Clinic Gift

This past week, just before Thanksgiving, we learned of a $25,000 gift from a church in Illinois to help with clinic construction. It came at the perfect time! In addition to the logic of giving us one more thing to be thankful for, it also came at a time of discouragement --- as if to say, "hang in there...it'll get built...just be patient and faithful." Boy, what a message we needed to hear!

The team in Mexico that has really driven the process of clinic construction is very experienced. They've built churches and Sunday school buildings, cisterns and seminaries, houses and school buildings all over Chiapas and even a few in neighboring Tabasco. But they'd never built a clinic before. Even in Mexico, clinic construction is overseen by the government and has different construction requirements. To the best of my knowledge, the government doesn't get involved in the other types of construction we've done there. But clinics have special requirements. For example:

• They have to be able to withstand an earthquake.
• They have to have fire safety systems in place (like sprinklers).
• They have to special anti-bacterial fibers mixed into cement for interior flooring.
• The list goes on and on.

So what have these requirements meant? More details. More time. More money. And a LOT more of all three! Cost estimates for final completion have continued to rise, even though it looks like we're about 85% to 90% completed! But meeting those requirements is all part of the process of demonstrating that we are faithful to honoring the law and the spirit of the law, which is surely to insure that those who are served there will be safe...no matter what.

Yes, there's irony in that because of our horrific experiences in the Mexican government's healthcare system. And yes, it's extremely frustrating to be so close and yet so far. Nevertheless, we are reminded of the patience of the Mexican people. They build when there are funds and wait patiently (without losing the vision) until those funds are available. THEY will not lose sight of the dream. THEY will not get discouraged because they are used to having to wait for things that are important. THEY will remind us that good things come to those who wait.

But still... the gift from Illinois was a much needed encouragement for those of us on THIS side of the border....those of us who have poured out of time, our money, our sweat and even our blood to help get Clinica Tzeltal Manos de Cristo (Hands of Christ Tzeltal Clinic) ready to serve those in need.

So for those of you who are like us.....impatient and eager and teetering on the edge of discouragement, please give. For those of you who can't give, pray. For those of you who can be patient and faithful in confidence that God will provide, pray for the rest of us.

Amen.

Koinonia at Prodigals Community

My friend, Jim Walker, talks constantly about the importance of Koinonia - the idealized state of fellowship and community - shared communion. One of our consulting projects these days has us spending time with a community that long ago established koinonia in an intentional Christian community comprised of newly recovering addicts and alcoholics. Not exactly the type you expect to find in an intentional Christian community? Well....let me tell you!!!!!...

Last Monday night, I attended the Prodigals Community "Step Up" (or graduation) worship service. Their stories varied in details, but their message of hope was the same. "I came to experience freedom from my addiction through the transforming power of Jesus Christ as shown to me in this community...in this "family"... in this collection of broken brothers and sisters who walk together." They spoke of their desperation upon joining the community. They spoke of the pain they had caused others. They spoke of the total and complete despair caused by addiction. They spoke of the same they felt about themselves and their doubt that they would ever deserve anything because of how they'd lived their lives in addiction.

But they also spoke of their determination to stay on the recovery road because NOW they have finally come to believe that they can have hope. They spoke of how it feels to know that they have succeeded in a program that only graduates 1-2 people a year. They singled out those who had specifically helped them succeed - including some they didn't like, some they learned to respect, and some who had pushed them, challenged them and refused to be manipulated by them along the way. They praised the program at Prodigals, but most of all, they praised God.

I had so hoped to be able to share this message and experience with Pablo & Jan Feliciano while they were visiting in NC, but they were not able to join me. The message of hope that is shared by someone who has been so hopeless is truly different from messages of hope pronounced by someone who simply navigates the usual troubles of life. The message of gratitude that is shared by someone who has stolen from, abused and crushed the spirits of those who love them is different from messages of gratitude from those whose family and friends have never questioned their love or commitment to them. The messages of faithfulness from someone who FINALLY came to believe that only God could save them from themselves (not man, not self, not pills, not money, not anything) is different from messages of faithfulness from those who have never waivered in their belief that God is real and present and working in their lives.

You see, those who have made it through 18-24 months at Prodigals Community are truly like the phoenix --- having gone down to death in utter flames and now reborn thanks to the redeeming love of Jesus Christ and the presence of brothers & sisters in Christ around them to support, love, encourage, challenge and show the love of Jesus. These brothers in Christ are still on their journey of recovery and will be for the rest of their lives. But today, they are able to walk that journey with the knowledge that they are never alone, have people to support them, and are capable of living without drugs or alcohol to get them through their pain. One of those who graduated, did so for the 2nd time --- an important reminder to all that the journey of recovery requires setting recovery and relationship with God as the most important things in their lives.

I felt honored and humbled to be in the presence of those who have come so far. If I measure my journey against their's, they have come much farther, under much more challenging circumstances, and with so many strikes against them for so long. But this isn't a contest or a race. We CAN choose to be in this together, especially when we allow those opportunities for koinonia with those from all walks of life.

To learn more about Prodigals, go to their website. To learn more about their 3-fold model of 12-step, therapeutic, Christian community, email me for more information. There's a story to be told here - a program to be replicated - and wonderful reasons to praise God for his power to redeem even those who seem too lost to be found.

Pablo & Jan in NC

Right now, we feel really close to our Mexico missionary identity since we are helping to coordinate Pablo & Jan's schedule in NC for the next 3 1/2 weeks. They are visiting churches, meeting with pastors, reconnecting with old friends and generally doing their part to enrich and grow the partnership between the Tzeltal Presbytery and Salem Presbytery. Their schedule is available on the Facebook group, Livin' on Pablo Time, but for those who don't have Facebook accounts, major church-based plans can be summarized as follows:

• Sunday, October 26th - Guilford Park Presbyterian
• Saturday, Nov. 1 - Hawfields Presbyterian's evening contemporary service
• Sunday, Nov. 2 - Starmount Presbyterian - morning worship
• Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2 - Caswell County Presbyterian churches at Red House Pres
• Sunday, Nov. 9 - North Wilkesboro Presbyterian
• Wed., Nov. 12 - Decatur Presbyterian, Decatur, GA
  
• Sunday, Nov. 16 - First Presbyterian Church, Boone, NC
• Wednesday, Nov. 19 - Rumple Memorial Presbyterian, Blowing Rock, NC
• Thursday, Nov. 20th - departure to return to Grand Rapids, MI

Feel free to join us at any of these gatherings and let us know if you have specific questions. As always, we're grateful to have these two incredible examples of Christian servant leaders in our midst, and we invite you to reconnect with them while they're here.

Is there value?

When we lived in Chiapas, there was an internal sense that people were genuinely interested in what we were doing, how our lives were being transformed through the missionary experience, etc., and so there was a sense that we should be writing about it. As time went on, we heard from people that they really did enjoy reading this blog, really appreciated the inside-look at life on the mission field, and so forth, so that internal sense was validated. Now though, being back in NC, it's really hard to know.

Does it make sense to keep writing? Do people still read now that we're back on American soil? Do the ramblings have value or should we share some kind of less-frequent email update about what's happening in Chiapas and leave it at that? Hard to know, y' know? So what do you think? If your here reading, you must have chosen to do so, and your input is valuable to us.

Life in NC is good. We are continuing to be challenged by the time-sensitive nature of this culture and other aspects of American life that we had come to gladly relinquish in Mexico. On the other hand, God is continuing to place important opportunities for ministry and service in our path every day. John's work with ECHO to help churches start medical ministries is exploding! Our consulting with Prodigals and Ginny's counseling at Trinity Center are keeping us both busy in Winston-Salem. And of course, Holly & Maggie are running in a hundred different directions being teenaged servants, students and friends. Young Life has proven to create the perfect vehicle for making new friends for Holly, and Maggie is plugged back into her lifelong best friend, Stephanie.

So, let us know your thoughts about the blog continuing (just comment on the blog posting).

God is good - all the time. All the time - God is good.
Amen.

More at home in churches & new ministries than in our house

So we've been back in our house for about 10 days now. Boxes clutter the dining room, and the walls remain bare. But perhaps the most odd aspect of the experience of moving back into our house is the neutral color scheme. We repainted and put down new carpet to make the colors more neutral for tenants who would be renting our home. The result? It doesn't look like our home, it doesn't feel like our home, and yet we're supposed to feel like we've finally come home. Hmmm....

