(Photo courtesy MOSES)

Mexico (MNN) — Sometimes a small team can do an amazing amount of work. For example, MOSES, Inc. just brought a short-term missions team of 20 down to Ensenada, Mexico.

They built two homes for impoverished families in only a week.

“Our little 16 x 20 three-room home is like a castle for them, in many cases,” says Judy VanderArk with the MOSES team. “One was extremely challenging because it had to be built up high on stilts. It’s important for us to keep our kids safe.”

The trip to Mexico is one of three annual short-term missions trips MOSES gathers teams for. They also travel on Weekend Trips throughout the year.

While part of the MOSES team worked on construction projects, another group split off to help with Vacation Bible Schools at seven different churches.

“We help with the games and the crafts, and they do the puppet shows; they lead the songs with the motions,” VanderArk explains. “We figure it’s best that they [the national ministry leaders] do the primary share of the presentation because they can do the follow-up after we’re gone.”

While completing construction projects and helping under-resourced churches were the main assignments for this team, demonstrating Christ’s love to those who might not believe was their primary purpose.

“On the last day, we gather up all of our team, even those that were at the VBS sites, and…we’ll circle and join hands, and we pray and sing,” VanderArk says.

“One of the people that worked on the project, usually a teen, will present the key to the new owner and a Bible that’s signed by all the members of the team. It’s a very emotional time, usually.”

MOSES is a peer-led ministry, which means teens are responsible for the physical and spiritual impact on trips, while adults come along as chaperones. Most of MOSES “regulars” have grown past the age where they can lead trips. But this Mexico trip was perhaps the first for a new generation of student leaders.

“I’m optimistic about next year because I think four or five of these young people would make really excellent peer leaders next year,” shares VanderArk.

Contact VanderArk to see how you, or a student leader you know, can join the next MOSES trip.

Compassion International celebrated a big gain recently in their global fight against poverty: the ministry registered its 3,000th leadership development student–a young man from India.

"100% of kids that are in that program are graduating," said Compassion's Greg Muger, "which is amazing, considering that on average, only 55% of Americans that start school finish."

Compassion developed its Leadership Development Program to draw young people out of poverty and turn them into future leaders of their countries. Each year, about 1,000 Compassion-assisted kids receive Christian leadership training, a university education, and mentoring.

"All that training is used to impact their own nations in the name of Christ, and to release others from poverty in Jesus' name," Muger explained. But freedom doesn't come without a fight.

"In the fight against poverty, the enemy is attacking 24/7," said Muger. "The last thing that he wants is for ethical, capable leaders to end the cycle of poverty that is undermining their nation."

Ask God to protect emerging leaders.

To take part in the Leadership Development Program, candidates must meet several requirements, including graduation from Compassion's sponsorship program and secondary school. Muger said graduates of this program have become congresswomen, lawyers, physicians, high court judges, and pastors. Click here to read stories of their success.

"These are dedicated, hard-working, passionate young men and women seeking to see a difference in their country," said Muger.

Compassion operates this program in 20 developing nations around the world. Want to impact the integration of your field in another country? Sponsor a future leader in your line of work.

"Compassion's been around for 60 years. We know what we're doing in the child development arena," Muger said. "We need faithful supporters to come around us today."