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Building Relationships and Understanding Across Borders
 
 
Anne and Joca
Anne Volker, FDC bi-national intern 2011 with Jocabed Gallegos (r), new Mexican Coordinator of FDC

 

 




January 30, 2014

 

 

30 de Enero, 2014 

 

We are excited to announce that at our bi-national board meeting on Friday, January 24 that we elected Jocabed Gallegos as our new Mexican coordinator.  We were blessed with a strong field of candidates and while that made the process challenging, we were unanimous in our sense of God's leading.

 

Jocabed has a deep love for ministry on the border and has served with Frontera de Cristo in different capacities in the past.  She is currently the Mission Education Facilitator. Join us in giving thanks to God for Jocabed and in praying that God will bless her in this new phase of ministry.

 

She will be commissioned at our next bi-national board meeting Friday March 21-- come join us as we celebrate! 

 

Contact [email protected] if you would like more information about the commissioning service as it becomes available. 

 

 

On behalf of your ministry on the border,

 

 Jeni O'Callaghan           Rodolfo Navarrete          Monika Patience

 

      President             Vice-President/Secretary        Treasurer

 

 

 

 


  
January Delegations in Douglas/Agua Prieta

 

  In January, we facilitated immersion experiences for delegations from University Presbyterian Church, Tempe, AZ, Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, VA; Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan; Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; and Williams and Bennington Colleges.  We are grateful to all who come and share life and ministry with us here on the border.

 

Byron Peachy, one of the chaplains of EMU who has led three delegations to the border reflected that one of the most powerful parts of their experience was sharing in the weekly Healing Our Borders prayer vigil:

 

 "For many, one of the most deeply moving activities was the Tuesday evening vigil, crying out the names of people who have died in the desert over the past decade. As we gathered beside the port of entry, with several hundred white crosses lining the edge of the road, and three more crosses with names passed around our circle, emotions of sadness and grief welled up. One student named Maria, was struck by the number of "Maria's" who have died. Another student who is an EMT rescue worker, acknowledged the emotional toll it must be on Border Patrol agents to find a body in the desert, or to seek to try and save the life of a desperate migrant. We ended with Mark crying to the desert, "Jesu Cristo" and all of us responding, "Presente!"

 

Even though his delegation had a shocking experience (see drug violence below), he concluded his reflections by saying: "The week could not have been a better time of learning for us."   He has already asked us to set aside dates in January of 2015 for another delegation. Click here to read Byron's the rest of Byron's reflections.

 

  

 
Eastern Mennonite University Delegation: Click on image to hear "heavenly voices"

  

  


 

 Drug Prevention and Intervention Ministry

 

We are very excited to introduce Hugo Licona Sanchez, our new intern who is developing a ministry with children and teens in the neighborhood of the Community Center to work with them and their families in the area of drug prevention and intervention. 

 

In addition to working in the Nuevo Progreso community, he will serve with our partners in the CRREDA accompanying them in the Agua Para La Vida ministry, leading weekly bible studies, and helping them develop more food security through gardening and raising chickens. 

                            

  

Prayers For Agua Prieta

    

 

 

 Agua Prieta is considered one of the most peaceful border towns in terms of "drug violence".  On January 16 and 18, there were multiple shootings that had many concerned that the violent drug wars that have plagued other cities might be arriving here.  We are grateful that there has not been an escalation of violence and no other violent incidents have occurred over the past 11 days.

 

We ask you to pray with us :

  • for all those families who are involved in the drug trade and for whom violence is seen as a legitimate way of life and is a reality in their lives;
  • for all people who through omission or commission participate in systems of violence-whether economic, drug, political, or spiritual-and pray for courage to repent so that we may participate with God in creating a more just, peaceful and loving world;
  • for the community of Agua Prieta, many who are experiencing fear and uncertainty and hoping and praying that the situation does not devolve into an all-out drug war that impacts daily life in Agua Prieta;
  • for the children and youth of AP who see being a part of the "narco culture" as a viable and even glamorous life that they may be guided toward non-violent and legal employment and for the church that we may help live out and model alternatives, and our communities and governments that we may seek viable economic alternatives;
  • giving thanks to the witness of the Lirio de los Valles PC and all our church and non-church partners in Agua Prieta and pray that God would continue giving them wisdom and strength to be salt, light and instruments of God's peace in Agua Prieta;
  • giving thanks for the reality that "nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ."

Click here to read letter to upcoming delegations.