On the work front, it's been a slow start for John & Ginny, but high school has been friendly to both Holly & Maggie thus far. Both John & Ginny are consulting for Prodigals Recovery Ministries, John has finally begun work for the ECHO Foundation, and Ginny is building a counseling caseload at Trinity Center. These activities feel like logical extensions of our ministry and, in that way, help with the transition.

In the coming weeks, we hope to revamp our website to reflect our ongoing ministry activities - in part to make a statement to those who have been our Partners in Ministry here in the US. One of the most important ways in which God prepared us for the return to life in the US was a sermon delivered by a traveler in the River Glen group in July. Lindsey, who had served in the Dominican Republic for 5 years, helped prepare us with these reminders:

• Mission trips build servants hearts while on the mission field, but we often forget the lessons learned when we go "home"
• Longer mission experiences help us make missions part of our psyche, our hearts, our way of life
• Missionary service is not "location dependent." Once missions become a part of who we are and how we live in the world, it doesn't matter where we live. We are missionaries wherever we go.
  

So, the Mills Family Mission website and this blog will continue but with a broader spectrum. We will include ongoing activities from Chiapas and Hebron USA, but we'll also include our new ministry activities.

We're also working hard to make our way along "the supporting churches road tour!" We've visited:

• 1st Presbyterian, Mt. Airy, NC
• 1st Presbyterian, Boone, NC
• Millbrook Baptist, Raleigh, NC
• Oak Ridge Presbyterian, Oak Ridge, NC
  

but have SO MANY MORE TO GO! Speaking of "road tours," Pablo is now on the PCUSA's Peacemaker's Tour and then will connect with many in NC on his own "supporting churches road tour." There's a Facebook group entitled, "Livin' on Pablo Time" that shows his travel schedule and host churches along the way, so you may want to check it out too.

For now, we still haven't found out telephone or our can opener, but we have found great comfort in the ministry opportunities available to us here in NC and know that God is continuing to minister to us through others who love us. For those who have been praying for us, thank you and please continue and know that you are loved!

Re-Entry Update

So here we are --- 2 weeks into re-entry. The good news is that the girls have gotten a great start to their school year and seem to be settling in amazingly well. There really is no bad news. We have enjoyed some visits with key people in our lives and are looking forward to many more, and we have started to get over our "sticker shock" related to the price of food and gasoline. On the other hand, it still just feels a little weird to be here and to know that we're not going back to Ocosingo in a few weeks.

The most exciting thing that's happened to me today was the receipt of the long-awaited shipment from Amazon. We received our copy of Jim Walker's book, The Dirty Word, and I can hardly wait to read it. Jim is one of the two pastors from the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community in Pittsburgh. We have loved getting to know them in Mexico, and somehow reading Pastor Jim's words makes me feel close to him, close to our fellow brothers & sisters from Hot Metal Bridge, and close to Mexico where we have worshiped and worked together. More later on the experience, the book, and where God takes us next.

It seems like just yesterday

Dear Partners in Missions,

While it may seem like a long time for others, it seems like just yesterday that we moved to Ocosingo to serve as missionaries with Pablo & Jan Feliciano. After 5 1/2 long days of driving, we arrived safely in Pilot Mountain, NC last night to the open arms of John's sister, Kristi, and her family. We look forward to reconnecting with folks at our church on Sunday and with others in NC over the coming weeks.

Perhaps our biggest spiritual lesson was learned by experiencing God's amazing provision for our needs. Throughout the journey, our needs were consistently met, even if they were sometimes met at the last minute and/or in ways we didn't expect. That experience continued as we arrived in NC without a clear plan of where we would be living! Special thanks to Carl Utley, Mark Maxwell, Kristi Rolison, Ellen Bergland, Glenn Cobb and others who pitched in to try to make sure weren't homeless. In God's amazing provision, we are now squared away for a furnished and equipped apartment in our chosen school district until the current renters move out of our home on Heidelbury Drive. Our temporary address will be 1831 Murphy Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27104.

We ask that you continue to pray for our family as we try to transition back to life in the US. For the past 2 years, we've tried hard to maintain meaningful relationships and projects in the US while establishing a new home in Ocosingo. Now we will try to do the reverse! We will try to maintain meaningful relationships and projects in Ocosingo while re-establishing our home in NC. We have experienced so much, come to love so many, and learned more than we could ever have imagined during our time in Chiapas. We now have two homes, one in NC and one in Chiapas. On the sad side, that means we'll always be missing some that we love, but on the joyful side, it also means that we'll always be enjoying the company of others that we love at the same time!

We will continue to be involved in the development and operation of Las Manos de Cristo, the ministry of Pablo & Jan, and mission trips to Mexico, so we'll continue our updates for awhile at least. We'll craft an update on the closing days, an update on the clinic, prayer needs and opportunities for partnership in the coming weeks. For now though, please pray for our transition and for the safe travels for Pablo and Jan Feliciano as Pablo begins his journey as one of the international Peacekeepers for PCUSA!

Together with you in Christ's service,
Ginny, John, Holly & Maggie Mills

Seeing protests in a whole new way

We all get frustrated with our government, whether we live in a small town in Chiapas or in a big city like Chicago. Fortunately, we also live in countries with governments and cultures that recognize the importance of free speech, so when we get frustrated, we are free to complain without fear of imprisonment or worse. But in Mexico, I learned this week that certain forms of protest that would never been allowed in the US are not uncommon here.

Our friend, Albert, Pablo's son-in-law and Amalia's husband, is now an employee of the city government. One day last week, local citizens took Albert and 11 of his colleagues hostage for about 18 hours. They were held against their will by those who were upset with the mayor for not fulfilling promises made during the campaign. These citizens also blocked off streets and disrupted local traffic by requiring passers-by to pay an unofficial toll to continue on the street --- all as a form of protest. Albert and his colleagues were released about midnight that night, unhurt but not unaffected by the experience. There were no consequences or penalties for those citizens involved, in large part, because there were too many to jail!

Certainly we have come to understand more about the Zapatista protests since their rebellion began in the early 1990's, and we know that similar forms of seemingly unlawful behavior were allowed then as well. How can a government and a people function this way? Pablo has shared more about how political campaigns work, and that has been hard to understand too. Generally speaking, the people will only come to hear what a candidate has to say if the candidates bring them something (ie. pass out food, bring loads of gravel to improve a road, etc.) and promise them something. The giving out part seems strange, but the promising part does not. Most people want to know that voting for one candidate over the other will benefit them personally in some way -- and I don't think that is unique to Mexico. On the other hand, as is evidenced by Albert's recent experience, failure to deliver on those promises has much different ramifications.

Things that make you go "hmmmm."

July 08 Update

Dear Partners in Missions:
As hard as it is to believe, our family is now preparing for our term of missionary service in Chiapas to come to a close in just a couple of weeks. There remain good and important reasons for us to return to live in NC, and yet the leaving here will be very hard. We see God at work in so many ways, and we all would love to continue to be a part of the ministry here. We are grateful to Lindsey from Minnesota whose sermon last week reminded us that "missionary service is not location dependent....it's not where we are that makes us missionaries, it's what we do - wherever we are!" There's been so much happening here, but I'll try to summarize...

General Mission Activities:

• We've hosted about 150 group members since our last update. They have been a blessing to us and we hope they were blessed by the experience of be here.
  

• Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community (Pittsburgh, PA) helped with construction in the village of Matzam and provided a VBS for local children. Related blog entry: Hot Metal Bridge.
  
• Salem Presbytery's Medical Mission Caravan (NC, IL, WA, VA) provided medical and dental care and medications to over 4,000 patients in our 2 weeks in the village of Yaxoquintela (former home of Wycliff's Jungle Missionary Training Camp). Related blog entry: Guest Author Post
  
• Second Presbyterian (Bloomington, IL) helped with construction of Las Manos de Cristo and provided a VBS for local children.
  
• Salem Presbytery's Village Construction (NC) helped expand the sanctuary of the church in the village of Matzam and provided a VBS for local children. Related blog entry: San Juan Chamula.
  
