Laredo Stepping Stone — The Magi Project

What is it?

The Magi Project is our Christmas ministry outreach. While similar to other Christmas outreaches, there is one critical difference. After wrapping up your heart in that shoebox gift you’ve been planning since last Christmas, we invite you to come down to the Frontera and personally hand out that gift AND your heart to a child living in a poor situation here on the border. YOU get to look into the face of the child getting the gifts your group has so carefully prepared and watch the happiness and joy in that child’s face when they unwrap it.

You also get to participate as these gifts open the opportunity to tell them and their families about the One who brought a gift that will never pass away. A chance to tell them about the One who loves them to distraction, about the One who knows what it feels like to be them, because He left everything He had to come to a place where, as the Bible says, He had no place to lay His head.

We can guarantee that if you become involved with the Magi Project, be it by bringing gifts, sending gifts, sending ‘stuffers’, or even just praying for us, it will not only be a child’s life that will be touched. Yours will as well!

The Magi Project through Stepping Stone can be done on either side of the border or both depending on what your group desires.

Where will we be doing our distributions?

Local churches in colonias, community centers, parking lots, and parks.

With the Magi Project, we only work with local pastors who we know will do follow up with the families impacted and are currently active in their communities.

How does The Magi Project work?

Step 1

Check with us for available dates between Thanksgiving and the first week in January and for current pricing by calling 956-999-5895 and talking with our Magi Project director.

Will need to submit contract and deposit to ensure dates are held. **Dates will not be confirmed until this is received.

Step 2

Your church puts together gifts in whatever containers you desire for corresponding age groups (shoe boxes, stockings, back packs) and attach the appropriate label for the age and gender of the child.

What kinds of things to put into presents:

Shoebox Gift Suggestion List

Age groups 0–2,3–5,6–9,10–12,13–16

Labels:

Labels for Boys

Labels for Girls

Step 3

Arrange you schedule with our Maji Project director.

Sample Schedule Download

How do I get involved?

Bring a Group

We can accommodate groups from just a few people or small group per weekend. Your group will be staying in great accommodations at Laredo Stepping Stone. You may view our facility by clicking here.

Meals of our awesome southern comfort food prepared by wonderful kitchen staff are included in your group’s price.

Send Gifts

We know that not everyone can bring a team to help give out gifts. We also know that every team that comes may not be able to bring a lot of gifts. For example, if they are from a smaller church.

We have had churches either mail shoe box gifts to us or send a small contingent to bring the gifts. This is a huge help and such a blessing, not only to those who can’t bring many gifts, but also to the kids who receive them.

Send ‘Stuffers’

Every Magi Project season, we have people that donate empty containers (shoe boxes, back packs, stockings, etc) and the ‘stuffers’ to fill them. Individuals and churches from all over collect items throughout the year, such as toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, small toys, crayons, pencils, etc, and bring or mail them to us. Groups who come down for the Maji Project help us fill those containers and wrap the gifts, giving us hundreds of more to distribute.

We appreciate those who help in this way so much, as it provides us and teams more opportunities to be able to minister to these sweet little ones.

See our ‘stuffers’ list for ideas as the blessings you or your church can send us.

Something to Consider

Every year, we appreciate those who would consider putting together gift bags for our missionary wives. Every year we have many that pass through Laredo Stepping Stone since it is the Christmas season and many come to the border. Some notes: please don’t put soaps, things with strong scents in with food without triple wrapping the soaps, etc. Depending on how long it takes for us to get to them, the scented item can ‘flavor’ the snacks. A bottle from Bath and Body Works, a small candle, or better yet, a gift card from some place similar can be nice. Gift cards from just about anywhere can be nice! A body puff, colored pencils with a Christian adult coloring book, a good Christian book you enjoyed reading, so many ideas! But especially appreciated are cards with personal, encouraging notes telling them you are praying for them, their family, and their ministry.

Things to Not Include in Your Gift

Chocolate or any candy that would melt in the heat or during transport.
Aerosol cans
Glass items
War related items (toy guns, knives, etc.)
Used or damaged items.
Clothing (if you would like to bring it separately to give out, that is fine. Our reasoning being that you never know who is going to get that present. That 5 year old girl that gets you gift wear a size 5, size 3, or size 8, and it is disappointing getting a gift you can’t use.)

Pray…

…for us

For the Lord to lead us to the venue He would have each group serve at.
For strength for our staff as they serve (it’s a long season for us!)
For wisdom for those coordinating the outreaches.
For protection from the schemes of the enemy. No surprise, he doesn’t like what we’re doing and likes to throw curve balls!
That God would provide more gifts to enable us to do more ministries.

…for the teams

Safety as they travel to and from the valley and while they are here.
That God will do a work in their hearts as well while they are here.
For wisdom and strength as they put gifts together and plan their trip.
For good participation and help as they present the Holy Presents ministry to their congregation/group

…for the children

That the Lord would prepare the hearts of the children and their families who receive the gifts.
That God would draw those to the ministry that are supposed to be there.
For God to work in the lives of their family and provide the wisdom and resources for them to be able to live better lives.
That many will accept the true, everlasting gift of a new life in Christ.
For the Pastors/Churches We Work Through:
For those in the Local church in the venue areas to be willing to participate in getting the word out about the ministry.
For wisdom and strength as they follow up on those reached in their area during the Maji Project
For God to give them the provisions they need to continue to grow and minister to their congregations.

What are Colonias?

Colonias are residential communities along the U.S.- Mexico border that often lack the most basic necessities for living. Set up by developers who created unincorporated subdivisions on land that couldn’t be used for farming, they then sell 1⁄2 acre tracts of land to low-income people searching for affordable housing.

With the astronomical interest rates these developers charge, the chance of them ever paying off the debt is unlikely. If the family misses a payment, the owners have them removed and re-sell the land again to another poor family. These colonias are home to thousands of Texans, with most of the children under 18 being U.S. citizens. Because of lack of public services and infrastructure, colonia residents face hardships that are not seen in the rest of the United States. Obviously with the difficulties the parents of these children face, Christmas gifts are the last thing they can afford. As such, many of these children go through a season meant to be full of wonder, love, and giving knowing nothing but want – not just for gifts, but for life’s necessities.

Disclaimers

How many days/ministries you would possibly be able to do depends on the amount of presents you bring. For example, if you only bring 50 gifts, you would only be able to do one or two ministries with some smaller churches. If you bring a few hundred gifts, you would be able to do more ministries or larger outreaches. We may have gifts left over from churches who have come before that would possibly equal more outreaches, but this isn’t a guarantee.

Please note transportation to Laredo Stepping Stone and during stay the responsibility of your group.

Please consider the number of people you are bringing in proportion to the number of gifts you have. If you only bring 50 boxes, it doesn’t take that many people to distribute those gifts. Other projects can be added to you trip to accommodate larger groups.