A Variety of Gifts

We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 12 and in Romans 12 that God bestows upon each of us certain gifts. It would be easy to assume that the skills that we are able to learn are the same as the gifts God bestows upon us, but I really don't think that's what the scripture tells us. One can have a gift of knowledge about a particular area and never use it to the glory of God. Likewise, in 2 Corinthians 8, we are reminded that "he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little,"and "their plenty will supply what you need."

Over the past few weeks, we have seen lots of people come through our ministry here in Mexico, and each possesses gifts that they have shared to the glory of God. Some have been nurses, doctors, engineers, musicians, teachers, counselors, athletes and students. They have shared whatever knowledge, skill, talent or insight they have to make a difference in the lives of those here in Chiapas. The sun-sensitive engineer wasn't much help on the worksite, but his stepson was a huge help. While his son poured cement, he researched construction engineering solutions to some of our problems with getting the roof on the clinic. The counselor worked hard on the worksite, but it was his gift of faithfulness and confidence in God's miracles that he so powerfully shared with the prisoners here that was incredible! Some of the nurses wouldn't have made a great difference mixing cement, but their knowledge and skill with some of the 3500 patients we saw in the 2 week medical clinic was far more meaningful. Teachers, whether by occupation or spiritual gift, provide the encouragement, instruction and group management that is essential when leading Vacation Bible School with hundreds of excited and enthusiastic children. Students may still be discovering their gifts, but as they so willingly try out different tasks, they demonstrate obedience and servanthood.

It is so easy to tell ones' self, "Oh, well, I really can't be much help on a mission trip because I have none of the skills they need." But in truth, each of God's children has gifts to share to the glory of God, and when we come together, "their plenty will supply what you need." Whether part of a group of 20+ or part of a group of 2 or 3, each person can bring their gifts to share to the glory of God. Together with the gifts of those here in Mexico, there will always be enough. Thanks be to God.

Rotary Intl/Clean Water Grant Approved!

We received the news that Rotary International approved the grant application submitted by the Asheville, NC and San Cristobal, Chiapas Rotary clubs for portable well-drilling equipment. This project was the brainchild of Starfish Fund founder, Glenn Pierce. He garnered the support (and dollars) from his own club in Asheville, wrote the grant application, and met with the club members in San Cristobal to solicit their support.

The $25,525 project will have 2 phases:

• Phase I will use well-drilling equipment for the Manos de Cristo medical clinic in Ocosingo. Because the clinic is outside the municipal water system and bottled water of sufficient quantity for the clinic would be cost prohibitive, a clean water well and clean water storage is essential to the effectiveness of the medical clinic. It is projected that the initial phase will be completed during in 10-14 project this fall.
  
• Phase II will use the well-drilling equipment to surrounding villages to provide them with clean water. Glenn's research for the grant proposal reported that "73% of the country's water supply is polluted and 93% of the rivers (the main source of water in the south) are also polluted." The well-drilling projects will be arranged in cooperation with the Maya Synod of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, Hebron USA, volunteer Rotary groups, and the Mills Family Mission.
  

This is indeed an exciting opportunity. I guarantee that next week's medical mission teams will encounter many, many patients whose health problems can be directly attributed to contaminated ground water. Diagnoses of water-related diseases are likely to be our single most prevalent diagnosis - all of which can be prevented with the availability of clean water.

We look forward to working with Rotary clubs and others to bring this dream to fruition in the coming months. Stay posted for more updates!

Never Judge a Book....

Perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of missions in Mexico is getting to know the different mission travelers from around the USA. In addition to groups from Salem Presbytery, mission travelers have come from the East Coast and the West, from the Midwest, the Deep South and the South Side of Pittsburgh.

Perhaps one of the most dramatically different groups came from the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community in Pittsburgh. They were funky, punky, tattooed and pierced, and they were absolutely delightful! They were all on a serious quest to experience a personal relationship with God and discern their own calls to ministry. Hot Metal is a church plant that incorporates mission in all its church activities and drama in all its worship services. Sunday worship is held in the dining room of their neighborhood Goodwill, and they have outreach programs in nearby tattoo parlors, coffee houses and other unlikely places. Their church has grown from 50 to over 300 in less than 2 years!

Hot Metal Bridge participants accepted and met the challenges of working, worshiping and celebrating their shared faith with the ultra-conservative Mexican Presbyterians, and in turn, the Mexican Presbyterians worked hard to overcome their fears and judgments about the “colorful” crowd from Hot Metal. Our Mexican brothers and sisters listened with fascination and amazement to translations explaining the powerful stories of faith as depicted in the tattoos of the Hot Metal folks. It was amazing to watch the bonding that occurred between people who were so radically different!