• Salem Presbytery's Clinic Construction (NC, VA) helped with construction of Las Manos de Cristo and provided a VBS for local children.
• Decatur Presbyterian (GA) helped with construction of Las Manos de Cristo and provided a VBS for local children.
  
• Samples Family Construction (WA) helped with construction of Las Manos de Cristo and provided a VBS for local children.
• River Glen Presbyterian (IL) helped with construction of a house for the pastor in the village of Plan de Ayutla and provided a sports camp for local children.
  

• We were blessed to have 3 summer volunteers with us who helped with the "behind-the-scenes" work of hosting groups. Special thanks to Derek Zanetti (Hot Metal Bridge), Whitney Farrell (Oak Ridge Presbyterian) and Amy Newell (First Pres, Boone). They were a huge help, kept us laughing and definitely became important parts of our lives. We miss them and hope to continue to be a part of their lives.
  
• Our local mission church appears to have identified some property for purchase and is now raising funds to purchase the land so that we can have a larger, more permanent location for worship and youth activities.
  
• Prison ministry sales of purses and other items has gone very well during the group season. As a result, many of the prisoners will be getting much needed funds to help cover their food costs. Related blog entry: My Education About Mexican Prisons
• VBS activities this summer have been a little different in Ocosingo. In the past we have invited different children each week in hopes of introducing more to the Good News. This year, we decided to invite the same children week-after-week in hopes of giving them a richer, more meaningful understanding of some of the basic principles of Christianity. This has been a great experience, but one that has encountered some surprising resistance from the traditional catholics in the neighborhood. Related blog entry: VBS for children in a catholic neighborhood.
  
• A family who has experience persecution from their catholic community has continued to be active in the life of our mission and recently invited us to provide a small, one-day VBS at their home. The results were quite interesting. Related blog entry: Campet Fights the Gospel.
  
• Young Felipe from Ocosingo, the young break-dancer with a club foot, was recently visited by a representative from North Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church to assure him that plans to arrange for his surgery have not been forgotten. Although it appears likely that the original surgeon will not be able to help, John discussed his case with Dr. Mike Berkeley at Mexico Medical Missions in Chihuahua. If we can arrange to get Felipe and his mother to Chihuahua for one month, they will provide the surgery, aftercare and accommodations for his mother all free of charge.
  

Las Manos de Cristo (Medical Clinic):

• Clearly the people are not afraid to come to a make-shift clinic in a church, so let's pray that we can create the same kind of comfort and safety in Las Manos de Cristo so that they are just as comfortable coming there for services in the future.
• Construction is moving fast now that the interior finished floor is poured. Almost all of the interior studs are up, and the walls are going up inside! Look for new pictures on the Clinic Construction Slideshow on Change.org. Double-click on the Photo Timeline found in the video section so you can see larger pictures. While you're there, sign up as a support and consider making a donation for clinic construction.
  
• We continue to be very, very frustrated with the customs situation in Vera Cruz. The container of medical supplies from The Starfish Fund and Samaritan's Purse is still being held. The County of Ocosingo has agreed to receive the goods if released, but customs has not yet done so. Please pray for some progress in this area in the very near future.
  
• John, Pablo and four pastors from the Tzetltal Synod recently traveled to Chihuahua state in Northern Mexico to visit the Mexico Medical Mission Hospital started by Dr. Mike Berkeley. They learned a great deal about legalities, donations, fees, staffing, budgets, etc. from those who have been running a similar operation for several years now. Special thanks to Mike Berkeley, the folks at Second Presbyterian in Bloomington, and Hebron USA for creating the opportunity.
  

Personal

• It doesn't seem possible, but we are now just 15 days and counting until our family begins the journey back to live in NC again. The transition will be harder than we could have ever expected, but we know that this too is part of God's plan. (Related blog entry: You Know What They Say About Assumptions).
  
• We have listened to enough "Plan A" speeches from Pastor Pablo Feliciano to know that God might have a different plan for us, but seems clear that God is paving the way for us to return to NC just has God paved the way for us to come to Mexico 2 years ago. It appears promising for John to join us with fellow free clinic exec and former Mexico Mission traveler, Mark Cruise, to work with the ECHO Foundation in Texas to help establish church-based medical clinics. Ginny will resume counseling at Trinity Center and build a private practice. Holly & Maggie will enroll in high school, and we'll be moving back into our house in Winston-Salem by mid-September. Our corgi, Baxter, will leave the loving care of the Sigler Family in Kernersville and move back in with us after we get settled in. In the wisdom of Pastor Jim Walker, the question is, "Can you move back to NC without getting 'back in the box?'" That, our dear friends, remains to be seen!
  
• Between all the groups and all the packing, I really have not been able to write blog entries for each of the groups. Please have mercy, and if you'd like to volunteer to be a Guest Writer (like Amy Newell did for the Salem Medical Caravan), I'd be most grateful!
  
• We are rejoicing and grateful for our brother in Christ, Randy DuVall, from Virginia Beach, VA who has committed to 5 months of missionary service next summer. We look forward to having Randy and his daughter, Stephanie, with us this week, and we pray for comfort and healing for Randy's wife, Leslie, as she recovers from surgery to repair a badly broken leg.
  
• We remain in prayer for another missionary couple/family/individual to answer the call to serve here in Chiapas after we leave. We will leave behind a house that is essentially fully-equipped for daily living. Thanks to those who funded our support, all the appliances, furniture and kitchen supplies will stay so that the next family is ready to go! Those of you who may have been in prayer to discern if God could be calling YOU, please be sure to check out the blog entry (You Know Who You Are ) and the information on our website Who's Next to Serve?

Prayers

• Pray that God works in the hearts and minds of those considering missionary service here in Chiapas so that the work here can continue and grow.
• Pray for Randy DuVall and his family as he prepares for his 5 months of missionary service here in Chiapas next summer.
  
• For those who have lost loved ones, including the families of Marshall Hollingsworth and Donna Painter. Marshall was Ginny's mother's cousin and a pillar in their family. Donna was Mexico Mission travelers', Ladd and Noel Painter, wife and mother who was an Associate Pastor at First Baptist in Asheville, NC. May their loved ones know God's peace.
  
• For those who are struggling with illness or distress including Frank Santostephano, Leslie DuVall, Warren Hayes, Megan Paulson & baby, Angela Smith, Billie Bradley, Tom Simms, Frank Splawn, Maverine Jenkins, Mary Wynne Perryman, Carol McClancy, Nancy Lingenfelser, Bonnie Bode, Ben Jones, Katie Yarbrough, Laura Mast, and Louise Holshouser.
  
• And for our Mexican brothers & sisters as well, including the mother of Hermana Antonia in our mission, Baby Petrona in Matzam as she continues to recover, and for Felipe and his mother as they make preparations to travel to Chihuahaua. Special prayers for those believers living in areas of Christian persecution. May God bring them all comfort, peace and assurance.
• Special prayers for Pablo Feliciano as he prepares for his journey as a PCUSA Peacekeeper. That his visa application is processed quickly, that his impact is broad and deep, and that his diabetic management goes well throughout the trip. Likewise, please pray for Jan Feliciano as she travels to Michigan for time with her family and for Josh as he returns to school in Iowa to rejoin his finance, Ana Brito.
  
• Of support and encouragement for other missionaries, including Pablo & Jan Feliciano, Jim & Sharon Heneveld, Mike Berkeley and all those at Mexico Medical Missions in Chihuahua, all the Dye Family missionaries, John & Sandra Wimbish and Julie Alexander and her family in Brazil.
  

Opportunities

• For financial support for our family during our transition back into life in the US (Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church, 2614 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge, NC 27310). Be sure to list "Mills Family Mission" on the memo line.
• For financial support for Las Manos de Cristo clinic construction (through Hebron USA, 6080 Old Brickstore Rd., Greensboro, NC 27455). Be sure to check out the new website at www.hebronusa.org.
• Reserve your date for next year's mission trips by emailing us (jgmills@att.net). We will continue to handle mission trip scheduling and other communications for the next several months (at least). Dates are already being filled, so reserve your date so your group will be able to come to Chiapas next year. There will be many opportunities to work on Phase II of Las Manos de Cristo, building projects for area churches, and VBS.
  
