January Update

The lyrics to the song, The Dance, go something like, “whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance....” Indeed we have struggled some lately. Well, doors are closing, but we're faithful that other doors will open because we believe that God is continually opening the right doors at just the right time.

General Missions Update:

• Paperwork hiccups resulted in the need to cancel the Rotary Well-Drilling team scheduled for last week. A grant has been awarded by Rotary International to buy the portable equipment, but some snags resulted in a delay of distribution. Pray that everything works out for the funds to be released and the trip to be rescheduled soon.

• North Wilkesboro Presbyterian's fateful “5 Minutes and a Ball Cap” story of linking a young Tzeltal boy, Felipe, with a surgical mission team is going to have a wait a bit longer for the miracle to happen. The lead surgeon experienced some medical problems of his own, and the trip and subsequent surgery to repair Felipe's club foot have been postponed. Pray for the health and safety of the surgeon, the rescheduling of the mission team, and patience for all.

• But there are definitely some bright spots! Our local mission church is thriving! We have outgrown our second venue since beginning just a little over 2 years ago, and many people have come to know Christ and have found a church home there. We've outgrown the space for the 2^nd time and are seeking land to begin building a larger facility.

• Likewise, relief efforts for flood victims in Tabasco and northern Chiapas have been very effective. Funds for replacements of household goods are still needed, most of the clean-up and recovery efforts for homeowners are complete. The simplicity of concrete can, at times, be a beautiful thing! (read blog entry: Villahermosa Status Report)

• The classroom aspect of Driver's Ed was completed before Christmas, but behind-the-wheel activities will continue throughout the spring.

• Many contacts have been made with both new and faithful returning mission groups and individuals across the US for this year. We anticipate having 15 or more groups.

• Additionally, we will welcome and collaborate with a spring intern from George Washington University (Ben Jones) and anticipate having summer volunteers from Boone, NC (Amy Newell), Pittsburgh, PA (Derek Zanetti) and Oak Ridge, NC (Whitney Farrell).

• We welcomed a small group from First Presbyterian in Virginia Beach last week. They helped with clinic construction efforts in Ocosingo.
  

Las Manos de Cristo:

• Again, doors have closed in some areas, while others open. Our “government connection” got fired for exposing financial misconduct on some projects, so she's not going to be able to help us with increased state government assistance with the effort to get medical equipment across the border, etc. But, she's also built relationships with a Mexican grant giving organization that could be quite fruitful.

• Samaritan's Purse has agreed to provide some medical equipment and, more importantly, facilitate the shipping of a 20' container of all the medical equipment that has been collected. Special thanks to Glenn Pierce for handling storage up to this point and for helping with the inventory for customs and to both Glenn and Dr. Bill Herring for their help getting everything to Samaritan's Purse for shipping in February. Any of you engineering types out there who have any ideas for low-tech solutions for how we can get this full 20' container off a truck here in Ocosingo, please share your ideas!!!! This one may even stump Santiago!

• Construction progress on the clinic is focused on wall finishing and floor finishing. Next we will need to install windows and doors and begin with framing for the interior walls.

• Last week's group, together with the regular work crew, succeeded in stuccoing the interior of the exterior walls. (read blog entry: Small Group First to Work on Clinic Interior)

• Unless we're able to get significant funding, construction efforts are likely to slow again until the 2 groups arrive in March.

Family Update:

• We enjoyed the holidays in NC and had some great experiences on our return journey to Mexico in early January (read blog entries: Treasuring the Journey and D'Iberville Energizes)

• Holly & Maggie are both doing great in school and on schedule.

• Since our term here will be complete in August of this year, some of us are struggling with the reality of leaving, while others of us are struggling to keep focused on our work here and fight the temptation to worry about the future. All in all, we're all happy living and serving here and can't believe that our transition back to NC is just a few months away (read blog entry: Staying in the Present).

Prayers

• For God to reveal opportunities for us to serve here and for us to recognize and respond to each one whenever we can.

• For another family, couple or individual to hear and answer God's call to continue the work here in Ocosingo. There is so much yet to be done, and we specifically ask that you pray for Team Two to begin preparing their hearts and minds for service here in Ocosingo (read blog entries: You Know Who You Are and the 2007 entry, Could it Be You?)

• Of comfort for those who have lost friends and family, including the family of John Brown and the entire Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community, the family of Jim Scott, the family of Pastor Andres here in Chiapas.

• Of support and encouragement for those coping with illness and/or injury, including Tom Simms, Billie Bradley, Edna Faye Cobb, Tenney Dean, Frank Splawn, Donna Painter, Mary Wynne Perryman, Carol McClancy, Nancy Lingenfelser, Ana Janeth Morales, Don Fernando, Bonnie Bode, Katie Yarbrough, Marshall Hollingsworth, Louise Holshouser, Laura Mast, Cecelia's parents, and Angela Smith. As always, please let us know of your prayer needs and whether or not you're comfortable with us sharing them with others.

• Of support and encouragement for other missionaries, including Pablo & Jan Feliciano, Jim & Sharon Heneveld (who are back in Chiapas for 4 months), all the Dye Family missionaries (especially Mark & his family living in the chaos in Kenya), John & Sandra Wimbish and Julie Alexander and her family in Brazil.

Opportunities

• 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
  

• For financial support for our family for the remaining months of our ministry this year (Through 1^st Presbyterian Church, PO Box 1286, Mt. Airy, NC 27030 or Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church, 2614 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge, NC 27310).

• Come down with a mission trip this summer and see for yourself how God is at work here in Chiapas. Salem Presbytery groups from NC are generally open to most anyone, so let us know if you'd like to come down. Deadline for registration for the Medical Caravans is this Friday, Feb. 1, while the deadline for construction trips is March 1^st. For more information, go to www.salempresbytery.org and click on the Mexico Missions link in the middle of the homepage. Dates of all currently scheduled groups for this year can be found online on our website at www.millsfamilymission.org/13.html

• Mission Tip of the Month: Learn more about 2 other NC outreach organizations of interest: Sandra's House Mayan Ministry (www.mayanministry.org). and Kybele Worldwide (www.kybeleworldwide.org). While the clinic in Ocosingo is unlikely to be able to provide obstetical services for many years to come, Kybele sounds like a wonderful organization and one that helps create better opportunities for healthy births. Sandra's House is based in Boone, NC, and Dr. Bill Herring (Hebron USA) volunteered with them in December. Kybele is based in Winston-Salem, NC, and their lead physician is Dr. Medge Owen of WFU Baptist Medical Center.

As God continues to lead us and others here in Chiapas, we are grateful for you, our Partners in Ministry. Join us in praying for funds and open doors for the clinic to progress so that we can begin serving patients later this year!

Paz en Cristo,
John, Ginny, Holly & Maggie