September and October 2007 in Juarez

Construction

• Eight homes were built for eight families! Three new kindergarten units and a government sponsored medical clinic were built in Kilometer 30 on the new Missions Ministries' land.  Pastor Francisco's church received a 20'x 24' addition and a children's play area set at Pastor Jesus' youth center was assembled.  Please see our website for detailed information on all the families and construction projects at www.missionsministries.org.   You may also donate online at our website on the home page, "Make a donation" or through PayPal at www.paypal.com.

Medical and Dental - and teaching clinic too!

• Four medical teams, including three with dentists served in the family care center. Dental care has improved, as it's now possible to take and develop x-rays in the dental office! A heated sterilizer (autoclave) was donated and now available for use in sterilizing dental instruments.
• The first student, a United States citizen from the Juarez Medical University joined Dr. Enriquez's medical team. He stated the majority of the current medical students in Juarez are Americans living in the El Paso Area. He is very excited to return with some of his classmates, and is our hope to have them join many medical teams in the future.
• Little six year old Kevin was hit by a car last year and broke his leg. A typical Mexican surgical procedure was performed about 15 months ago, poorly aligning the bone and leaving pins through his knee. He was denied schooling this year due to his inability to walk. The downtown surgical clinic surgically removed the pins, removed build-up in his joints, and Kevin is learning to walk again.
• Possible exciting news for our clinic for 2008 may include blood work analysis, minor surgical procedures, and a new eye care center! 

At The Cross, Mirna

• Mirna, one of our dear women in the kitchen, has had a problem with her husband. Soon after she started working for MM, he quit his job and just started lying around their one room, dirt floor shack located on his mother's property. Mirna felt God had better plans for her family, including their four year old son.  She prayed with Jeff, wrote out a lengthy petition to the Lord, and nailed it on the team cross which is filled with many petitions and praises.  Mirna left her job for two weeks to "wake up" her husband. Many women in the area would love her job, so this was a very big step of faith. After only a few days, her husband found employment, and they have decided to start buying a little piece of land for their own home some day. He has continued to work for about 40 days now.  Everything is not perfect, but progress is being made.   

Jesus, our bus driver

• Jesus' mom died a few weeks ago during the dedication of a house. The relationship between Jesus and his mom had been difficult for many years. About two years ago, she decided that Jesus could no longer live in his home on her property, so she locked him and his family of seven out of her property and their home. A short time later Jesus got some land in Kilometer 30 and Missions Ministries disassembled his house and relocated it. It's always very hard to lose a parent.  Thank you for those who have prayed and those that will continue to pray for Jesus. 

Bill

• I've been working on two major problems that exist in Juarez. The first is a big problem in much of the world, that of clean water. How do you take dirty germ infested water and make it clean and drinkable?  Fortunately, God has been doing it since the beginning of time. I figure all I have to do is to copy His plan, so I started to experiment.  My first experiment with a solar still was a bit disappointing. It didn't produce much water, although it was drinkable.  I drank it and it tasted good, although a little warm straight out of the solar still. There are other designs that are theorized to yield more water and I am excited to try them out.  The second problem is the inexpensive building materials used for constructing houses. They build a lot with cement block here in Juarez, and although block is good structurally, it doesn't have much insulation value. I was on the Internet and found a block you can make with paper and cement, called papercrete. The good thing about papercrete is that an 8" block (average size for a cement block) has an insulation value of between R22.4 and R-24. The walls of our houses are built using R-11 and the ceilings with R-19.  I'm working on some blocks right now and need to test them for strength and durability. It wouldn't take much for someone to start up a business making them!

