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WORLD MISSIONS

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas  
April, 2016



OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIA
from Kaitlin Reed

 
 In June of 2015, Bishop Probal Dutta from the Diocese of Durgapur in the Church of Northern India came to visit the Diocese of West Texas. He gave presentations on the wonderful work his diocese is doing in their community and beyond and extended an invitation to the people of DWTX to come and be a part of this work. 

Eagerly and prayerfully accepting his invitation, Fr. David Chalk, Valerie Kirk, and I departed for India on March 4, 2016. We knew we were in for a whirlwind tour of the Durgapur Diocese; the itinerary they provided us with outlined trips to five different towns or villages and visits to 11 different projects and centers, all to be seen in about a week and a half. A lot of prayer and preparation went into this trip, both from our end and from our Indian counterparts, so we departed with open eyes, ears, and hearts; ready to see the incredible ways God is working in that part of the world.

And let me tell you, He is working. The people we met, communities we visited, and stories we heard were powerful witnesses to the love and compassion of Jesus.
                
Most nights we stayed in guest rooms at the diocesan compound, and during our time there, I got to know a girl named Manju. When she was just a small child, Manju's mother, desperate and dependent on alcohol, sold her to a man for a cheap bottle of liquor. Several days later when the mother realized what she had done, she cried to Bishop Dutta begging him to help her find Manju and get her back. Bishop Dutta was able to find the man and pay him off, and it was decided that from that point forward Manju would stay in the diocesan compound at the children's center and go to school on sponsorship. Manju is now twenty years old and excels in all of her classes. She plays the violin and performs both traditional and contemporary Indian dances with much grace and poise.

This young lady is a wonderful example of the work being done within the various children's ministries in the Diocese of Durgapur. There are many other boys and girls with stories similar to Manju's and who are now receiving a good education as well as being stimulated with a multitude of extracurricular activities such as music, dance, art, and tae kwon do.

Children's ministries are an area of focus for the diocese, especially those children who are in the slums, in some way ostracized from their community, or in danger of being trafficked. A common thread throughout many of the projects and ministries we saw is the commitment to community development. Bishop Dutta instills in his diocese the need to "go beyond the walls of the church," and that mentality is what frames and drives the majority of their diocesan outreach--from the St. Martin's Sewing Centre, to village schools and children's enrichment centers, to Daughters of the King outreach, to their anti-human trafficking program.

We have now seen all that the Lord is doing in their diocese, and it is time to discern if He is calling DWTX to be partners in this work. I ask your prayers for our brothers and sisters in India as well as for guidance and wisdom as we determine what our relationship with the Diocese of Durgapur will look like in the future.
 
 
  
A WELL FOR KIGADI from Eric Fenton (Christ Church, San Antonio)



Christ Church, San Antonio, and the World Missions Department of the Diocese funded a well for St. Luke's Church in Kigadi, Uganda. The only water source for the community was from a cult led by a man who claims to be a god. He sells his water as "miracle water". The well at St. Luke's was recently completed and provides a source of fresh water to everyone who comes. The Rev. Wilson Atuhire is the rector, and he reports: "From the time we got water, there was total relief; first in us, the staff, and then the entire public. This water has attracted many people to our church because it was long overdue. You have helped me to preach the Gospel, and I am already seeing fruit. Thank you for loving and supporting us."


 
WHIRLWIND TOUR OF SE MEXICO
from Beth and Tony Price
(Tony is with young cancer patients, below.)
(St. Andrew's, Seguin) 
 
For two days we were privileged to meet with members of the Anglican Church Santa Maria Virgen (SMV) and its very capable vicar, Padre Bayron Chanchavac.  His wife Lupita and little son Bayroncito made us feel especially welcome. After we met with the church committee and enjoyed the delicious luncheon they provided, we visited a government orphanage for children with cancer or abandoned by their families where SMV delivered a large collection of scarves and hats knitted by a church family.  The weather was still quite cold in Xalapa, so the gifts were "warmly received."

Next we traveled further up the mountain to an industrial town just over the state border near Perote, Veracruz, in the state of Puebla.  The town is called Alchichica.  There is a new Anglican congregation there under the care of the good Lord and SMV.  The lay leader is a local industrialist who reached out to SMV after a family crisis and petitioned to be accepted into the Anglican Church.  After a visit by Bp. Benito Juarez and acceptance, the church is now known as Holy Family Anglican Church (La Iglesia Anglicana de la Sagrada Familia).  The new mission has grown from about a dozen members to around seventy and would like a full-time priest and construction of a new church building.

From SMV and Alchichica we visited Coatepec where Charlie Swindull tirelessly continues work with the children and their ongoing dental and health needs.  Charlie has helped almost 1000 children and has given health advice to their parents.  She is very grateful for the continued support from DWTX for her work among the barrios of Coatepec.

The following morning, we departed for Mexico City and attended services at Christ Church, our old congregation from the 1960s.  It was a great experience to be with this mixed group of expat and local Anglicans in the ancient Mexican capital and to find a couple of almost-ancient choir members with whom we had sung some sixty years before.
 