• Medical professionals interested in volunteering at Las Manos de Cristo should email us (jgmills@att.net) with their areas of expertise, dates of availability for 2009, and preferred length of stay. The date of official opening has not been set but it would be great to know that we will have some medical volunteers ready to go. Lab techs, pharmacists, nurses, dentists and doctors are encouraged to prayerfully consider serving through Las Manos de Cristo.
• If you were on a mission trip to Chiapas this summer, volunteer to write a blog entry as a Guest Author to share the miracles, challenges and opportunities from your group's week in Chiapas. Send your entry via email and we'll post it ASAP (add pictures if you can!).
  

As we go forth from Ocosingo, back to NC, we will leave here as changed people -- changed by the experiences we've had here, changed by those we have come to know and love who live here, changed by those who have come here on mission trips and changed by God's workings in our hearts and our minds. In the words of our friends, the Dixons, "we are so glad we didn't miss it!!!" We also go with the knowledge that our lives as missionaries will continue but in a different culture, a different location and with different opportunities to serve.

We remain grateful to you, our partners in missions, for your love, support, prayers and encouragement. We hope to have the opportunity visit and worship with you sometime in the coming months.

Paz en Cristo (Peace in Christ),
Ginny, John, Holly & Maggie Mills

Campet Fights the Gospel

Some of you may remember the family that came to join our tiny mission after listening to Christian radio in Ocosingo (read the related blog entry: The Paradox of Christian Radio). The family has continued to be active in the life of our mission, even though they were literally put in the community jail by catholic leaders when they refused to pay towards the catholic fiestas held there. Since then, we have been in prayer for them to be strong in their faith and trust in God's protection for them.

These folks never cease to amaze me! Even though they had been jailed for not supporting the traditional catholic church in their village (Campet), they requested that the mission offer a VBS for children in their area. We had a small group coming in last week, so we decided that bringing 5 Americans along with a few Mexicans from our mission would not be too noticeable and that one day of VBS might be a good way to start. So off they went.... Nancy Samples and her group of 4 Americans along with John, Jan, Geyner and several members from our mission church.

Although the family thought there would be 100 children, only a few showed up. They enjoyed puppet shows with Bible stories, songs, games and arts & crafts activities. John noticed that he kept hearing whistles blowing in the distance from different directions but discounted it. Apparently, the whistles represented the village warning sign that something bad was happening.

Before the VBS was over, the community leaders came to apprehend the family (including their children) and questioned them about the activities going on at their home. 3 members of our mission went with them, and John, Jan and the other members of the group waited back at their house and prayed. The end result was that the family was required to sign a document saying that they would not have any future church-related activities in their home and that they accepted the terms of restricted visitation by members of our mission (no visit longer than 15 minutes and no use of the Bible during any visits). They signed reluctantly and were released.
During the VBS, several children and families were deeply touched, and two families from the same community joined Sylvia and Francisco's family at the mission for worship yesterday.

We are humbled by the faithfulness of these new Christians who are willing to risk continued persecution as they stand firm in their belief in Jesus Christ and firm in their commitment to the church. We are bewildered by a catholic community (albeit a traditional catholic community) that sees the Bible as a threat. Please join us in prayer for these families, for the people of Campet and for those who seek to support them and help them grow in their faith.

VBS for children in a catholic neighborhood

In years past, we have offered VBS to different neighborhoods around Chiapas. When we've been in a village, we invite children from that village. When we're in Ocosingo, we've invited kids from different barrios or neighborhoods every week. In the past, hundreds of children got just a taste of Christian education by participating in 2 days of bible school. This year, we decided to do something different in Ocosingo.

All summer long, we've been bringing in children from the same barrio for VBS 2 days a week with different groups from around the country. Instead of getting just a taste, these kids have learned multiple stories from the bible, learned teaching songs about those stories, made crafts, blown bubbles and kicked soccer balls every week. All it takes is a little intro and they know to scream back to us...

Dios creo, a todo el mundo! Te ama a ti, y me ama a mi!!!!
(God created the whole world! He loves you and He loves me!!!)

All I have to do is drive our green Land Cruiser into the neighborhood, and children start running! When I'd drive them home, they'd sing the day´s songs all the way home, making sure to be loud enough to be heard all around the barrio. The next day, their excitement may keep them from being able to wait for my arrival, so they walk to the bible school, knowing that they can play and hang out until the VBS activities start. In short, just like God, they've come to love us and we've come to love them.

Last week, when I drove around to announce the schedule for the week's VBS, we stopped to share with an adult man who was working in his yard. He answered that, although he didn't have children, the barrio had met together and decided that they'd rather teach their own children, so not to expect many kids to come. Hmmm.....

Retired missionaries Jim & Sharon Heneveld have a house in this neighborhood for their 4-month long visits (see, they couldn't leave either!) They had told us that this was a very catholic neighborhood. Apparently, the catholic neighborhood was feeling threatened by our stories, games and songs. Later, we learned that there had been an announcement on the local radio about Americans taking children to some place near the community slaughter house and that, since no one knows what the Americans are doing with them, to please be cautious and keep your children at home. Hmm.....

Fortunately, our friend and sister in Christ, Hermana Luisa, heard the announcement on the radio and called in to make her own announcement, explaining about VBS, encouraging folks to feel safe sending their children and generally discounting the earlier announcement. It´s always nice to have friends in the community.

We proceeded with the VBS for the week, conscious of the fact that some of our "regulars" weren´t there when I went around to pick them up. Nevertheless, many other regulars and lots of newcomers were in attendance....singing, praying and listening attentively to stories about Noah and Joseph. Perhaps the community is keeping kids back but others are coming in their places.

We have to trust that God is at work in this seemingly unfortunate turn of events, but it has certainly reminded us of the subtle ways that discrimination works. We are not encouraging these children to leave their churches and come to ours. We are not teaching them anything that is not in the Holy Bible, presumably the same bible that should be in use in their churches and homes. Apparently, that has become threatening in some way. For us, we are only sharing love, laughter and joy with them in the name of Jesus Christ, and we will continue to do so as long as the kids come running.

You know what they say about assumptions

We've all heard the saying, right? (No need to repeat it here) When we assume, we cheat others out of sharing their own truth. Many folks are making assumptions about our return to NC, while others cry with us.

• Many assume that we can't wait to get back to NC.
• Many assume that the girls can't wait to go to "real" high school.
• Many assume that life in Mexico is harder than in NC
• Many assume that life will be easier back in NC.
  

Those that assume are almost always the ones who have never been on a mission trip to Mexico. Those who have been here with us know ...

• that it will break our hearts in many ways to leave;
• how hard it will be for us to NOT to be there when the final touches are put on the facilities at Las Manos de Cristo medical clinic;
• that there's a kind of teenage safety the girls have here where there is virtually no peer pressure to drink, smoke, try drugs or other kinds of risky teenage behavior;
  
• how hard it will be to do our own laundry again;
• how much we would love to be there for the every day operation of Las Manos de Cristo;
• how much we'll miss $2.45 gas prices, cheap and perfect avacados, mangos and pineapple;
  
• how hard it will be to fight the temptation to fuss about the trappings of traditional church;
• how fun it is to watch someone else get their face slammed in a birthday cake and how much fun it is to sing las mañanitas at midnight;
  
• that teenage romances torn apart by moves are really heartbreaking;
• how much we will miss our brothers and sisters in Christ here in Mexico and
  
• why it will be such a teary ride home --- all 5 days of it.
  

We are grateful for those who know, and we ask that those who assume to try to understand. We know and understand that lots of people can't imagine that we moved here in the first place. They can't imagine moving to southern Mexico, leaving great jobs, leaving family, church and friends, so it's logical to assume that we would be chomping at the bit to get back to all those things.

The assumptions aren't entirely false either. Yes, it's true that we can't wait to...

• Be able to spend regular and more frequent time with Ginny's dad, John's sisters and their families, and other loved ones.
  
• Be able to understand every word in the sermon and to sing every word in the songs
• Be able to rejoin the church choir
• Get a real haircut
• Never again have to climb on the roof to restart the water heater or take cold showers
  
• Never again slam into another topé going 30 mph
  
• Go to family reunions again
  
• To have a community of support with whom we can have deeper discussions without language barriers getting in the way
  
• And to reconnect more frequently with those we know and love in the US
  

We can't wait to get home to NC for some things, but please understand...now we have 2 homes.

