Contrasting Priorities & Common Sense

I'm grateful for internet access as it allows us to stay connected to people and to our world in NC, and yet the recognition of what's going on in NC sometimes makes what we see here from the mission field in southern Chiapas, Mexico even more profound.

In yesterday's online version of the Winston-Salem Journal, I read that the City of Winston-Salem has advised First Baptist Church that it cannot begin its overflow homeless shelter program until it meets safety requirements for those providing overnight housing. The church voted earlier this year to open their gym as an overflow homeless shelter for the cold months of the year. Now, at first blush, the safety regulations seemed like a good thing - that the city was saying, "Just because you're housing homeless people doesn't mean that you can ignore their safety needs. You have to be sure they'll be safe before you allow them to stay there." But when you read further, you realize that the requirements may result in people not being helped at all! The church may be required to install a sprinkler system, handicapped access to its shelter area, and meet other code requirements....all to the tune of as much as $100,000!

Flash to Mexico...
Today, on my way to the market, I drove past a crowd of people on the side of the road. They were listening to someone in authority and were all gazing upon about 50 small piles of raw meat. The meat had been evenly divided into portions that were separated and laid out on a large piece of black plastic. While I couldn't be sure, it appeared that the meat would be distributed to those waiting, and since there's a viable meat market within 1/2 mile, I assume the meat was being given away, not sold. The meat was raw, sitting in the sun and obviously not packaged or refrigerated. By the time I returned from the market less than an hour later, the people and the meat were all gone. All that remained were the turkey vultures and dogs going after the remains.

Somehow we've got to find a way to get our standards in perspective. The sale of raw, unrefrigerated, unpackaged meat in Mexico is typical. It happens every day in smaller towns that don't have supermarkets (like ours). Safety and sanitation requirements are a good thing, and it's been hard for me to get used to buying the meat at the local meat market. But I do it. I did it while I was out today, and I'll cook it tonight. Certainly the people in Ocosingo who received the free meat will be cooking their meat tonight too, while the homeless facing the first frost of the season in Forsyth County will not find comfort at First Baptist Church. Yes, we need to be concerned about the safety of those in need, but not to the extend that we keep them from being helped by those willing to help them.

Common sense tells us that the City should compare the risk for homeless people to experience cold temperatures, bitter winds, cold rain and snow with their risk for getting burned up in a gymnasium. If there are two things homeless people have it's street smarts and common sense. Something tells me, the homeless would take their chances in the gym.

Pray for Clinic Construction & The Maestro

When it rains, it pours. You already know there's a norte, so the cool/wet weather makes it hard to get much construction work done anyway. But that's not the half of it! Funds to pay a full work crew were depleted several weeks ago, hence part of the reason John & Pablo are off fund-raising and relationship building. But yesterday, things got even worse!

Elias, better know as "The Maestro," is our crew chief and master builder for the clinic. Yesterday, he fell off the roof and injured his arm. Randy DuVall from Virginia Beach, VA who broke his arm on the worksite this summer can take some comfort in knowing that "it can happen to anybody," but overall, this is just one more piece of bad news for clinic construction. In the picture, the Maestro is the guy in jeans to John's left.

Please pray for Elias, that he is able to receive the required medical care so that he is pain-free and able to resume his duties soon. Please pray that the need for quality medical care for indigenous people is recognized by generous donors so that the funds needed to finish the medical clinic, now aptly named "Las Manos de Cristo" (The Hands of Christ), will provide the much-needed funds so that a full construction crew can resume its work and meaningful progress resume.

Just weird!

It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it really gets your attention! What is this anomaly? It's called a "norte," and it means it's cold in Mexico! Whoopee! You can see the front moving slowly towards you all day, and strong gusts of wind tell you for sure that it's on the way. When it arrives, the rain comes with it, and it may last for several days. As we speak, I'm grateful to have my heavy fleece pullover, long sleeved shirts and warm socks --- just what you need for days like this. Guess I'll have to put an extra blanket on my bed tonight since my hubby won't be here to keep me warm tonight!

To be cold in Mexico....it's just weird!

