What I Learned on a Mission Trip in Mexico About Faith and Service

2 days ago
3 min read

By Jeff James

Africa Program Director

Catholic World Mission

March 2026

As I cautiously approached the edge of the rickety dock and gazed into the clear turquoise waters of this ancient desert pool, I marveled at the scene unfolding around me: a mountain range encircling the valley like the rim of a fishbowl, sharp desert grasses swaying waist-high in waves of yellow and green across the valley floor, and a penetrating desert heat that urged me to dive in for cool relief.

The clear turquoise waters of this ancient desert pool in Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila, Mexico.

Just before my feet left the dock, I heard Father Daniel’s voice: “Take a long, shallow dive -- don’t stir the sediment on the bottom.” I followed his instructions, and as my head broke the surface, I received the reward every student craves: the affirming words of a mentor. “Perfect.” And indeed, it was perfect, not my dive, but everything else: the breathtaking scenery, the ancient waters once part of an Eocene ocean, the intense blue of the sky above, the gentle breeze skimming the surface, the jet-black fish gliding below, and most of all, the company of fellow pilgrims, new friends united by a common purpose: to serve the poor through prayer and action, and to walk the Way of Saint Joseph so we might better shape our own lives.

We were in Cuatro Ciénegas, a community consecrated to St. Joseph in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert, in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila, nestled along the eastern edge of the Sierra Madre Oriental. We had not come for vacation, though in that tranquil moment, the peace I felt rivaled any luxury getaway I could imagine. Instead, we were on a Lumen Institute mission trip, walking the Camino de San José, a 12.4-mile desert path with 14 stations led by Fr. Daniel Brandenburg. Each station invited deep reflection on the life of Saint Joseph, helping us encounter the man he was and discern how we might live more like him.

we were on a Lumen Institute mission trip, walking the Camino de San José, a 12.4-mile desert path with 14 stations led by Fr. Daniel Brandenburg.

Yet the mission went far beyond the walk. It led us into the homes of local families, where we witnessed their daily struggles with poverty and a painful epidemic of fatherlessness. Many men, driven by addiction, despair, and scarce economic opportunities, leave their families in search of work elsewhere, leaving single mothers to carry burdens that were meant to be shared. We painted homes and made repairs for these mothers, offering what small help we could. We also visited men in addiction recovery centers, listening to their heartbreaking stories and the events that had led them into cycles of drug and alcohol dependence, cycles that left behind waves of hopelessness for their wives and children.

In 2016, Alfonso and Maricarmen González , founders of Qualfon, a global company committed to “being the best and caring for every person God has entrusted to them,” launched Plan 2040. — *Alfonso and Maricarmen González* *, founders of Qualfon.*

But despair does not have the final word. A growing sense of hope now stirs in this community. In 2016, Alfonso and Maricarmen González , founders of Qualfon, a global company committed to “being the best and caring for every person God has entrusted to them,” launched Plan 2040. With missionary hearts, they have consecrated their lives and business to St. Joseph. In partnership with the Lumen Institute and Catholic World Mission, Plan 2040 is revitalizing Cuatro Ciénegas by accompanying every child in the community with education, while supporting families through development opportunities, nutrition, healthcare, faith formation, and much more.

Like my dive from that rickety dock, my entry into this community only skimmed the surface of its profound beauty and hidden pain. Yet even that shallow plunge touched me deeply, invigorated my spirit, and awakened my missionary heart.