A Walk along the Hot Metal Bridge

So this blog really IS about missions in Mexico, but being here has exposed us to many different ways of doing ministry --- some Mexican, some American. So I absolutely must share with you my excitement about the newly-released book from one of the two pastors at the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community in Pittsburgh. Aptly named because of its home near the Hot Metal Bridge and Hot Metal Bridge St., this church plant is a joint effort of the Presbyterian and United Methodist church in the Pittsburgh area.

Pastor Jim Walker's book, Dirty Word: The Vulgar, Offensive Languages of the Kingdom of God, chonicles the life of faith at Hot Metal Bridge and challenges us all to consider different ways of "doing church" and reminds of the "dirty" places and people with whom Jesus associated. It has just been released, so we don't have a copy yet, but you can better believe that we'll be getting one as soon as possible!

Here in Mexico, we worship in what would be equated with a garage. We have worshiped outside, on rooftops and in buildings that had so much construction going on that they looked like they were being demolished. The folks at Hot Metal Bridge used to worship in the basement of a tattoo parlor, then the Goodwill cafeteria, and are now worshiping in an old taco restaurant. We know in our heads that worship is about praising God, learning about God and glorifying God, and we often see the places that we worship as part of that. And yet, here in Mexico, there are 2 words...one for the building (el templo) and one for the body of people who worship there (la iglesia).

A faith community is indeed a body of people growing in faith and walking in faith together. Hot Metal dedicates itself to providing a safe place to come to know Jesus for those who would NEVER walk into a tradition church building. El templo itself causes them to walk the other way...unless el templo doesn't look like el templo at all! The model of Hot Metal is not for all congregations, but in many ways, it could be a model for implementation in nearly every community. Every town and city has those whose shame & guilt, whose loss of self-esteem, whose woundedness, and whose wandering away from the messages of Jesus cause them to consciously reject the church. They believe that they would never feel comfortable in el templo and that those inside would reject them. And yet, these are the very people that Jesus went out of his way to reach. They are the very people that Jesus thought deserved his attention the most. They were the people that Jesus was referring to when he said,

Matthew 9:12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.

Matthew 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Luke 5:31 And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.

Luke 5:32 "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (NASB ©1995)

Jesus said in Matthew 9:13...I desire compassion, and not sacrifice. Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community shows compassion and reaches out to embrace those who need the love of Jesus most of all. They show the difference between el templo and la iglesia in word and deed.

Do we?

The Book that Helped Us Understand

Thanks to our friend and brother in Christ, Keith Kaufold, we want to share with you a book that helped us better understand religion, politics and rebellion in Chiapas. Because of some work he did in seminary at PTS following a mission trip to Mexico, Keith found a book that really offered great insight into...

• The history of catholicism and missionaries in Chiapas
  
• Why the Presbyterians distance themselves so much from the catholics in Chiapas
• Why the Presbyterians here do not consider catholics in Chiapas to be Christians
• Why the Presbyterians so adamantly oppose any alcohol consumption
  
• Why many Presbyterians reject Liberation Theology
• Why many Presbyterians were leery of the Zapatista Rebellion
• Why persecution of Protestants in Chiapas is part of their past and part of their present story

The book has alternating chapters...chapters that tell the story of one particular little girl (Pasquala) who experienced persecution....interwoven with chapters of factual information based on the authors' research. And just so you'll know...Pasquala is a real person...alive and well and sharing her story today. John and Keith met her in 2006.

For those of you who are eager to learn and understand more, I strongly encourage you to read The Cross and the Sword: The Rebellion and Revolution in Chiapas, Mexico by Carl Lawrence and Benjamin Rule. The book is apparently out of print but can be bought new or used from one of several Amazon partner book sellers. Thanks for sharing, Keith!

San Juan Chamula

I'd heard the tales but never seen for myself...until last week. San Juan Chamula is reportedly home to Mexico's only Catholic church without a priest. Why? Because they ran him off years ago! The town is totally autonomous with its own law enforcement and courts. No outside police or military are allowed. This is no small town either. It is estimated that 50,000 people live there. The "church" at San Juan Chamula is one of the most graphic examples of the christo-maya-pagan religious practices in Chiapas. Let me be more specific...

• There has been no priest here since 1968 & there is no mass. The sanctuary has no pews, but people sit randomly throughout - chanting, lighting candles and making sacrifices.
  
• John the Baptist is recognized as their savior, not Jesus Christ.
• Sacrifices of candles, liquor, soft drinks, and live chickens are made in the sanctuary each day.
  
• Thousands of candles are burning at any given time, each one supposedly representing the "cure" for some kind of ailment, personal problem, "evil eye" or curse afflicting the individuals. Shaman medical men advise what color, number and length of candles to buy and light to get relief.
  
• Large dolls representing the saints were encased along the walls - with their hands cut off and a mirror on the chest of each one. The locals say that the saints hands were cut off as punishment for not protecting the previous cathedral from burning. Depending on who you ask, the mirrors are in place either to chase away evil spirits or to help the immobile saints use each other's mirrors to scan the cathedral to prevent a future fire.
  
• Inside and outside, "parishioners" drink alcohol. Some use liquor as part of their "worship," offering liquor sacrifices, blowing sprays into flames, or just getting drunk. There are drunk people passed out in the sanctuary, drunk people dancing outside the sanctuary, and others simply staggering around. The grain alcohol known as "pox" (pronounced "poash") is sold by the church.
  

Our recent visit coincided with the saint day for San Juan de Bautista (John the Baptist), who is revered above Jesus or the Virgin Mary. The streets were filled with the local police force in their traditional garb of long furry tunics and billy clubs, and the area around the church was the source of sensory overload. Homemade fireworks went off with great sound and smoke. Competing bands echoed across the open courtyard. Streamers of pendants overhead fluttered loudly in the high winds, and a dark cloud seemed to hover menacingly over the cathedral. As we approached the opening to the cathedral, a drunken dancer came across and grabbed a female member of our group. Though John aggressively shooed him away, we all recognized that there were dozens more just like him. The sanctuary area was so full of people, candles and large sprays of fresh flowers, it was hard to walk. The floor was strewn with boughs of fresh pine needles. The irony of the history of a great fire was not lost on us as we walked along amongst the thousands of candles just inches away from the straw. The saints watched on.

Some members of our group were visibly distressed by the experience. Others felt intrigued by the bizarre nature of it all. Another felt honored to be able to witness first-hand the religious traditions of the ancient Maya. Regardless, we all knew one thing for sure. This was not your neighbor/friend/colleague's Roman Catholic Church. This was not Christianity as we know it.

So now I've seen it for myself. I didn't see the live chicken sacrifice first hand, but I could tell that it happens there. I experienced what I needed to in order to better understand my brothers and sisters in Christ here who evangelize to catholics. Now I know. I don't need to go back. I hope I never do.

What's this about Jesus having a tattoo?!

So with the Hot Metal Bridge folks on board for the second year and Hot Metal Volunteer for 4 weeks, all kinds of interesting subjects came up. Last year, the wife of the bible school director was literally scared for her safety because all the tattooed folks showing up to stay on campus! All that she'd ever heard about anyone with tattoos was that they were all in criminal gangs, and people like that scared her. But by explaining the Christian significance of some of their tattoos, the Hot Metal folks were able to calm her fears a bit last year. The rest of us came to see their tattoos as "marks of faith" and to recognize how the tattoos create missional or evangelical opportunities to share their faith.

This year, the Hot Metal folks went to Matzam for most of their trip, so they did not have an encounter with the new director. Oh, but Derek did! I noticed one night between groups that Derek was "holding court" as my grandmother would say. He had all the bible school students, the new director and his wife gathered around a table in the school's dining room. I must confess, my thoughts were "uh oh."

Soon afterwards, Derek emerged to explain that he'd been trying to convince them that "when Jesus comes again, he'll have a tattoo!" I heard later from some students that the director certainly didn't buy Derek's argument but it did make me look.

What do I mean when I say that it "made me look?" Well, Derek is quick to cite scripture, especially when it's related to more outlandish ideas like Jesus having a tattoo. So...he made me look in my bible to find the scripture, and sure enough....

From Revelations 19:11-16 in my NRSV bible....
Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! It's rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothes in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords."

