First Baptist Church July 26-August 1

We thank Mickey for the following report from their week in Chiapas. We also thank Mickey and her husband Al for doing such a marvelous job of organizing this team and working for one year prior to their arrival in Mexico to put everything together back in the states to make the week in Chiapas so effective. We so appreciate your heart for missions and all you do to help in various parts of the world. Thank you for including the work of the ministry in Mexico among your mission endeavors.


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Denison, TX July 26 – August 1, 2008

Al & Mickey Brown returned to Chenalho bringing a group of 20 from their church, First Baptist Church, Denison, Texas. Pastor Mark Mitchell & Youth Pastor Chad Rogers accompanied the team along with their wives. Bro Larry Myers also came with the group from Denison. It was an amazing trip with no delays or cancellations. The team arrived with all 42 pieces of checked luggage with half of them containing the gifts, medicines and supplies.

Dr. Jim Nichols, his wife Carmen and Dr Patrick Magee from Lafayette, LA joined the group in Chenalho. The team attended church in Chenalho Sunday morning. Then they went to San Cristobal for lunch at Jardines de San Cristobal. The afternoon was spent shopping at the open market.

The medical team consisted of Dr. Jim Nichols, Dr Patrick Magee, Dr Joe Barns, Dr Wayne Delaney, Dr Lulu Araujo. The nurses were Terry Griffin, Michelle Pearce, Laura Adams and Mickey Brown. The medical assistants were Karen Sylvester, Julie Blount, Jane Mitchell, Phil McKinzie and Carmen Nichols. The team worked for four days in the following villages: Chanal, Yabteclum, Oxinam and Puebla. Eyeglasses were dispensed and various medical and dental needs were attended to approximately 550 patients. The glasses, medicine and dental needs were donated by the team & First Baptist Church Denison. Gifts were presented to each church from the team. The gifts consisted of beanie babies, crayons, markers, clothes, baby blankets, toys, toiletry items, flipflops, potholders, backpacks, etc.

The construction team consisted of Mark Mitchell, Chad Mitchell, Al Brown and included Bro Larry Myers. The team enlarged the church in the village of Oxinam. The church was in great need of more space for the congregation of 350. For three days approximately 40 of the church men showed up to do the construction work. The people there had a dedication service to honor God & the team for all that had been accomplished. The medical team and the VBS team were also present for the dedication service.

The VBS team consisted of Sonja Rollins, Wilma Joseph, Stephanie Lawrence, Cheyenne Lawrence, Rebekah Jones, Julie Rogers and Betty Reynolds. They worked with Olga, Cokie and the other ladies of the Chenalho church. There were approximately 80 children attending the VBS program. The team provided the crafts, recreation and refreshments. The children especially loved the praise sticks, which they had made. For the last day of VBS the team provided two piñatas, one for the girls & one for the boys. The children really enjoyed knocking them down & gathering up the candy & toys.

Wednesday night the team attended a Mexican fiesta at the home of Umbi and Cokie. We celebrated the 8th birthday of Little Larry & the birthday of Bro. Larry (much older than Little Larry). Both Larrys were presented gifts & cards from the team. It was a wonderful celebration. Umbi & others provided music and entertainment.

The First Baptist Church sent donations to purchase 96 Tzotzil Chenalho bibles, which were delivered on Thursday in Chenalho. The team also presented 800 men’s neckties to Pastor’s Alex & Carlos for the pastors. Sunglasses for the pastors were also presented to Pastor’s Alex and Carlos.

The group ended their week with a trip to the Tuxtla orphanage, Casa Hogar Alegre. They presented gifts to the children. Before leaving for the airport the team was given a tour of Pastor Carlos church in Tuxtla.



HILDA'S GRADUATION



LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR VBS

Thibodaux Family Church July 19-27

A team of 10 people from the Family Church of Thibodaux, LA joined us from July 19-July 27. We appreciate all that this group and the rest of their church members did to raise funds for various projects in the Chiapas area.


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The team led by Jory B. had formed a bell choir and played songs at each location they visited during the week including the Sunday morning service in Chenalho. That afternoon the team enjoyed a pleasant dinner and time of open air market shopping in San Cristobal.