 

 

 

 

B

Taste of Chiapas Phoenix

 

 

  

 

FDC's Just Trade Center facilitated a "Taste of Chiapas" hosted by the Church of the Beatitudes (UCC) in Phoenix on January 25.  The event brought together representatives from 16 of Caf� Justo's partner churches from 6 different denominations for two hours of:

  •  tasting the different varieties of coffee available,
  • eating scrumptious tamales made by Carmina and Elvia of Caf� Justo,
  • hearing about the impact of Caf� Justo in the families and communities of Caf� Justo from Caf� Justo customer relation director Adrian Gonzalez,
  • being introduced to new interpretive materials produced by the FDC Just Trade Center and
  • celebrating 11 years of working together across borders to address root causes of migration.

Check out two of the new videos produced by Stanley Leary, a professional videographer from Roswell PC, who participated in our Border to Border: Coffee, Migration and Faith Delegation last year. 

 

Carmina Sanchez - English Translation
Carmina Sanchez - English Translation

 

Bryce Wiebe
Bryce Wiebe

 

 

Click here to see photos of the Taste of Chiapas on the Caf� Justo Facebook page and Become a Facebook Friend of Caf� Justo.

 

Phil y Josias Bi-national Internship Ministry Partners

With Tucson Borderlands Young Adult Volunteers 

 
FDC is partnering with the Tucson Borderlands Young Adult Volunteer site this year. 
 
 If you (or anyone you know), is interested in a year of service in bi-national ministry with us, please consider applying (or encourage your friend or family member to apply) through the YAV program!

 

 

 

 

Rep. Barber meeting
AZ/Sonora Border Coalition Meeting with Rep. Ron Barber
                Presbyterians For Just Immigration Training

There will be two trainings in the next two months to help people of faith think about how to respond individually and corporately in faith the challenges and opportunities of immigration.  We are delighted that the training leaders are using the Immigration and the Churches' Responses workshop that FDC has developed over the years.

  • February 21-23, at Stony Point Conference Center, north of New York City
  • March 6-9, at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary 

  •  Click here for more information! 


    2014 Caf� Justo From Seed To Cup Calendar
    Order Now
    Stanley Leary Pic of Coffee
    Coffee with Volcano Tacana, Stanley Leary 2010
     

     

    Professional photographer Stanley Leary joined FDC's Just Trade Center Border to Border Coffee, Migration and Faith Delegation this year.  He is donating his time, talents and what we are sure will be amazing images to help spread the good news and beauty of Caf� Justo.

     

    He has developed several videos that will help interpret the connections between coffee, migration and faith and we also have used his images to develop a 9" x 12" wall calendar which pictures of the coffee process from plant to cup. 

     

    For a minimum donation of $15, we will send your calendar to you.  

     

    Click here to print the order form or go to go to our secure online donation and make a donation and put 2014 Calendar in memo line.     

     

     

      

     

      
    Save The Dates: 
    November 7-16, 2014
    Coffee, Migration and Faith
    Border to Border Delegation

     

     17

        

    We are already signing up folks who are interested in joining our 2014 delegation.  Join us in building relationships and understanding across borders enjoying great coffee, wonderful fellowship, delicious food, and incredible hospitality in the rainforest in 2014!
      
    Click Here to see the 2013 flier!
      
     Click here to see pictures from 2013 Delegation.
      
    Please email [email protected]  to request more information and to put your name on the "Interested in 2014 Delegation" list.  We will be sending out an information packet in mid-January.

     

     

       
     
    Ministry Quick Links









    Contact Information

    Muchas Gracias

    to all the delegations who shared life and ministry with us in December!!

      

    University PC

    Tempe, AZ

     

    Eastern Mennonite U.

    Harrisonburg, VA

     

    Western Theological Seminary

    Holland, MI

     

    Brown University

    Providence, RI

     

    Williams and Bennington College

     

     

    Support 

    Frontera de Cristo by:

      

    1)  Joining us in giving thanks to God for:

      

      --the blessing of our call to witness that Jesus Christ is our peace across the borders that seek to divide us; 

     

      --for the former board members and staff who have already joined the great cloud of witnesses:

     

    Don Eckhardt

    Amelia del Pozo

    Betty Mae Seel

    Cecilia Castellanos

    Bertha Miramontes

    Margi Buehler

     

     

    2) Praying with us for God's guidance and help in:

      

    --Responding to the reality of the impact of drugs on the families and communities of Agua Prieta;

     

     3) Providing Support to the Migrant Resource Center:

     

    -The MRC invites YOU to visit or volunteer. Come, learn, and be blessed by our brother and sister migrants.

     

    -MRC Donation needs:

     

    -Shoelaces

     

    -Men's clothing

     

    -Warm clothing (Winter is coming! Jackets, gloves, hats, etc.)

     

    -MRC Volunteers commute by bike-but we need helmets and bike lights! Please consider donating to help keep us safe on

    the roads.  

     

     

    -Financial donations will help pay MRC operating costs, but food items when donations are scarce and keep our bicycles in operating condition.

     

     

    3) Donating by clicking the donate now button.

    Donate Now