Now, most would agree that Revelations is a literary work filled with metaphor, and I've never been much of a literalist. But, that part about Jesus having the name inscribed on his thigh does sound like a tattoo to me! See here's the thing. The bible is so rich that we cannot possibly know every scripture and every reference. But when someone can cite the scripture to back their argument, I hope it'll "make you look." You may not agree with them after you look it up, but I hope you will keep your mind open long enough to read the scripture, consider the argument and then decide whether or not you agree. For quite often, as we are drawn back to our bibles, we find something new, something challenging, or something profound that we'd never noticed before.

So, who knows? Jesus may have a tattoo after all!

Hot Metal Bridge

May 11th - 17th
Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community - Pittsburgh, PA
It was the 2nd year for these "funk, punky, tattooed and pierced" believers from the southside of Pittsburgh. Many participated in the intellectually and spiritually challenging Apprenticeship program intended to help them discern together how God may be calling each of them to serve in the Kingdom. They also brought along a couple of graduates from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary who had traveled here a couple of years ago. It was our friend, Keith Kaufold, who introduced us to the book that has helped us better understand religion and politics in Chiapas.

Anyway, although I have never heard them refer to themselves as "Red Letter Christians," this group embodied the overused acronym "WWJD." They strive to show the love and spirit of Jesus Christ in word and deed. This group worked in Matzam, a very conservative Highland community in Chiapas, to help prepare the footings for an expanded sanctuary. Although they intended to visit with Manuel, a missionary to the Lacandon People that their church supports, their itinerary was changed radically when a member of their group suffered a fall that resulted in multiple injuries. The group rallied around one of its own, put their collective needs on hold to insure her comfort and access to medical care, and demonstrated the power of prayer and Christian fellowship. Emma is reportedly on the mend but still needs your prayers. And as for Hot Metal, we hope that they will return to Chiapas with another group and continue to share their special brand of worship and ministry.
(Photo coming, be patient)

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this group is their authenticity. When they're irritated with each other, they say so. When they need to confess to each other, they confess. When they need to hold each other accountable, they do so with love and firmness. And yet they demonstrate acceptance, grace and forgiveness all along the way. They sing both praise songs, hymns and traditional music of worship. They use drama in worship. They seek to "do mission every day." They worship in an old taco restaurant and serve a meal every Sunday to all who come. This group blesses our family...period.

We hope that this group was blessed by the experience of missions in Chiapas. They were certainly challenged to honor conservative culture even though they are the very definition of alternative Christians. They gave of themselves freely and worked very hard on the project, but they also worked hard on seeing God moving in their midst. Despite her injuries, we have no doubt that God protected Emma. All her injuries will heal, and she experienced love, compassion and healing here in Chiapas. As a group, they saw their pastor deal with his own pain in a way that modeled the balance of selflessness and self-care, something many Christians struggle to practice. Funny how we sometimes have to get out of our everyday world to recognize the extraordinary opportunities for learning and growth.

In addition to the group, Hot Metal shared one of their own leaders with us for 4 weeks. Derek Zanetti, of Christian punk rock fame, worked as a volunteer through the Hot Metal group and the two weeks of Medical Missions to Yaxoquintela. Derek's wit, faithfulness, wisdom, sarcasm and colorful self kept us on our toes and challenged us all to keep grace, forgiveness and acceptance of others at the forefront of our ministry --- following the example of Jesus. He humbled himself when called upon, rose to the occasion to preach a GREAT sermon, honored the conservative Tzeltal culture even when it was KILLING him, served incredible spaghetti and meatballs, and engaged us all in profound debate nearly every day. We are grateful to Derek for his spirit, grateful for his servanthood, and curious to see how God will use him in this ever-changing world. IPOY, Derek.
(more photos to follow)

A trip to Pittsburgh is DEFINITELY in our future!!!

Guest Author Post: From Amy Newell, Summer Volunteer

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share a little bit about my first two and a half weeks here in Mexico. Please feel free to pass this along to anyone who might be interested. I've spent the past two weeks in a little village called Yax (pronounced Yosh). Yax sits in the valley between two mountains which are the homes to two completely different groups of people. On one side are the Zapatista sympathizers and on the other are the people who agree with the Federal Government. Needless to say these two groups of people don't exactly see eye to eye but we served them both without discrimination and we never had any problems. Yax is also the former home of the Wycliff Bible Translation Jungle Camp. It i s a quiet organized village with grass streets, finished wood houses, and a beautiful river running along side it. It is also the home of the majority of the Feliciano Family.

Over the span of 2 weeks over 60 volunteers came together from all across the US and Mexico: Washington State, Chicago, Pittsburg, North Carolina, Virginia, Mexico City, Tuxtla, and Ocosingo to organize and run the Medical Caravana. We set up 12 consultorios in which doctors, nurses, dentists, and Mexican paramedics along with various other translators and assistants saw over 4,350 patients in 10 days. We also dispensed over 15000 dollars of medicine to these same people through our fully functioning pharmacy that was in the same room that was our kitchen, dining room, and Church.

The time in Yax was great to reconnect with old friends from former years in Mexico and to also make new ones with the other volunteers and the local community. The first week I got to translate for my dad in one of the consultorios and also worked some in the kitchen washing over 60 sets of dishes by hand over and over and over. We also had vacation Bible School for the local 30 or so kids. We sang and played games, told stories, and made some crafts. On the last day all the kids were given yo-yo’s and oreos and then tooth brushes. Tzeltal (which is the native language in Yax) Bi bles were given out to the men and women of the congregation in a special ceremony at the end of the week.

The second week was spent translating again, but then I became the Oculista which means I was in charge of fitting reading glasses to the people who needed them. It was amazing watching the expressions on the women’s faces as they were able to thread a needle for the first time in many years, and the expressions on the faces of the men who now were able to read their Bible’s again.

Throughout the two weeks working in the consultorios was a blessing knowing that these people were finally going to get the medicine that they needed to get well. But at the same time that it was great to see all of the successes often times there was nothing that we could do. It was heartbreaking to have to send people away empty handed because we didn’t have the right medicine or the right technology to help them. It was equally heartbreaking to see the young girl with severe burns all over her body which were extremely infected and to know that the only thing that could help her would be the surgery that her family could not afford. Or to tell the family of 8 that they all had worms, amoebas, and scabies and only if they change their lifestyle and take the medicine that they wil l get better. By the end of the second week I was feeling really depressed and the stench from all of the sick and sweaty people made me want to vomit. I remember lying in my hammock and crying thinking about the overwhelming sense of helplessness that was surrounding me. But then I realized that it is for all of these people that we are building the clinic in Ocosingo. It is for them that we come back every year and get covered in cement to finish another little piece of the huge project that one day will be Las Manos de Cristo. This clinic will be able to serve so many people in this area whose only medical treatment prior has been our Caravanas. They will be able to receive care without discrimination or fear of the government. Whenever I get depressed about the situation here I try to remember that things can and will get better.

Many times it’s hard not to get caught up in the beauty of the surroundings, or the sickness of the people, and many times we forget the reason we are here. But I have been constantly reminded these past two weeks that I am here to love the people of Chiapas Mexico and I am here to serve them with all of my heart.

I have another month here working mainly with construction groups on the Clinic but the entire time I will be thinking about the seven year old boy who got hit the eye with a machete and who needs surgery who remove his eye so it will stop getting infected and won’t infect the other one which would cause blindness. I will be thinking about all the people that were given worm and gastritis medicine. But I will also be thinking about ways in which this Clinic will really help the people here in Chiapas.

It has been an amazing two weeks and I can’t wait to see what’s coming up next. God has truly blessed all of my time here and I know that he has so many more things for me to learn. Please keep all of the hurting sick people in your thoughts and prayers and the next time you go to the doctor for a checkup think about how you would feel if it was the first doctor you had ever seen in your entire life and be thankful that we live in a country where health care is at least accessible.

Love and Peace to you all,

~Amy~

Whew!

As I logged on to the blog, I was astounded to realize that I haven't posted in a month, but a quick reflection on the past few weeks makes it abundantly clear why!