Spanish-required?

So as folks are pondering "Could it be me?" questions are beginning to come in. That's great! That means that there are folks out there who are receptive to God's leading in their lives and open to consider the possibility that God could be calling them to Ocosingo for a longer stay.

One of the most typical questions is related to language. "Is Spanish an absolute requirement? Is it possible to serve without speaking Spanish?" Because this has been such a challenge for us, I thought I'd share....

"It's a hard call, to be honest. Neither of us (John or Ginny) spoke Spanish before we came here, so "yes, it's possible, and 'no' it's not an absolute requirement." On the other hand, not speaking Spanish has severely limited our opportunities, and it is something that frustrates us both daily.

I am constantly aware of how many more things I could do if I were genuinely fluent. I could use my counseling and teaching skills which are so desperately needed here. The fact that there is always someone around who speaks English is both a blessing and a curse. It allows us to be able to get away with not speaking Spanish, which keeps us from having to work at it as hard. But, that said, it's certainly been possible to be here and accomplish many things and be of great service. During the weeks in which groups are being hosted, obviously English is the primary language and that represents about 1/3 of the year now.

What did we do? We did lots of little things in the states before coming here and planned to use the LAMP system after arriving (Language Acquisition Made Practical). This system was supposed to be better because you learn the language as it is spoken where you'll be living. Before coming, we used lots of tapes, Rosetta Stone, Speed Spanish online (which probably helped us more than all the other little things put together!), and tons of study guides. John never really did LAMP because he got busy too quickly, and by the time the girls and I arrived, group season was in high gear! We waited until September before embarking on 2 weeks of language school in San Cristobal. It was a great experience, but it was too short, and I was too focused on being a parent and making sure both our kids were getting it and not feeling too overwhelmed. As it has turned out, both Holly and Maggie clearly have the gift of language and have become quite proficient. They are taking high school Spanish courses online, so their academic instruction in Spanish is ongoing. Their social life is entirely with Mexicans, so they are motivated to learn to be interact more with their peers here.

I teach English at a local language school two days a week, and that has help me a lot too. There are times that I really need to be able to speak Spanish to explain myself to my students. They are so very patient with me because they know how hard it is!

If we had it to do all over again, I'd do it this way from the MINUTE we even started considering entering the mission field...

....Go to language school (locally in NC, in Guatemala or San Cristobal)
....Consider getting a private tutor to meet with your family every week until you move
....Go to language school in San Cristobal within 1 week of arriving in Ocosingo. Come in just long enough to get the car unpacked, everyone get a few good nights' sleep, and then GO before the needs here get too much of your attention.
....Have 4 weeks of language school in San Cristobal without your kids in the same class
....Live with a family for the 4 weeks instead of staying in a hotel
....Make yourself go out and speak Spanish every day no matter what...to the guy at the vegetable stand, to a church member, to Pablo's staff, to Bible School students...to anybody who will listen!

This combination is likely to get you fluent enough from the start, and your skills would build from there (instead of building from scratch like we did). That said, I think it's perfectly conceivable to do that in the coming months and should not stand as an obstacle. "

Lastly, if someone is fluent in Spanish, they have the option of taking Tzeltal classes at the language schools in San Cristobal also. This is the native language of the Tzeltal people, it's nothing like Spanish, but knowing Tzeltal is invaluable to missionaries here. The only problem is, the Tzeltal course is taught by someone who doesn't speak English! Almost all of the meetings that John attends are held in Tzeltal, so his Spanish does him no good at all there!

As someone who talks a lot (yes, I do know this about myself ;-)) the experience of not being able to talk as much has been an interesting aspect of this journey and not an altogether bad one, I suspect. I must listen more, listen more closely, beg for lots of forgiveness, and otherwise humble myself every day. As much as I wish my Spanish skills were better (and I am learning more and more every day), I think these aspects of the experience have been important for me personally. Still, I think having a command of the language from the start is the way to go.

Lessons learned the hard way.

