We appreciate so much the care and support that we feel demonstrated by your contacts made through e-mail, facebook, phone calls, and invitations to your churches. The financial under girding with on-going support commitments as well as one time gifts that keep our ministry with International Ministries moving forward have been so encouraging and welcome and necessary. Thank you!
Tijuana-Philadelphia-Haiti
We are well into our year of combined ministries of continuing the support and construction of Deborah’s House in Tijuana and working in the Philadelphia area as regional missionaries helping to coordinate work teams and medical and microeconomic training programs as part of ABC’s relief efforts for Haiti. Last time I went to Tijuana, I was able to reconnect with the Board at Deborah’s House and the progress of the work there. It was a real time of reunion with the women and volunteers who are either serving at the shelter now or who have been through the program of recovery or served as volunteers with us in the past. A great week!
ABWM and Deborah's House
Ray and I have been working with the American Baptist Women’s Ministries to obtain a grant for establishing small businesses that is available for women at risk. Sadly, we have seen that single mothers in Mexico, especially those who have been abused, are at risk of prostitution, because of the culture they are living in and the choices they have made and changes that occurred after their decisions. ABWM decided this year, to give the women at Deborah’s House the grant, and I was able to tell the women about this new resource for Deborah’s House. It was a big boost to the moral of the capable and intelligent leading women in the recovery program who have been frustrated by their lack of resources to help women in more real ways to start new lives of independence and ability to support themselves and their children. This grant is a spark of life for the women in the shelter as well as those who have left the shelter and are struggling on their own. It will open up opportunities for them that haven’t been available in the past, but are so necessary for them to succeed in making a new start.
I will be in Tijuana this coming week as we prepare our first Micro-Enterprise workshop on October 16th , lead by Oscar Camacho, member of FBC Napa, CA. We are so thrilled to have as Deborah's House this opportunity as we continue to minister these families even after they leave the shelter.
Ray is now in Haiti with the “Economic Development Team”, a group of ABC missionaries working with the Haitian Baptist Convention leaders to start a long term program for Economic Development in Haiti. I am part of the “Medical Team”, also a group of ABC medical missionaries who will be traveling to Haiti to strengthen relationships with our brothers and sisters there for the long term medical support. Thanks to your One Great Hour of Sharing contributions we are not only helping with short term needs, but building long term relationships and support.
Ray will be in Tijuana for three weeks in November to keep the ties with Deborah’s House in good shape. We have a system going so that at least one of us is always here with the girls. They are back in school, of course. Michelle is already overwhelmed with homework and all the colleges’ applications. Melissa is in 9th grade, facing another change this year, since it is the first year of High School in this area (although in Mexico is still consider her last year of Middle School).
We are holding our own in gaining on-going support but are hoping to increase the number of those making financial commitments to our ministry. We are looking for ways to expand our supporting Missionary Partnership Network, to strengthen the ties that bind us together.
We thank God for you, for thinking of us, praying for us, supporting us in so many ways,
Adalia