Peace Lutheran Church).

Jumping In

The next morning, LCMS missionary Ashley Lehr brought our first assignment: grocery shopping. Our group split into three teams, each of which headed off to a different store with a scavenger hunt in hand. My team discovered a whole frozen pig and canned octopus. But much of the store resembled what we might expect at home. During the activity, we also gathered all the ingredients we would need to prepare a meal for the congregation.

On Wednesday, we served alongside the congregation by cooking a meal for their weekly compañerismo (fellowship) event. Our vision for the meal was to bring them a taste of our home in St. Louis, which included introducing them to the dessert gooey butter cake. This became a birthday cake for congregation member Sonia. The Rev. Gustavo Maita, an alliance missionary with the LCMS who serves in Mayagüez, played hymns on his guitar and led us in singing a birthday song in Spanish and then “Happy Birthday” in English. In that moment, I felt truly welcomed into the community and life in the church.

Over the course of the week, our team helped the church in Mayagüez with organizing the craft room, cleaning and painting. We also visited Iglesia Luterana Fuente de Vida (Fountain of Life Lutheran Church) in Ponce, where we led a craft event for the community. For some of the individuals who attended, this was the first time they came to an event at the church.

Planting Seeds

On Thursday morning, we met the Mayagüez-based missionary team in Plaza Cristóbal Colón. Small groups from our team walked around greeting locals and inviting them to the church’s events, including the Divine Service on Sundays, a Bible study on Wednesdays and an English class on Thursdays. I had the joy of walking with LCMS missionary Ruth Maita and her three children. Our team was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and receptive the Puerto Ricans were to receiving flyers, as everyone we met returned our greetings and accepted the information.

On Saturday, most of our team had the opportunity to see the newest LCMS church plant on the island, Iglesia Luterana Cordero de Dios (Lamb of God Lutheran Church) in the San Juan metro area. LCMS missionary Rev. James Neuendorf met us at a strip of businesses along a busy road. Both Neuendorf and fellow missionary Rev. Adam Lehman are based in Ponce but serve both congregations.

Many young people live in the area, and these demographics are reflected in those attending the church services and events. This differs from the other congregations on the island. Our team served alongside members of the congregation, and that’s how I had the opportunity to meet a visiting college student. She explained that she grew up in the area and first heard about this Lutheran church through another student. I talked to her and learned about her desire for a confessional church.

“For most Puerto Ricans, this type of confessional church is a new experience for them,” Neuendorf explained. He added that they hope to begin a confirmation class soon and requested prayer for the individuals coming to grow in faith. We also pray for their search for a new building, as the congregation is outgrowing the current space.

The Body of Christ

During the Sunday Divine Service in Mayagüez, we worshiped in Spanish. The experience cemented for me how special our liturgy is, that we can follow along and know our prayers and the Sacraments are the same as those we say and take part in at home. In addition, singing hymns with the congregation reminded me of the universality of music, especially when we sang the Spanish version of “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It” (Lutheran Service Book 594): “Bautizado en Cristo soy” (Himnario Luterano 858). We greeted each member of the congregation after the service with la paz (peace) and a smile — and many with a hug and kiss to the cheek.

There were many memorable moments during the trip: seeing iguanas, eating fresh starfruit from the trees behind the mercy house, singing and studying God’s Word during nightly devotions with our group, learning how to cook fried plantains with Sonia and Deaconess Christel Neuendorf. I also saw the impact our service had on the people we met, as I saw our youth grow in leadership and faith.

If you’re interested in serving on a short-term team with LCMS International Mission, go for it. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you can have a meaningful impact on people around the world, and every new experience will bond your team and make memories that last long after you’ve returned home.

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Learn more about service with the LCMS