The Joy of Worship through the Eyes of a Child

One of my favorite parts of the Mexican worship experience is the time for participation. This is an open invitation to each person present to come forward to share a song, a memory verse, or an instrumental. And the beauty of it is, the sharing is to glorify God, to honor God with our gifts, and to show our love for God through the use of those gifts. Sometimes there are only one or two people, other times there could be many. In Tzeltal village churches, this time for participation can last over an hour!

There is a family that has become involved in our little mission church. There are three young girls who had been severely neglected after they lost their mother. A Christian woman married their father, and she apparently made it her mission to nurture, heal and teach the love of God to these beautiful little girls. Their father remains ambivalent about the church, so their participation in worship is sporadic. But...when these little girls are in church....oh my, but they do glorify God in their participation!!!

As they sing, their heads are tilted back a bit and their eyes clearly fixed towards Heaven. Their hands motion, sometimes offering up praises to God, other times clutching their hearts to reflect their love for God. One cannot possibly witness their participation without recognizing their love for God and their gratitude to have God in their lives. They are truly angelic.

Someday soon, I hope to be able to add a picture to this post, but for now, just close your eyes and picture the scene. They are a reminder to us all that our worship is to glorify God and to demonstrate our love for God through the shared experience.

Thanks be to God for little girls (and boys) who love God and who remind us of the most important things in life.

Could it be you?

Years ago, a young John Mills wooed me with his guitar and his own love songs. Somehow it didn't matter that he'd written most of those songs for other girls --- after all, he was singing them to me at the time! One of my favorites was "Could it be you?" A few lines can give you the flavor...

Could it be you?
Just an old friend from my past
Come to show me how
Good love could be
Could it be you?

Could it be real?
And not a flash in the pan
Could it be that you
Feel like I feel
Could it be real?

Could it be love?
The one to last for all time
Could it be that I've
Waited long enough
Could it be love?

There are a few other verses, but you get the idea. The song is asking if you could be the one to love me forever. Well, needless to say, I said "Oh, YES! It IS me!" And nearly 18 years later, I'm happy to say that I still want to be the one to show John how good love can be and to be the love in his life to last for all time. But that's not really the point of this post.

The question is, "Could it be you?" that God is calling to continue the ministry here in Ocosingo. Our Partners in Ministry received my email "An Invitation" inviting each of them to prayerfully consider if God could be calling them to serve here in Ocosingo for 2-5 years. If you did not receive the invitation and want to know more, please comment on this post, and we'll follow up with you. Indeed we have learned to trust that God will decide (not John and Ginny) who should step forward next. So...

Could it be you?

Profiles in Growing Up Fast

I don't know much about their reasons, but we've come to know two amazing young people who have chosen to move beyond their family situations and pursue education at an amazingly young age. One has to wonder if God planted a seed in their hearts that grew with fervor, if their situations were just intolerable, or what, but it's clear these two young people saw education as the key. Their stories are worth sharing.

Dorothea is a young woman in her mid-20's. I had heard a little of her story, but she recently stopped by the bible school to see Pastor Pablo who was in Merida. Dorothea was on her way to Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas, to take her exams for licensure as a doctor. We welcomed her into our home and to our dinner table, helped her connect with Pablo's wife, Jan, then got her on the late-night bus to Tuxtla. Dorothea had come to the seminary in Villahermosa when it was still in downtown, long before the new seminary was built (the one we worked on early in our travels there). She was a full-time music student at the seminary, but she had not been able to go to regular school before that time. I honestly don't know how old she was when she came to the seminary, but she was a double full-time student the whole time she was in Villahermosa. That means that, in addition to completing her music degree from seminary, she also completed primaria (elementary), secondaria (middle) and prepa (high school). She later went on to medical school and is now working in the Lacandon jungle area near Santo Domingo. Somewhere along the way, she has battled cancer as well. This amazing young woman from the Chol people group (like Tzeltal, the Chol people are Mayan descendents with their own language) is dedicated to staying in Chiapas and serving the indigenous people here. We talked about the possibility of her coming to work at Las Manos de Cristo, the medical clinic we are building here, and I am hopeful that she will prayerfully consider doing so. What a blessing it was to have her with us, albeit briefly!

