HANDS
TRANSFORMING LIVES
WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING?  THANKS TO YOU...


WORLD MISSIONS

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas  
January, 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR from your World Missions Department




 
   PIEDRAS NEGRAS CHARTERS FIRST DOK IN MEXICO  
from Connie Bye, St. Luke's, Cypress Mill
 



 
Women at a small Episcopal church in Piedras Negras, El Buen Pastor, will be the first charter of Daughters of the King (DOK) in Mexico. The Daughters across the United States are probably not familiar with Father Miguel and the women of El Buen Pastor who assist him in his ministry, but all the people in the city are.  Their mission is to "minister to the poorest of the poor," which they feel are women and children.  The church has added a second floor to the parish hall to house displaced women and children.  It is the only one in the city and one of very few in Mexico. The Daughters will minister to these families in time of stress and danger. 

Father Miguel  pastors another church in Piedras, The Church of the Resurrection.  During times of floods, which happen often in the poorest communities, both churches house hundreds of people and cook and feed them daily, assisted by contributions from the Diocese of West Texas.   It is the only shelter offered to the displaced in the city. For many years they have cooked and fed approximately 200 women and children once a week in the colonias at the railroad tracks.

Recently, a Lutheran church facility in the colonias was offered for use by  El Buen Pastor. For the first time, this new location in the colonias will afford a place to have  Vacation Bible School in a location other than outdoors in July.   For years the women have participated in VBS that ministers to approximately 1,000 children from all over the city.  Their devotion to the Lord and their history of service to Father Miguel and the community have been recognized and will only be enhanced as they become a part of the community of the Daughters of the King. 
                                                                                                                                                       St. Luke's Cypress Mill, DWTX, has been doing mission work at El  Buen Pastor  for seven years and has purchased  fifteen new sewing machines, tables, and chairs.    Patterns and materials as well as classes are provided four to five times yearly.  In October, the mission  was  there on a night of the DOK training session, and Father Miguel asked that the two on the mission team who were Daughters stay for the meeting and share their experiences.   Both  Connie Bye and Linda Appleton had only been a Daughter for a year at the time but shared how God prepared them after he called  them as Daughters.  They talked about the commitment and apprehensions they had before becoming a Daughter, keeping the Rule of Life, daily prayers, etc. Afterwards, women at El Buen Pastor training to be a Daughter  spoke about their calling, their apprehensions, and what their hopes are.  Not surprising, we all had similar feelings and thoughts.  Our support of each other in our journey as Daughters  and as Prayer Partners will be ongoing and will bless each charter.    
 
At the completion of their training, Father Miguel scheduled a Quiet Day and invited Daughters from St. Luke's Cypress Mill to participate.  Chapter President, Carolyn Davis, Vivian Young from the National DOK Board, Sally Smith, Linda Appleton, and Connie Bye attended the Quiet Day.  Father Miguel gave us scripture readings and asked that we insert "Daughter" where "Mary" was in the text. We were given questions to ponder and afterwards discussed our availability to the Lord, as Mary was. Women from two nations became one group of handmaidens of the Lord in a mysterious and wondrous way. 

Following the Quiet Day, the group had dinner together talking, sharing, and laughing. The institution of the DOK is scheduled for January 9, 2015.   Women from El Buen Pastor will add so much to the worldwide community of the DOK  and inspire formation of additional chapters in Mexico. 

Praise our Lord for the way he brings international daughters together!         


THE NUMBERS ARE IN

Dr. Valerie Kirk, team leader of the SE Mexico veterinary team, has tabulated the number of "patients" seen and treated this past year as compared to 2013.  The results are impressive.  In 2013 animals immunized or treated by the teams were 1221 while this past year, 2014, in the same general area the teams worked with 1933 animals, a whopping 63% increase over the previous year.

Right now the team is asking residents to bring cattle, horses, dogs, cats, swine, and chickens only.  It is important that the locals know that the team also treats other animals (sheep, goats, turkeys, ducks and geese, pigeons, parrots, rabbits, and whatever else they might bring).  Horses include burros and mules.  And yes, they should have treated the tortugas even though they don't vaccinate them.  They'll also treat monkeys if locals have any.  They treated a squirrel in Honduras this year.  They'll treat all creatures great and small.

from Dr. Valerie Kirk, St. Francis, Canyon Lake 

FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE
by Greg Sethness, Christ Church, San Antonio 

   
Oksana first came to the Family Home as a single mother with two girls.  Her first daughter, Dasha, was welcomed and loved, but Sveta was a different story.  To Oksana, she was a burden, and Oksana felt no maternal connection.  She was addicted to alcohol and had HIV and hepatitis.  She only stayed a short time at the home before leaving, taking Dasha and leaving two-month-old Sveta to be cared for by our staff.

Realizing that she was hopelessly trapped in alcoholism and with deteriorating health, Oksana returned to the Single Mothers' Home.  The staff placed her in a rehab program from which she graduated and returned again to the Family Home.  Oksana started reading the Bible and was nurtured by our loving staff.  Seing how they loved Sveta, she too starting loving her daughter and realized that, like all children, Sveta was a gift from God.

Oksana stayed in the home for a year until she was able to manage on her own.  She returned to the rehab but this time as a minister to young women like herself.  She met a good man there who is now her husband.  Oksana gives God the glory knowing that without his mercies, she may likely have perished like too many of her orphan friends.

