Stepping into Missions
Tina Neufeld's story is a reminder of what can happen when we say "yes" to God's invitation. What began as a first mission trip with Central Baptist Church in Victoria has grown into new partnerships, deeper faith, and an opportunity to lead others into the powerful experience. As Tina prepares to lead Central’s 2026 team to El Salvador, her story reflects the kind of Kingdom impact that grows when we go boldly forward together.
In February 2025, I went on my first ever missions trip. The team of 14 from Central Baptist Church, Victoria, lead by Pastor Shawn Barden, went to San Vincente, El Salvador to build houses in partnership with Shelter. Shelter is an amazing organization started in 2002 by a couple in Calgary who had a heard about how a series of natural disasters had left thousands of the poorest people in El Salvador without homes.
I went in with no prior missions experience, no building experience, and no Spanish language skills beyond a few words learned from Dora the Explorer episodes when my kids were much younger! Basically, all I had was a willing heart that said “yes” to God’s call. What followed was one of the most impactful weeks of my life.
The language barrier was daunting. How do you connect with strangers when you don’t even speak the same language? Yet it was amazing how much connection you can build with smiles and shared laughs over dropped screws. Some of the families had heart wrenching stories that left team members in tears and unable to speak. Over and over we saw God at work in simple things like a 10-year-old boy helping to build his single mother a home, keeping a promise he made to her, but saved from the need to drop out of school to do it. Or a Bible verse in our morning devotions that was selected months in advance that was the perfect comfort and encouragement specific to the situation of the couple we built a home for that day.
God showed up in our team too. This group of 14 people came together to care for each other. Each person shared their resources, be it Tylenol, fruit snacks, or electrolytes. Everyone checked in to make sure the people on their team were getting enough water, rest, or time in the shade. It reminded me very much of the early church in Acts 4. By the end of the trip, we had prayed together, cried together, laughed together, and shared our hearts. We built 14 homes and connected with 14 families in 3 different communities. We knew God was working in us and through us.
The Impact Continues
The hard part of any missions trip is holding on to the experience, the new insights, the softened and changed hearts once you come home. You naturally start refocusing on fitting back into your life, catching up on your family, schooling, and/or work. Once you’ve reported back to your church and shared the highlights of your adventures, it feels like the mission is over. Yet the mission is never over. The things God calls us to and the ways he wants to shape us continue on.
What I didn’t count on was that the mission really wasn’t over for me. Central’s Outreach and Missions team was planning for 2026 and considering whether we should send a team back to El Salvador, and if we did, who would lead it. I felt God call me to give my “yes” again. With one whole missions trip experience under my belt, I volunteered to lead a new team in fall 2026 and began to pray.
Our trip is scheduled for Oct 31-Nov 8, just 4 months away. God is already at work impacting me by training me in leadership and stepping out in faith. He’s impacting my family by calling two of my adult children to join the team. He’s impacting our church by bringing new people to our team, many of whom are first timers at missions. He also worked in the hearts of our congregation to give generously toward this mission. Through Central and private donors, God has already provided the funds to build 15 houses. God even called 2 people from First Baptist in Vancouver to join our team and their church will be impacted through them. All this before we’ve even set foot on an airplane.
It’s easy to think that the point of the mission is the 15 houses that will be built and the 15 families whose lives will be changed through receiving those houses, but the truth is, WE are the mission. It is not a task that we do, but rather living out our identity as children of God, and letting him be at work in us and through us.
Get Out There
So why am I telling you all this?
First, we would love your prayers for our team. Pray for our safety, for good connection with the El Salvadoran families, for good team cohesion, and that God would continue the good work he’s begun.
Second, at IMPACT this April, some churches expressed that they were looking for ways to get back into missions after Covid. FEB Pacific highlighted several ministries and missions opportunities to get involved with and at least one church shared about missions in Mexico. I wanted to let you know about Shelter and the amazing work they are doing in El Salvador. Mountainside Community Church in Fernie has been partnering with them for years. Shelter handles the flights, the accommodations, the in-country meals and logistics. They provide drivers and translators and professional builders at the build sites. They do all the advance work connecting with communities and families, and presenting the gospel at every step. If you are looking for an easy entry back into missions, I highly recommend checking out Shelter at https://www.shelterhelps.com/. Contact me, or reach out to the Fernie church, (yes, I volunteered them without their knowledge).
Finally, I just want to encourage you and your church to give your ‘yes’ to God. Whether it’s local partnerships or global missions, get back out there and see what God will do.
Tina Neufeld
Administrative Assistant, Central Baptist Church
Leader, 2026 El Salvador Mission Team