The other young person is known to many who have traveled to Ocosingo to work at the bible school. Geyner is an 18-year old theology graduate, yes GRADUATE, of the bible school here. He has worked with many mission groups and faithfully served a small mission on the road to Tonina while a student here. He's always working on his English, always loves engaging with Americans, and is willing to do anything asked of him. I have never known any young person who is as dedicated to knowing the Word of God and to preaching the Word as is Geyner. It is truly his passion and his gift. The bible school is really one step removed from a seminary degree, so of course Geyner wants to go to seminary. The only problem is, he's never gone to prepa (high school) and he's far below the 21 y/o minimum age! So, young Geyner is now leading our tiny mission church, going to prepa in San Cristobal on the weekends, and living here at the bible school in graduate housing ---fulfilling the requirements to make him eligible to go to seminary and seek ordination.

Both Geyner and Dorothea are living proof that we sometimes need to break the rules to allow God to work in unusual circumstances. I'm a "rule keeper" who's married to a "rule breaker," but imagine if the rules about age limitations had been adhered to fiercely in these two situations? Someone had to have agreed to allow these two young teens to begin an adult program. Someone had to see their dedication and commitment and allow it to flourish. For this "rule keeper," I should keep their pictures close at hand to remind me that sometimes (and only sometimes, John! :-)) the rules need to be broken to allow God to fulfill God's purposes.

Thanks be to God for Dorothea y Geyner!

October Update

Dear Partners in Missions:

We hope all is well for you and yours. Here's an effort to summarize all that's been happening lately.

General Mission Update:

• As the summer group season has come to a close, there are already 10 groups scheduled for next year's mission trips. So, if you are considering scheduling a mission trip for next year, please review our web page detailing 2008 Mission Trips already scheduled and drop us an email as soon as possible about your possible plans for 2008.
• Ginny taught workshops in the annual Pastor's Conference at the bible school (Stress Management; Counseling Basics; and Addiction, Recovery and The Church). Special thanks to Penny Musson and Margie Turner (North Wilkesboro Pres) and Gray Clark (Fellowship Pres in Greensboro, NC) who also taught workshops.
• While on furlough in NC, we made presentations at 1st Presbyterian in Pilot Mountain; Highland Presbyterian in Winston-Salem; 1st Presbyterian in Mt. Airy and the Asheville Rotary Club. We also enjoyed worship and fellowship opportunities at 1st Presbyterian in Boone and Oak Ridge Presbyterian.
• Since returning, Ginny has resumed teaching English classes and will soon resume participation in prison ministry.
• John and Pablo Feliciano participated in the PCUSA World Mission Conference in Louisville and have begun a multi-state tour to share about Las Manos de Cristo and other ministry needs here in Chiapas.

Manos de Cristo Update (Medical Clinic):

• Most summer construction efforts were totally focused on the clinic. Approximately 90% of the roof for Phase I was completed. A special lightweight, daylight roof will be installed over the patient waiting area.
• Interior walls, doors, windows, tile flooring and other finishing are to be completed in the coming months.
• Movement of furniture and medical equipment donations across the border remains a concern. John and Dr. Bill Herring met with representatives from Samaritan's Purse to request assistance with additional medical equipment donations and delivery. Approval is pending.
• Additional funds are still needed if the May, 2008 target opening date for Phase I (Outpatient Primary Medical, Dental, Lab and Pharmacy) is to be met. Please prayerfully consider making a donation through Hebron USA to help cover these additional costs.

Family Update:

• Despite our lengthy saga, we are now fully-legal with new visas and a new car permit. Thanks be to God!
• We enjoyed a great visit to NC and got to visit with lots of special people in our lives. It was especially good to have additional time with Ginny's dad who is doing well but still adjusting to life since losing Ginny's mom last December.
• Holly and Maggie have begun a new school year and are happy to be back with friends here in Ocosingo.
• Animal friends come and go in Mexico, which is why we elected to let our Corgi, Baxter, be in foster care while we are in Mexico. Upon returning, we learned that one dog, Ray Ray, had managed to recover from injuries sustained before we left for NC, but that our puppy, Oreo, was gone! So far, no Oreo. But....as fate would have it, the tiniest, boniest, most pitiful little kitten you've ever seen landed on our porch. So, Dobby (think the house elf from Harry Potter movies) is now getting lots of tender loving care at the Mills household.