 
I AM A GO-ER:  Rod Clark (St. Peter & St. Paul, Mission)

I'm a go-er, because, somehow along the way, I was given a pilgrim's heart. I have always loved to travel. I enjoy meeting new and interesting people and places. I love to take on new challenges, to step to the edges of things and feel the rush of fear and awe. I have found my greatest sense of wonder  when I have left my zones of comfort and familiarity. I believe that God is omnipresent. But my belief that God is everywhere doesn't mean that God is revealed to me in the same way in all places. In fact, I wholly expect God to be revealed to me in a new way when I "go." Viva aventura!


WE ARE GIVERS:  
Martha and Austin Moore (Christ Church, San Antonio)
   
Giving to the World Mission Department of our Diocese is a joy for several reasons.   We can be confident that the money contributed will be thoughtfully and prayerfully distributed, used wisely, and 
that people will benefit and be blessed by our gifts.  There is also wonderful continuity in the mission 
work of our Diocese, as we establish relationships and  as we faithfully send people on mission trips along with our monetary resources.  As a result, we are able to truly feel a part of the World Mission effort as we give. 
                                                                                                                   

I AM A PRAY-ER: Suzette Harris (St. Luke's, San Antonio) 
 
I feel called to pray for our DWTX missioners every day.  I pray for their safety, their ability to make Jesus known to their community and above all, that their actions will shout out God's love for those they minister to.  Of course, I pray fervently for my favorite missioner, Cookie Harris, and often smile when I think of the scripture she chose to use when she began her ministry.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."   Matt: 28:19 
  
 

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]). 

*****SAVE THE DATE*****   
Wednesday, May 11, 6-9 PM 
WORLD MISSION TOP GOLF TOURNAMENT                                                                                                      
 

 PRAYER GUIDE & TEAM LIST    
DATES  PLACETEAM   DESCRIPTION
May 4-6 Piedras Negras, MX Connie & Tommy Bye, Nancy & Chuck Kinsler (Team Leaders), Linda Appleton, Elizabeth Clark, Liz & David Manning, Nancy & Mike Staggs, Anne Thevenot Construction & sewing 
May 21-27 Honduras  Bill Campaigne (Team Leader), Jacque Baker (Sonora), Nicole Benard
(Wimberley), Bob Blagg 
(New Braunfels), Hyacinth 
Bridges (San Antonio),  
Lynn Campaigne (Seguin),
Jennifer Claflin  (Denville, New Jersey), John Dodds 
(Fredericksburg), Janet 
Drane (San Antonio), Jay 
George (San Antonio),
Krysten Gutchess (San Antonio), Ripp Hardaway 
(New Braunfels), Noreen 
Hendley (San Antonio),  
Riva & Ryan Heron (San Antonio), Jeff & Terri 
Jorgensen(New Braunfels),
Caitlin Kiel(New Braunfels),
Valerie Kirk (Canyon Lake),
Kristina Lombardo (Casselberry, Florida),
Randy Lynn (Summerfield, North Carolina), Betsy & 
Paul Martin (Seguin), Mike & Tanner Needham 
(Houston), Holly Nixon 
(London, Texas), Kathryn O'Neill (Rochester, New 
York), Suzanne Pel 
(Roermond, The Netherlands), Elaine & Jeff Quinn (Canyon Lake), 
Chris & Kasey Ramsey (Rochester, New York)
Ashley Simon (Lockhart) 
Katie Sorensen (Lawton, Iowa), Donaji Stelzig 
(Houston), Mieke van 
Bracht (Oostrum, The Netherlands), Susie Waters 
(New Braunfels), Jakari 
Wrencher (Austin)
  
Veterinary mission 
May TBA SE Mexico Rosine Carter (Team Leader)


Holistic



May 30-June 5 Turkey Duane Miller (Team Leader) Evangelism 
June 5-11 Guatemala Lorena & Jorge Rojas, Nancy Springer (Team Leaders)  St. John's, McAllen 
June 12-17 Honduras Sally & Mark Keddal (Team Leaders) Owen Project (XO computers) 
June 17-30 Guatemala Sally & Mark Keddal (Team Leaders) Owen Project (XO computers) 
June 20-July 3 Guatemala Gavin Rogers (Team Leader) Christ Church Youth 
July 12-19 Honduras, Chalmeca Copan Terry & Brien Koehler (Team Leaders) Christ Church, San Antonio:  construction, VBS, women's projects, community outreach 
July 31-
August 6 
Guatemala Lorena & Jorge Rojas, Nancy Springer (Team Leaders) St. John's, McAllen: construction  
Fall (TBA) Guatemala Lorena & Jorge Rojas, Nancy Springer (Team Leaders) St. John's, McAllen:  surgical 
November 9-16 Southeast Mexico Valerie Kirk (Team Leader) Veterinary 

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.


VISIT US ON FACEBOOK:

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas World Mission
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Episcopal Diocese of West Texas | 111 Torcido | PO Box 6885 | San Antonio | TX | 78209