• Hot Metal Bridge group was here during our week of standardized testing with homeschool. Between bubble sheets, we traveled a bit with this "funky, punky, tattooed and pierced" group of amazing young believers. Their week was marred by the terrifying but survivable injury of a group member who was clotheslined and pulled out of a cattle truck while riding into Santo Domingo. I'll post more about this group, their adventures, and their response to their friend's injury in another post.
• We've been trying to wrap up homeschooling for the year, which means standardized testing, final exams, grading & recording....the whole nine yards. The homeschool adventure has been just that - an adventure. It was both better and harder than we expected, but all in all, it's been a success.
  
• 2 weeks of medical mission caravan in the jungle setting of Yaxoquintela (the former Wycliffe Missionary Jungle Training Camp) was both wildly successful and wildly exhausting. 2 weeks, 5 doctors, 7 nurses, 2 nursing students, 45 other volunteers, days and days of rain and inches deep mud and 4051 patients. Yes, 4051 in 10 clinic days. One day we saw as few as 270 patients, but one day we saw 720! More details to follow!
• And now we rest...between pounds and pounds of muddy laundry, 3 summer volunteers, lingering final exams, bills to pay and emails to answer.
  

Thanks be to God for amazing people with a passion for Mexico, a soft bed, Mexicans who pitch in to help make miracles happen, a chance to sleep later than 5:45, the stamina we've needed to keep going, and 5 days off.

Partners in Health Dead End

Those of you who have read Mountains Beyond Mountains about Paul Farmer's work in Haiti can imagine our excitement when we discovered that his organization, Partners is Health, has an operation in Chiapas! We realized this when reading the book a couple of years ago but did not pursue a relationship at first because the clinic in Ocosingo was so focused on construction, not operation. But as the clinic completion approaches, we have been trying to get information from other nonprofit clinic operators here in Mexico. One of those is Partners in Health's operation in the tiny mountain town of Amatan, Chiapas, and the other on the other side of Mexico in the state of Chihuahua with Mexico Medical Missions. Just this same week, 60 Minutes covered Paul Farmer & Partners in Health and, ironically, referenced the operation in Mexico.

The operation in Amatan seemed like the logical first choice of places to visit, mostly because of location and similarity of patient populations. We contacted the Boston office of PIH, got names & contact information here in Chiapas, and made our appointment to visit. Well....like many things here, others decided to go. When you involve more people in getting information, it's always desirable here. So...off we went to Amatan. John, Ginny, Pablo and the president and secretary of the synod. 6 hours each way with a church-provided tamale breakfast on the way and a church-provided turkey soup dinner on the return trip. All for nothing.

To reach Amatan, the only way to get there was to go into the state of Tabasco to the north, come back down into Chiapas and then way, way, WAY up into the mountains. All the way up those final mountains we were talking about the curiosity of establishing such an operation in such an isolated place. When we finally arrived, Amatan turned out to be a fairly large town with many steep and narrow streets. We asked around, got help from the government center, and visited many possibilities before learning that the clinic had closed. Never mind that they had answered given us an appointment for 11AM! Turns out that the operation still exists in San Cristobal (a mere 2 hours away from Ocosingo) but the clinic in Amatan, we were told, has closed. So perhaps the people were waiting to meet us in San Cristobal, but they sure weren't waiting to meet with us in Amatan!!!

We were told by people in Amatan that the clinic closed because it "didn't have enough community support." In our experience, "not enough community support" translates into the possibility that the American nonprofit got tired of footing the whole bill without some shared financial responsibility on this side of the border. This is a real concern as we work with the board of directors here and encourage them to recognize the need to raise partial operating funds to ensure that Las Manos de Cristo does not go the way of other clinics that have closed.

So, we will try to learn more from the San Cristobal part of that organization and look towards Chihuahua after all. The Mexico Medical Mission and Dr. Michael Berkeley stories are interesting ones, and their organization (affiliated with the Methodist church) seems very similar to ours. Pray with us that our next effort to learn from those who have gone before us produces more information, less frustration, and more hope for being able to sustain a long-term medical operation that is consistent with the hopes and dreams of those supporting it --- both here in Chiapas and in the US.

Exercises in Servanthood & Submission

PCUSA describes the new model of missions with 7 key values. In our experience, 2 of those values translate into servanthood and submission. As new missionaries in Mexico, we appreciate how "green" we are. We are inexperienced, continuing to struggle with language, and faced with the reality of having limited capacity due to having a defined term of service that will end later this year. And yet, there are some ways in which our "greenness" has served us well.

Because we entered foreign missions at a time when PCUSA was struggling to define its direction, we were left floundering on our own. Thanks to the support of our own session at First Presbyterian in Mt. Airy, NC, our spiritual mentors, our families and Hebron USA, we felt enough earthly support to keep stepping forward. We are thankful to God for instilling in us a kind of faithfulness that kept fear at bay as we stepped forward in faith. And we are thankful to Pablo & Jan Feliciano, whose experience & encouragement assured us that we would be supported once we got here. So off we came to Chiapas.....unformed, untrained, virtually totally without the language, but totally and completely committed to being servants. However God, Pablo and/or the National Presbyterian Church in Mexico wanted us to serve, we were ready to try to answer.

It didn't take long to discover that part of servanthood is submission. Now....as a modern day American woman from a long line of successful, independent and accomplished women, submission is not exactly in my genes. I knew all about the paternalistic culture of Latino families, etc., but that's not really the kind of submission we have learned about. We've learned about submission to the culture...submission to the authority of the church....submission to the authority of the government. Part of our reality has been facing the choice of whether to challenge or submit when we have had differences of opinion. 99% of the time, maybe more, we've elected to submit. Those of you who know us well know that this particular aspect of missions has not come naturally or easily. And yet...we are here to serve - not to challenge the wisdom or authority of the culture, the church or the government.

At some point in our struggles with Spanish, I began to speculate that God might have a hand in our apparent inability to learn the language. Perhaps God needed us to NOT be fluent in Spanish to prevent us from being our usual assertive, outspoken selves?! We tend to be people who speak our minds....that is, when we can speak and be understood! Perhaps like the fire in Malachi 3, our years here have served to hone us with fire, to strengthen us at the same time we are being tested -- teaching us to submit and serve above all else.

For Holly & Maggie, they are faced with a real choice. They, unlike their learning disabled parents, HAVE become quite fluent in Spanish. And they too have been known to be assertive and opinionated. John and I don't have much of a choice really --- submit and stay quiet OR speak through a translator if we want to be diplomatic and clearly understood. But for Holly & Maggie, they can choose to speak for themselves because they are able. But in this culture that defines wisdom and authority by age and gender, their words would likely fall on deaf ears. The inspiration for this post is really their struggle to submit to some goings-on in their youth group and interactions between the youth, their consejera (youth counselor), and the directiva of the church (the equivalent of the session in a PCUSA church). In some ways, I know that John and I have it easier. Holly and Maggie are learning more genuine lessons in submission because when they choose to keep their opinions to themselves, their's is a more willful choice born of respect and determination to honor the culture even when they REALLY want to speak out and speak their minds.

For all the ways that God has tested us on this journey, we know that we are stronger. For all the ways that our daughters are growing, learning and expanding their perspective on the world, we know that God will use them to further the Kingdom of God in new and different ways too. Who know where God will lead us all in the future? Will God call us to another mission field? Will God call us back to Mexico? Will Holly and/or Maggie choose the missionary life? Too many questions, too few answers, but for sure the experiences here have opened new doors and new possibilities for us all.

Clinic construction & fundraising full-steam-ahead

You know that feeling you get when something you've been working on begins to really look like it's going to come to fruition? Like it's really gonna happen?! Well, this clinic in Ocosingo IS REALLY GONNA HAPPEN! Things are changing there practically every day.

• Roof finished? Check!
• Windows installed? Check!
• Stucco smooth finished? Check!
  
• Plumbing? In progress...targeted for completion soon
  
• Front doors? In progress....targeted for completion soon
  
• Electrical? Soon to come....stay tuned
  
• Interior framing of walls? Soon to come....stay tuned

It's an exciting time to be a part of this project. The only problem is - the funds are running out. Hebron USA is in the midst of a huge fund-raising effort. We've been blessed by another matching gift from an individual donor from Boone, NC, and letters, emails and Change.Org invitations are flying. Here's the plan to raise the $65K needed to finish and open Phase I.....