We are thankful to you because it is by your support that God is transforming lives through the Russia Family Homes ministry.  God bless you in 2015. 

OUR MISSION WAS BEAUTIFUL
from a speech given by Caelin Mitchell-Bennett 
Advent, Brownsville 

If I could use one word to describe this trip, I think the word I would use is "beautiful."  I know it sounds kinda cheesy, but I feel that Costa Rica really brought that word to its roots and provided an excellent definition.  The physical nature of the country was absolutely beautiful.  Looking out over the rainforest- covered mountains while being able to touch the clouds was an extremely awe-inspiring thing.

But that's not really what I mean.  The beauty that I saw on this trip came in completely unexpected places.  From people.  From their actions.  From their love.  When I witnessed acts of complete kindness and love from children whom I had met a day earlier; from our entire group helping each other and working together; when we were rained out of work site and walked into the parish hall to find a group of children waiting to play and laugh--that was beautiful.  More importantly, that was God working through all of us and all of them.

We had all been called to Costa Rica to love and to be loved.  To establish a relationship with this church and these people.  To be impacted by children who were much more spiritually mature than all of us.  To experience God everywhere.  And all of this love and spiritual connection can only be described as beautiful. 

I am so thankful to have been a part of this trip, and the impact it has had on me will last a lifetime. 

HAITI:  FIRST SEMESTER REPORT

from Cookie Harris, St. Luke's, San Antonio

 

Everyday, I wake up, walk to school, and am greeted by 500 smiling faces, ecstatic to start another school day. Throughout the school week, I teach 1st-9th graders the English language. Every week, I am in contact with over 400 students, and their lively spirits encourage me daily. After the school day is finished, I have community classes in the afternoon where 75 adults come and learn English. I love these classes, as I feel it brings me closer to the Gressier community.

            

So far, your support has been used for classroom materials, books for students and interactive materials that students can take home. Your support has also fed many hungry kids in the community who may not go to school and have food on a daily basis. Most of all, your support has allowed me to live out a passion of mine, while learning and growing in Haiti.

           
I can't put into words how much each of you mean to me, and how much I am appreciative of your love, support and prayers. [I am in the States briefly for the holidays] but can't wait to get back to the work that God has called me to do. During this holiday season, I truly feel blessed to have your constant love and support. It means more to me than you know. It also means so much to the people of Gressier.


PERSPECTIVES CLASSES
submitted by Melynda Gulley, Chair of World Missions, Christ Church, San Antonio
 
 
Perspectives.org will be offered this spring 2015 at Oak Hills Church, 3:30-6:30 pm, starting Sunday, January 11, and going to May 10th.  You can preregister.  Also, you can go to  San Antonio Perspectives which is the local website.The Facilitator training for Multiplying Disciple Groups is by need, so you can call to register for that class. 

Perspectives is a fifteen week course designed around four vantage points or "perspectives" - Biblical, Historical, Cultural and Strategic. Each one highlights different aspects of God's global purpose.  The Biblical and Historical sections reveal why our confidence is based on the historic fact of God's relentless work from the dawn of history until this day. The Cultural and Strategic sections underscore that we are in the midst of a costly, but very "do-able" task, confirming the Biblical and Historical hope.


DID YOU KNOW...
      
There are THREE components to world mission:  GOING, GIVING, PRAYING.  
  
You know about GOING AND GIVING, but did you know that Virtual Mission is a group of PRAY-ERS who participate in team trips by attending team meetings, reading the team devotional books, staying connected with the team as they go, and PRAYING daily for the team?  If you'd like to be part of Virtual Mission, contact Libby Templeton for more information ([email protected]).  
PRAYER GUIDE & TEAM LIST

DATES  PLACETEAM   DESCRIPTION
Jan. 11-17 Copan, Honduras  Terry & Brien Koehler, (Christ Church, SA) Team Leaders; Nita Shaver Sewing & embroidery training  
Jan. 21-28 Honduras Manos de Dios, Patricia Perea, (St. Francis, Canyon Lake) Team Leader Exploration 
Feb. 4-14  Haiti  Marthe Curry & Dr. John Leininger, Team Leaders; Kaitlin Reed, Spencer Stocker, Suzette Harrison  Review of current ministries; exploration for future opportunities  
Feb. 19-23  Honduras  Maria Cavazos, Team Leader  Texas Water Mission  
Summer (tba) San Antonio (Mission City Missions)  Glenn Meschko, (St. Luke's, SA) Team Leader & Organizer; Grades 5-12 $200 participation fee  
June 21-28  Belize  Spencer Stocker, (St. Thomas, SA) Team Leader Mahogany Heights - English literacy program; Holy Cross Anglican School - VBS, math & science tutoring, repairs 
July (tba) Uganda Eric Fenton,  (Christ Church, SA) Team Leader Band & Bible Camp 
 
TO MAKE A DONATION TO WORLD MISSIONS:  
(You may give to specific designations or "Where Most Needed.")
 
 
Or make checks payable to DWTX and note "MISSIONS" on the 
memo line.  Mail to DWTX, PO Box 6885, San Antonio, TX  78209.

Or call Betty Chumney 888/210-824-5387.


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Episcopal Diocese of West Texas World Mission