March/April '07 Update

These have been months filled with highs and lows, and now the hottest months of the year (April & May) are upon us! Together with you, our Partners in Missions, we’ve been busy!

General Mission Update:

• Helped coordinate & provide hospitality for a Perspectives training event at the Bible School here in Ocosingo, sponsored by the Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship. Over 60 participants from Mexico and Latin America came together to experience this renowned missions training course (http://www.perspectives.org/)
  
• Facilitated a mission group of 14 from Westover Hills Presbyterian in Arkansas who helped with construction projects in San Geronimo.
• Provided hospitality and meals for bible school students and workers who stayed on campus during the 2-week Easter Break
  
• Joined Pablo & members of the Maya Synod to present our organization's model for cross-cultural missions at the Mexico Missions Network Conference, sponsored by Presbyterian Church USA. The model of bringing Americans, Spanish Mexicans and Indigenous Mexicans together was extremely well-received and may be adopted by other programs in Mexico.
  
• Received an important acknowledgment of our work here from PCUSA and offers of assistance with visas, insurance coverage, and other practical matters. Truly a case of "build it and they will come!"
• Conducted site visits and meetings with churches that will receive mission teams this summer, helping them to maximize the benefit of having a mission team, prepare sleeping, eating and bathroom facilities to for the teams, etc. And coordinating with the leaders of teams from Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community (PA), Alpha Sigma Phi (NC), and Salem Presbytery (NC) who will be here in May.
• Organized prayer chains & financial support for Santiago Feliciano Cruz, as he was treated for a ruptured appendix. Although tragic, the experience helped many of us better understand the medical care often provided to indigenous people here and how important it is to complete the medical clinic (see details in other blog entries).
• Regrettably, our grant proposal for the prison chapel construction and prison ministry was not funded. But Rotary International has notified clubs in Asheville, NCand San Cristobal,, Chiapas that their grant application for well-drilling equipment is complete and in the pipeline for review within the next few weeks. Special thanks to Glenn Pierce (http://www.starfishfund.org/) for sharing his grant writing and relationship building skills to benefit small villages and communities in Chiapas.

Manos de Cristo Update (Medical Clinic):

• As is often the case, architects, visionaries and builders don’t always see eye-to-eye! We're working hard to get past some differences of opinion related to roof construction. With God’s help and lots of cooperation, we should be moving forward soon and getting the trusses in place!
• The basement area has been completed now, along with the foundation. All the structural beams have been completed as well, hence the need to move forward with getting the roof trusses up.
• Relationships are being established with Mexican pharmaceutical distributors to provide medications for the upcoming medical mission teams and for the pharmacy on-site at the clinic when it’s completed.

Family Update:

• We finally got our house rented! Last weekend a family from Colorado moved into our house in Winston-Salem, thus removing a huge burden from our hearts and our bank account! Special thanks to Kristi Rolison, Leslie Watts, Pam Hylton, Glenda Shelton and Jason Baisden for helping make it all come together!
• We enjoyed the classic Mexican hospitality of our long-time friend, Francisco “Pancho” Jimenez, and his family in Comoalcalco, Tabasco for a few days last week. They introduced us to the undeveloped Gulf Coast beaches of Tabasco, a wide range of citrus fruits and chilés grown on their ranch, and a slew of children and teens! It was a nice break from the routine and a chance to reconnect with one of our favorite brothers in Christ.
• We are grateful for the internet since it helps us stay connected to happenings in the US. So it has been with heavy hearts that we have followed the tragic story of the Virginia Tech shootings. We can only fall back on our faith that God is at work in all things and that God will find ways to bless many people despite the suffering.

Special News for Former Mission Travelers:

• We know that you join us in celebrating the birth on Sunday, April 22^nd of Sofia Machelle, daughter #2 to proud parents, Amalia and Albert, and proud grandparents, Pablo & Jan. Big sister, Priscila, and all those living in the Feliciano household will welcome mom and baby home tomorrow!! Watch the blog for updates & pics soon!
• Special Opportunity!!! All mission travelers have heard the stories of “Jungle Camp,” the site of the Wycliffe missionary training camp and home to Pablo and his family for many years. Well, Nancy & Tom Samples group from Washington has openings in their group that is coming to work at “Yax” (Yaxaquintela) June 15-23^rd. Experienced adult mission travelers (and/or experienced youth mission travelers with an experienced parent) are invited to join them if you make your own travel arrangements. Interested parties should email ASAP to express your interest and discuss planning! (email to http://www2.blogger.com/jgmills@att.net).

Prayers

• For God to continue opening doors of opportunity for us to serve
• Of gratitude for the continued recovery of Santiago Feliciano Cruz and for all those around the US and Mexico who offered up prayers and financial support during his medical emergency. For those who did not receive daily updates, we recommend you read about the Santiago saga in the blog entries from the past few weeks.
• For the continued work of Hermana Luisa, Hermana Antonia and Jan in the prison ministry
  
• Of support and encouragement for those coping with illness, including Tenney Dean, Nancy Lingenfelser, Jim Scott, Peggy Skrynski, Mary Wynne Perryman, Bonnie Bode, Tom Edwards, Katie Yarbrough, Hal Newell, Dick Dye, Marshall Hollingsworth, Louise Holshouser, and all of those affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy. As always, please let us know of your prayer needs and whether it's ok to share them with others.
• Of support and encouragement for fellow missionaries and their families around the world, including Pablo & Jan Feliciano, all the Dye Family Missionaries around the world, David Meacham, John and Sandra Wimbish, future missionaries Julie Alexander and her husband, John, and Jim & Sharon Heneveld.

Opportunities

• Coordinate collections of Vacation Bible School materials for mission groups that will be coming down this summer. Let us know by email (to jgmills@att.net) and we’ll put you in touch with the VBS coordinator for a group in need.
• Donate to Hebron USA for Phase II of the Manos de Cristo Medical Clinic in Ocosingo (details on the HUSA website at www.hebronusa.org/8.html)
• Donate to First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Airy, NC for our family’s missionary support (details on our website at www.millsfamilymission.org/5.html)
• Mission Tip of the Month: Many people question the choice to participate in mission trips to foreign countries when we have so much need in our own communities and our own country. There’s no question that there are lots of needs. If you have a chance, ask someone who’s been on a foreign mission trip how their level of involvement in local and regional missions has changed since their first foreign mission trip. For many, once the “mission bug” has bitten, the call to serve close to home can be heard (and answered) loud & clear.

Su hermanas y hermano en Cristo,

Ginny, John, Holly & Maggie Mills