We are here!! We are in Mexico!!!

 

After more than a year out of our mission’s field we are finally back! This year meant many things to us. It was a time to share with the churches and family what the past four years have been for us and how God’s gracious love became alive at Chiapas. We got close to many sisters and brothers now deeply tied to us. Dearest sisters and brothers became part of a beautiful ministerial team called Sisterhood with Chiapas (Hermánate con Chiapas in Spanish) helping us with our ministries. We received the backup of our Baptist denomination of Puerto Rico that vowed to support us and accompany us in our ministry. But also we had the privilege to meet with sisters and brothers among churches from the East coast of the US in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and the West coast in Washington State who shared our heart fro missions. Bless be the Lord for the networks of love!

                           

Arriving at Mexico City we felt the welcoming spirit of our brothers and sisters from the Baptist Seminary. They share our passion for the ministries we want to consolidate - solidary economy for Mayan women; water for life for indigenous villages; theological and secular education for indigenous leaders and construction of peace. Smiling they comment on how work we bring! But they also shared our happiness when they knew THAT YOU became part of this ministry! They said “Now we have more strength to do the Lord’s work.”

 

From November 17-18 we celebrated the Annual Conferences in honor of Dr. Jorge Pixley. Pixley was a professor of the Baptist Seminary for many years and an IM missionary. His theological and teaching work in behalf of the oppressed was outstanding and is recognized in all Latin America. So, this time our Secretary for Latin America Dr. Rev. Jose Norat and Dr. Rev. Doris Garcia-Mayol had the privilege of sharing these conferences. It was uplifting and very educational. We also had graduation! Rev. Ricardo Mayol preached and his words were the echo of Dr. Jorge Pixley’s, Eugenio Ma. de Hostos (a father of the Puerto Rican nation), Andrés Molina Enríquez and Jesus’ insistence on seeking justice and respecting the dignity of the peoples.  Seven brothers and sisters graduated with a High School Theological degree, 2 with a Diploma degree and our beloved Dalia Juarez received her Bachelor diploma in Indigenous Theology and Pastoral. We had tamales (traditional Mesoamerican dish steam-cooked corn dough with or without a filling) and a group of Zapotecs children delighted us with a traditional dance of boars. We were happy and many shared their gladness to have us back. We thank you for enabled us to be back!

 

What are we doing now? Today December the 5th we just came back from the mountain after hearing our brothers and sisters whom after a year have new ideas of how to do the work. We look forward to create with them new spaces to continue the work of the kingdom. Although we face many challenges, we know that we count with you and with Jesus to overcome them. Every time we see your name in the giving report we give thanks to God for your faithfulness and willingness to support us as your missionaries. Thanks!

 

We ask you to pray:

1. That we find a place to move the seminary (rising cost is crushing us!) in order to host more young students who want to prepare themselves to serve the Lord.
2. For the projects we have in our hearts - potable water, Mayan women’s economy, the intercultural educational and theological programs and peace might help churches and communities to proclaim the Gospel of redemption of Jesus Christ in Chiapas.
3. That Belisario for whom the Church of El Lago instituted a scholarship might find God´s way as he and his parent decide their next steps for this January 2010.
4. For our children, that they be protected and guided by Jesus.

 

In Jesus Christ,

 

Ricardo and Doris