The busy work week began early Monday morning when the group had to use the new 4 wheel drive truck to get to the difficult location of Johtontic 1. The team painted the church inside and out, ran electrical lighting and made benches for the congregation. The day continued with a very successful time of children's ministry.

It seems as though God always sends the right people at the right time. We had been needing some carpentry work done and God sent two carpenters on this team. So another project that TFC did was to make 22 bed side tables for the ministry center and medical house in Chenalho. The ladies assisted with staining and sealing the end tables.

Pastor Alex's youngest sister, Hilda, graduated from High School during this same week. The team enjoyed a full day of celebration for Hilda hosted by her family at their home. It was a marvelous time of fellowship, food and worship.

On Wednesday the team ministered to the many children of San Antonio del Monte. These are some of the sweetest people in the entire world. It is always such a joy to be with Pastor Juan and his family.

Later in the week we had the same work schedule as Monday. It was just as difficult, but this time we were in the village of Pacanab. Due to the rainy season, there were many mud slides causing the team to have to wait occasionally for dozers to clear the muddy roads in order to get through to our destinations.

Friday was filled with a visit to the village of Puebla where we were greeted with a full church of children ready for a service with puppets, singing and bibles stories.

This special week of ministry to the children of Chiapas was appropriately concluded with a visit to Casa Hogar Alegre, the orphanage in Tuxtla.

Thanks again Thibodaux for all the gifts that were distributed among so many in Mexico and for a week of hard work and ministry to the dear people of Chiapas.

Youth Conference July 11-13, 2008

The 2008 Youth Conference was held July 11, 12 and 13. The youth group from Christian Life Center of Bensalem, PA joined us during the first night of services in San Fernando. In addition various other youth groups from Mexico participated in glorifying the Lord through drama, song and/or dance. Pastor Steve preached a great message that night that was an encouragement to all of us and was especially timely for the congregation of San Fernando.


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Pastor Den Hussey from The Crossing Place of Franklin, LA taught and preached the remaining sessions of the conference. Pastor Den's ability to communicate with young people and present messages that dealt with the issues and needs of youth from any culture, made the ministry of the remaining 2 days so productive. We so appreciate The Crossing Place for sending Pastor Den and his wife Bonnie to Chiapas to minister. We look forward to having them back next year if it works out.

On Saturday our PA team had to leave us and return to the US. We were not sure how that would effect the interest of the young people of Mexico, but we were so delighted when they stepped up and really put their all into making the next two days of conference extra special. It let all of us know that the foundation that has been laid is solid and built upon Jesus and not dependent upon any particular person or group.

Sunday afternoon was sports competition, and boy are they serious about their sports. And they are really good too! We thank God for the beautiful gym located behind Torre Fuerte in Tuxtla. It is a great blessing during such events.

Everyone was fed lunch both Saturday and Sunday and the youth from Chenalho were provided with a hotel and all their meals. This is still a really special gathering in Mexico to combine the Spanish and Indian cultures. We are privileged to be a part of God bringing unity among the body of Christ that transcends our own personal traditions and is simply for lifting up the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory for each life that was touch by His presence and eternally changed during the course of this week end!

Christian Life Center July 7-12

The busy month of July began with our first team from Bensalem, PA. A youth group along with their leaders formed a team of 28 people from Christian Life Center and joined us from July 7 - July 12.


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The team had raised the funds for a new church that was built in Guadeloupe Victoria. The hard work consisted of the usual erecting of the metal roof, pouring the cement floor, painting the interior and exterior of the church and building benches for the congregation. The team had to use the nearby river as their water source to hand mix and pour the cement. It also served as a good place to clean up and cool off from the hard work.

We concluded our time in Guadeloupe Victoria with an outdoor children's service. We also had a time of prayer for the dedication of the new building and the work of the ministry in this village. The experience was great for all involved and the week flew by way too quickly.

On the Friday night the group participated in the youth conference that was held in the San Fernando/ Tuxtla area. CLC did a marvelous job of ministering in song during the service. Pastor Steve brought a timely message to the congregation, and it was interpreted into Spanish by one of his own youth. The alter ministry was very special and many people were touched by God's presence.

A special thanks to Terri who did so much to make all the necessary preparations for the team and is a marvelous organizer.