# Stewards responding to the call	Level of Giving	Money raised to serve indigenous people in Chiapas
40 people	$250	$10,000
20 people	$500	$10,000
10 people	$1,000	$10,000
4 people	$2,500	$10,000
1 challenge grant	$25,000	$25,000
75 people		$65,000

There are all kinds of ways we're trying to use the internet to help folks share in the excitement. Check out the Change.org site to see the embedded slide show with photo updates every few days. See a video thank you from the officers of the Tzeltal synod on Change.org too. It's a cool site and just one of the ways we're keeping folks involved. Just click on the link below...

Hebron USA at Change.org

If you're following this blog and didn't receive one of the many solicitations that have gone out, please consider going to the Change.org link and making your own contribution. Every penny counts!

These are exciting times in Chiapas! With the completion of Las Manos de Cristo, we have a chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of over 1 million people who do not access formalized health care. Lives will be saved...pain will be avoided....babies and families will grow and know that they experienced professional, non-discriminatory health care at Las Manos de Cristo.

From out of nowhere

The needs of people and the vastness of the internet seem to make strange bedfellows. Last year, our family was joined by Lora for the summer after she randomly found us on online. Her presence in our lives then and now is a true blessing, and we're so grateful to God for bringing us together. This year, we've had other similar requests by potential interns but none as unusual as the email this morning from Ben R. who emailed "from out of nowhere."

Ben R. is apparently a 23-year old self-proclaimed "con artist" from the midwest US whose passport, money and belongings were stolen in the neighboring state of Oaxaca. Through the internet, he randomly found our name and ministry here in Ocosingo and emailed in hopes of being able to "work in trade for room & board." Seems no one would hire him without "credentials" or a passport, and he'd made his way to San Cristobal for some unexplainable reason. I explained that we really couldn't do that but offered to work with him to help him out. I got him a contact at the US Embassy, direct phone lines, email addresses, etc. I offered to provide email support, prayer and encouragement if he was interested. His response was to simply bare his soul and confess his sins. Imagine....the guy gets robbed and starts surfing the internet ...stumbles on sympathetic (but not stupid) Americans within 50 miles and finds the only English-speaking professional counselor around....all randomly searching on the internet.

My last email of the night from Ben R. was encouraging. He specifically asked us to pray for him and for us to share his needs for prayers with others. I quote:

well good news i just got a job in a hostel. i should be able to start saving some. I hav e contacted the us embassy and they told me un mil peso por emergencia passporta. So i have little option. but i loved your advise and thats actually the idea. I am on this voyage to be ok with me. I want that and want to be real, but the problem in america is i am to fluent. i am by nature a con artist and am great with words. being in mexico limits my vocabulary a great deal. lol i have know idea why i think you need to know all this but partly because as testimony in what gods doing in my life and i want to share it. No worries on the drug issue i pretty much hate being drunk or high. never really apealed to me. so maybe if you and your family are in san cristobal you can stop and say hi. well please keep me in your prayers and feel free to share my story so others can pray to. i feel i really need people to pray for me cause i dont want to become whom i was.

Thank you, your friend and brother in christ

Ben

For those who question the truth of creation just because we learn more about genomes and DNA....for those who wonder if technology draws us away from God instead of closer....for those who question that miracles happen in present day...I say, it's a miracle that technology allows us to find needles in haystacks and for us to get the email from Ben R.. We are reminded that God uses all avenues, even the internet, to accomplish God's purposes in this world.

Please pray for my new brother in Christ, Ben R.

CLPs may bring relief for pastors

The Commissioned Lay Pastor program (CLPs for short) has been active in the US for some time now (see CLP's Why & When at PCUSA) and may offer great relief to pastors here who are seriously overburdened. For those of you who are unfamiliar, PCUSA defines commissioned lay pastors as “an elder of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who is granted a local commission by the presbytery to lead worship and preach the gospel, watch over the people, and provide for their nurture and service.” These folks offer great opportunities for ministry when the supply of pastors and needs of communities far exceeds the resources of the presbytery and ordained pastors, and in Mexico that is definitely true!

CLP trainings have been going on here at the bible school this week, and the level of enthusiasm and excitement from these elders is really inspiring. They finally have a complete bible in their own language but still no access to concordances or commentaries in their own language. But because most of them speak Spanish well, they can use the Spanish concordances and commentaries together with their Tzeltal bibles to help them begin to dissect scripture and gospel teachings. They are learning about everything from preaching and teaching to marrying, burying and counseling. These elders will complete their training in mid-July and will be commissioned while one of the Salem Presbytery groups will be here.

For the pastors who have responsibilities for multiple churches, CLPs will be a great relief. For the members of their congregations, they will bring newfound understanding and insights into the gospel. And for the CLPs themselves, they will be stronger in their faith, better informed, and better equipped to lead. For those of us who work with them as they learn and grown, we are inspired by their enthusiasm and willingness to serve.

Thanks be to God.

Earth Day in Mexico? Nada.

I think Earth Day happened last week. I'm not really sure. In the states, there was always enough publicity that I knew when Earth Day would be and was challenged to make changes in my life to be kinder to the Earth. Here, I never heard a word.

I've never traveled to Africa or Haiti, but my guess is that people living in these areas, like those living in Mexico, place very little importance on matters of pollution. The exceptions are tourist areas like Cancun and even neighboring San Cristobal. In the US, there are smog reports, fines for littering, and even pooper-scooper requirements when you walk your dog! In the US there are also readily available trash cans, garbage collection, recycling efforts, and street sweepers that come along during the night --- all of which cost municipalities money. There are also consumer activists groups, neighborhood beautification projects, and Earth Day PSAs.

At this moment, I cannot look across the horizon and see beautiful mountains that I know lie all around me. It is not because of low-lying clouds, nightfall or even fog. It's smoke. Smoke from burning grass, garbage, corn fields and who knows what else....as far as you can see in every direction. As the wind blows, it blows smoke and ash into our home. I don't like it. Now granted, this is one of two times of year during which subsistence farmers are clearing their land in preparation for a new corn crop. Burning is worse during these two times of year. But beyond that, the visible garbage that is strewn here and there is unavoidable. I read somewhere that there are 6 types of pollution: air, water, land, noise, radioactive and thermal pollution. Now I sincerely doubt that there's radioactive pollution, and I don't even know what thermal pollution is (but it probably has something to do with global warming). But here in Ocosingo, there's enough air, water, land and noise pollution to last me a lifetime. It's one of the things that's been hard to adjust to since living here.

So why is there pollution? Some might say it's a lack of education. Partly true. Some might say it's that they just don't care. Probably also partly true. Some might also say that it's because "it's what they're used to." Probably also partly true. In fact, all those things probably do contribute, but I think it's more than that.

I believe that people here, just most people in the US, prefer things to be clean. Here's the irony. About 1/3 of the available shelf space in the "grocery stores" here is dedicated to household and personal cleaning products. People's homes and shops are clean. People wash clothes by hand and mop their homes every day. So the difference is just like so many other things here.....the definition of responsibility. "Where does mine stop and yours begin? Who is responsible for the "environment" that I do not own? I don't know, but it's not me! If I'm a farmer, I prioritize my farming over the air because I need to burn in order to plant, in order to harvest, in order to live. "

Churches here do a beautiful job of ministering within their own congregations. People keep their homes clean but never think twice about the air, water, land or noise pollution that they create unless if affects those in their own homes. The Spanish here would argue that the indigenous do not have the same standards of cleanliness but I think the indigenous too take pride in their homes (noting that they probably have more dirt and smoke to fight). We strive to honor the culture and to not get preachy. If I had heard even one word about Earth Day activities, I would have been the first to volunteer. But there wasn't a word. My friend, Julie Alexander, is a missionary living in Brazil. Promoting environmentalism and organic farming is a big part of their ministry. I am ashamed that I didn't start something to recognize Earth Day here in Ocosingo.

Please join with us in prayer for the people of this and other developing countries. Pray for their part of the Earth. Pray for those of us trying to honor the culture without being holier-than-thou about how we all need to do a better job taking care of the Earth and the community around us. Pray that we and they avoid the trap of saying, "that's not my responsibility, so it's not my problem." Taking care of God's creation is a responsibility that we all share, one day at a time.