Jeff and Jenny

• Menlo Park and friends flew and hosted Jesus, Jenny and Jeff for the first annual reunion of MM Juarez alumni. Jeff spoke a few minutes and Jesus sang "Thank you for giving to the Lord" at the reunion (see attached picture).  We met Dennis, who was introduced to Missions Ministries through Cherry Hills Community Church, then moved to California and eventually led the first team from Menlo Park to Juarez. Also in attendance were members of the original 1999 missions committee.  This committee was the one that decided to support Missions Ministries with 25% of Menlo Park's 2000 Easter offering that enabled the purchase of the mission center land, security wall and much more!  What a return on that investment!
• Jenny is progressing very well in her intermediate paramedic training, including hospital and ambulance rotations. Her medical knowledge and confidence is growing at a very quick pace. Homework is overwhelming at times. Many of her
• classes and rotations end between 10 PM - 11 PM at night, about 75-90 miles from our home, and escorts are often needed to insure her safety passing through Juarez at that late hour when not staying over in the US.
• Jeff, along with close friend Jeff Steffan, attended a "Desiring God" conference in Minnesota featuring John Piper, John Alcorn and John MacArthur. The theme was endurance.

Casey

• September and October were extremely busy months for me, both in Juarez and here in Denver.  We added two new board members, Leeann Iacino and Ian Prichard.  We are working on an agreement with Ed to bring him on board as a paid staff member to assist with fundraising.  We also pray that his surgery in February will be successful and that he will be able to accompany teams to Juarez during the second half of 2008.  We continue to struggle with raising funds for the office and relaying its importance to our supporters.  As bookings and contributions for Juarez continue to overwhelm us, contributions for the Denver office have dropped.  I have to praise the Lord and my loving family for their support through these struggles, and with the addition of a 5th member to our family, I request even more prayer support. 

Marilynn & Deb

• We stay very busy with all the day-to-date details of helping Casey with the operations of the Missions Ministries' office in Denver.  People don't always realize the "behind the scenes" tasks that are necessary from the time a team initially calls to schedule a trip to several weeks after they arrive back home, but there are many.  Thank you for your support and patience as we work with you in all the different events.  When Marilynn is not in the office, she loves to play mahjong and do Sudoku puzzles.  She's really good at both things!  In addition to work, Deb facilitates a small group in Wednesday night Bible study at her church and tries to keep up with the demands of raising two daughters, ages 12 and 16.   

Chris

• September and October were significant build months.  I had the pleasure of leading two of three groups that built kindergarten classrooms in Kilometer 30 on land that the government donated for this purpose.  Outside of  "per family" enrichment, this effort for education will enrich the entire community.  Nine teams came to build houses and the experiences with the families were profound.  It is a beautiful blessing to see God using the ministry and the teams to help the colonias take one more step forward.  Rosina and I send our blessings to all and thank you for your prayers and support of us and the ministry.  

Ed

• As you probably know, I have been pretty much out of commission for the last two years because of my health.  I'm supposed to have another back surgery in February if my heart is strong enough for it.  Please pray that this surgery will be successful.  I enjoyed going to Juarez in September with a men's team from my home church.  It was hard physically, but a great boost spiritually and mentally.  Lord willing, I will return to Missions Ministries in a reduced but important role next March or April.  Please keep all of us in our prayers as we seek to serve Him.   

Juarez, brief overview 2007 YTD

• 68 new homes, schools and a government sponsored clinic have been built, one room addition and a major expansion to one of our churches.
• 1,391 American team members have blessed and been blessed in our mission outreach center.
• 20 medical/dental teams have served, prayed for, comforted, and healed thousands of sick in our free family care center.

THANK YOU      THANK YOU     THANK YOU

• All of us at Missions Ministries can only serve our friends here with your prayers, financial support, donations, people stepping out of the comfort zone and coming to serve with us, encouragement and love from so many.  Please consider praying for us regularly, if you don't already.  Please consider supporting us if you don't now.
• If you knew we were living your last days, are you satisfied with your life's  level of time, talent and resources supporting His work?

Blessings,

All of us at Missions Ministries

.Jeff, Jenny, Casey, Bill, Chris, Rosa, Ed, Carol, Deb & Marilynn

.