Prayers

• For God to continue opening doors of opportunity for us to serve
• For safe travels for John and Pablo as they visit churches, small groups, bible studies, Rotary clubs, and others around the US. May they build meaningful relationships and help others catch a glimpse of how God is at work in Chiapas and how they can be a part of it.
• For all the short-term missionaries who came to Mexico 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.
• Of comfort for those experiencing loss, including the families of Dot Hurley and Tom Edwards.
• Of support and encouragement for those coping with illness, including Frank Splawn, Hal Newell, Donna Painter, Pastor Andre, Carol McClancy, Tenney Dean, Nancy Lingenfelser, Jim Scott, Mary Wynne Perryman, Bonnie Bode, Katie Yarbrough, Mr. BeShears, 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.
• For the family of Doreen and Alan Desjardins as they prepare for a year apart with Doreen's deployment to Washington, D.C.
• Of gratitude to North Wilkesboro Presbyterian for assistance with medical care expenses for Amalia Feliciano, who is recovering from gall bladder surgery.
• 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, and John and Sandra Wimbish.
• Special prayers for Julie Alexander, her husband John, and their children as they seek to begin their missionary service in Brazil.

Opportunities

• Donate to HebronUSA for Phase I and Phase II of the Manos de Cristo Medical Clinic in Ocosingo (www.hebronusa.org/Support.html)
• Donate to First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Airy, NC for our family’s missionary support (www.millsfamilymission.org/5.html)
• John and Pablo are currently scheduling programs and visits in several US states for several weeks in October and November. Times are limited, but those who would like to request a visit should email John at hebronfoundation@att.net or call him at 336.829.4329.
• Mission Tip of the Month: Let us share one of our latest reads, compliments of our friends Bert & Mary Beth Wood.... Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne. This is an incredible book, challenging us all to be more deliberate in our pursuit of a life that mimics Jesus'. For more information, check out the blog entry, "Irresistible Revolution" for a few powerful quotes that represent just a few of the incredible nuggets of inspiration found inside this incredible book.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support. Please keep in touch and drop us an email from time to time and follow along the daily walk by reading this blog. Blog writing came to a screeching halt during our furlough, but new posts should be flowing regularly again soon.

Paz en Cristo,
Ginny, John, Holly & Maggie

Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical

Let us share one of our latest reads, compliments of our friends Bert & Mary Beth Wood.... Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne. This is an incredible book, challenging us all to be more deliberate in our pursuit of a life that mimics Jesus'. Check out these powerful quotes that represent just a few of the incredible nuggets of inspiration found inside this incredible book.

Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary soldier. Wisdom without love and courage is cowardice, as with the ordinary intellectual. But the one who has love, courage and wisdom moves the world.
Ammon Hennacy

So I did a little survey, probing Christians about their (mis)conceptions of Jesus.... I asked participants who claimed to be "strong followers of Jesus" whether Jesus spent time with the poor. Nearly 80% said yes. I asked this same group of strong followers whether they spent time with the poor and less than 2% said they did. I learned a powerful lesson. We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what he did. We can applaud what he preached and stood for without caring about the same things. We can adore his cross without taking up ours. I had come to see that the great tragedy in the church is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor, but that rich Christians do not know the poor. Irresistible Revolution, p. 113

(Jesus) had a new definition of family, rooted in the idea that we are adopted as orphans into the family of God and that this rebirth creates a new kind of kinship that runs deeper than biology or geography or nationality. Rebirth is about being adopted into a new family - without borders. With new eyes, we can see that our family is both local and global, including but transcending biology, tribe or nationality, a renewed vision of the kin-dom of God with brothers and sisters (everywhere).
Irresistible Revolution, p. 200-201

To you, our brothers and sisters all across the globe, let us all take up our crosses, seek to act with love, courage and wisdom, and risk living life following the example of Jesus.