May/June '07 Update

The last time you heard from us, we were gearing up for a very busy season of mission groups from the US. Well, weeee'rrrreee OFF !

General Mission Update:

• Facilitated a mission group of 22 from the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community in Pittsburgh. This was a "sampler" trip with construction on the clinic in Ocosingo, a visit to the prison, and village visits to the Chiapas lowlands (San Javier) and the highlands (San Juan Chamula, Tenejapa and Matsam) for young adults exploring their own calls to ministry. Read more on the blog entry, "Never Judge a Book..."
• Hot Metal Bridge subsequently pledged one year of financial support for "Manuel," the missionary serving the Lacandon.
  
• Welcomed a small group of Alpha Sigma Phi brothers from NCSU who helped with clinic construction, engineering issues and prison ministry in Ocosingo. This particular group was very special to us since they included some of our very best friends. By joining us here, we hope that they now have some real appreciation for what has called us to serve here in Mexico, and we know it was a true delight for our family to have them here.
  
• Received news that the Rotary International grant for portable well-drilling equipment was approved! More details to follow as this story unfolds. Again, special thanks to Glenn Pierce in Asheville for his determination to get this project funded. Read more in blog entry, "Rotary International Grant Approved!"
  
• Helped facilitate the medical mission caravan of 25 Americans from Salem Presbytery in NC and 19 Mexicans to Tenango, Chiapas. These teams served over 3,500 people and filled over 8,000 prescriptions in just 10 days! Read more in blog entries, "Charity Humor," "Longing for News," & "Medical Missions in Tenango."
  
• Welcomed and oriented our summer intern, Lora Nelson from Grand Rapids, MI, and 3-week volunteer, David Meacham from Hickory, NC, as partners in missions working with summer work groups.
  

Manos de Cristo Update (Medical Clinic):

• With the architect tending to a family emergency in Mexico City, progress on Phase I construction is still impeded. We've gotten some excellent ideas from group travelers for correcting problems & getting over the stumbling blocks with roof construction. Hopefully the architect will be back soon, will respond to these ideas, and get things rolling again.
  
• In the meantime, Phase II building foundation is under construction.
• The next construction team coming down from the US is due to arrive on June 24th. Just us in praying that we'll be ready to move forward with construction on Phase I by the time they arrive!
  

Family Update:

• We are nearly done with our first year of homeschooling! Maggie, who is traditionally homeschooled, finished up her year on May 25th, and Holly, who is enrolled in an online accredited private school, will finish up soon. Hopefully next year will be a little more predictable, a little less disrupted and easier for us all.
  
• The medical mission trip was a great experience! Ginny worked in the kitchen the first week then worked hard and steady in the pharmacy in the second week. Holly's Spanish has improved sufficiently for her to be a Spanish translator for American nurses, so she worked in the consultation rooms every day. Maggie sampled many roles and found that she liked working in the lab and the pharmacy best. She translated prescription instructions and did lab tests for anemia, diabetes, pregnancy, etc. John, on the other hand, spent many late night hours (not his best time!) driving back and forth to Ocosingo nearly every night during the second week to replenish our constantly depleted supply of medications.
  
• Seeing hundreds of sick people every day for 2 weeks has taken its toll on both Holly and Maggie who are suffering with a wide range of health problems but nothing serious. We're just glad that they didn't get sick until the last day of the clinic. At least now they have a few days to recuperate before heading to our next village on Friday!
  
• After 13 straight weeks of working with all the mission groups, our family will be headed to NC for some much-needed R&R and time with family and friends in mid-August.
  

Prayers

• For God to continue opening doors of opportunity for us to serve
• For short-term missionaries from the US who have traveled to Mexico with groups this year. May they continue to reflect on their experiences and may those experiences move them to continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to serve in their own backyards.
  
• For short-term missionaries from the US who are preparing to travel to Mexico with groups this year. May they prepare themselves to serve and be serve, bless and be blessed, and to come to Mexico with willing hands, open minds and loving hearts.
• For multi-week mission team volunteers: David Meacham (Statesville, NC), Lora Nelson (Grand Rapids, MI) and Andrea Plakmeyer (Garner, NC).
  
• Of gratitude for the generosity of Hot Metal Bridge for their support of the missionary to the Lacandon.
  
• Of gratitude for the funding by Rotary International for the well-drilling project. May we have the resources, wisdom, manpower and initiative to put help the most people possible.
  
• Of support and encouragement for those coping with illness, including Carol McClancy, Tenney Dean, Nancy Lingenfelser, Jim Scott, Mary Wynne Perryman, Bonnie Bode, Tom Edwards, Katie Yarbrough, Hal Newell, Dick Dye, Marshall Hollingsworth, Louise Holshouser, and the family of our dear friend Cecelia. 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

• Request that VBS offerings at your church be for the following high-demand, hard-to-buy products: generic versions of Advil and Tylenol (ibuprofen and acetaminophen); hydrocortisone cream; triple antibiotic ointment; children's vitamins, prenatal vitamins, and adult multi-vitamins; and dollar-store reading glasses and sunglasses. Contact us via email to discuss the best way to arrange for their transport to Mexico but plan to be able to store materials for up to several months until we can arrange to get them here.
• 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: 10 Commandments for Short-Term Mission Trips (borrowed from the website of Dr. Culbertson at Southern Nazarene University at http://home.snu.edu/%7EHCULBERT/ten.htm)

1. You shall not forget that you represent your home country and Jesus Christ.
   
2. You shall not expect that things will be the same as they are at home, for you have left your home to find different things.
   
3. You shall not take minor things too seriously. Accepting things as they are paves the way for a good mission trip.
4. You shall not judge all Mexican or Tzeltal people by the one person with whom you have had trouble.
5. You shall not let other group members get on your nerves. You raised good money and set aside this time. So, enjoy yourself.
6. You shall not be overly worried. The person who worries has no pleasures. Few things people worry about are ever fatal.
7. Remember your passport (or other identification document) so that you know where it is at all times. Once you have received a visa ("travel papers"), remember that you must turn that in when leaving the country or face a large fine. A person without documents is a person without a country.
   
8. Blessed is the person who says "thank you" in any language. Verbal gratefulness is worth more than tips.
9. When in Mexico (Rome), do as the Mexican or Tzeltal (Roman) people do. If in difficulty, use common sense and your native friendliness.
10. Remember, you are a guest in Mexico. He who treats his host with respect shall be treated as an honored guest.

"Okay, so these aren't the 10 commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. However, the principles enunciated here are foundational to success in short-term cross-cultural experiences. So, violating these 10 commandments (even if Moses didn't get them) can spoil your short-term experience and even tarnish your attempts to witness for Christ."

As always, we are grateful for your prayers, support and encouragement as our Partners in Missions. You remain in our prayers.

Love,

Ginny, John, Holly & Maggie