This was our first exposure to the “emerging church” movement and a delightful one. Just like the Tzeltal need to be able to read the Word of God and worship in their own “heart language,” the folks from Hot Metal helped us remember that even the funky and the punky need to have a chance to experience God in places where they feel comfortable. Together they are reaching out and serving God in “dramatically different” ways and bringing the Word of God to the people of South Side Pittsburgh and even Southern Mexico in a whole new way. Thanks be to God!

(To learn more, go to www.hotmetalbridge.com)

Feeling so comfortable in prison

It has been amazing to discover how comfortable I have felt when visiting the prison here in Ocosingo, and the experiences have helped me realize that I have a real soft place in my heart for repentant criminals. You see, because of some especially unusual circumstances of my dad's job, I had an opportunity to "consort with criminals" when I was a child. I know...it sounds odd and not entirely safe, but trust me when I say that it was totally safe and a true blessing in my life.

These criminals had demonstrated exceptionally good behavior and trustworthiness to be allowed to work outside the prison, and I had contact with them almost daily for 4 years. What did I learn from these "criminals?"I learned that any one of us can make a single tragic error that will change our lives forever --- and the lives of others too. I learned that having a gun within your reach in certain circumstances can lead to great tragedy - tragedy that might not have occurred if a deadly weapon weren't so easy to access. I learned that people who have done terrible things are not necessarily terrible people. I learned that I could entrust my life to someone who had taken the life of someone else. I learned that I did not need to be afraid.

Later in my life, I also learned that not all criminals were as repentent and as determined to change their destiny as those I had known as a child. I learned that those who have done bad things may do bad things again. I learned that, just because I had been able to trust some criminals with my life, that didn't mean I should trust anyone who'd done bad things. (Duh!) I learned that, while everyone can be redeemed, it's not my job to do the redeeming. I learned that I can demonstrate acceptance, compassion and kindness while still protecting myself.

Then I worked in the addictions field, and I learned that some people are affected by diseases of the mind that alter their capacity to make good decisions, honor their values/morals/beliefs, and consider others. I learned that, like any person affected by a disease, they need to know what treatment is available, what the course of their disease may be (whether treated or untreated), and what it will take for them to heal.

So it is that I now find myself visiting Mexican prisons. There I find prisoners whose apparent faithfulness is profound, whose repentance oozes from every pore, and whose fear of rejection by the church after they are released saddens me so. While I'm still learning about the Mexican justice system, I do know that it's possible that they could be in prison unjustly if they didn't have bribe money, etc.

I pray that I can apply what I've learned through each of the 3 episodes of life-teaching I described as I encounter these prisoners. I pray that I can get to know the person (not the crime), that I can honor their identity as children of God (not as perpetrators), that I can demonstrate compassion without risking harm to myself or my family, and that I can reassure them that, with their profession of belief in Jesus, they are blessed with God's forgiveness and love - period.

But if I stop there, I will have missed the opportunity to help others learn some of what I have learned. If I cannot help the churches here feel safe to open their arms to these Children of God, then I cannot encourage them to seek out churches upon their release. If I cannot know that they will be received by our churches, I cannot, in good conscience, offer that kind of assurance.

Mission groups are likely to command all my time and attention for the summer, so it will likely be a while before I can go back to the prison, but when I do, I know that I'll feel comfortable, safe and blessed to have the opportunity to demonstrate the love of Jesus in my time there.

Mother's Day surprise!

Not knowing that Mother's Day in Mexico is celebrated on May 10th, imagine my surprise when I heard my first Mother's Day serenade outside my bedroom window just after midnight last night! Since this is my first Mother's Day since my mother died last December, I must confess that I wasn't particularly looking forward to this one. But Mother's Day is celebrated very differently here! What a delight to hear the guitar, see the smiling faces on the kids, and to see how happy Holly & Maggie were to surprise me!

The serenade is traditional, as are the songs. John drove a group of church youth all over town to sing to 14 other mothers, and there were many others out doing the same thing. As the troupe went from house to house, they were invited in for refreshments and fun. They arrived home after 3AM! The next day, schools were out and businesses were closed. Our favorite special restaurant was full of families celebrating with their mothers, and we were happy to join them.

While many of the Mexican celebrations defy understanding, what a delight it was to be a mom today!