350+ children are
expected to attend our annual Children’s Day activities in Juarez
this weekend. This is one of the ways the Mexico missions continue
to bring Christ’s love to families in Juarez. On Friday, May 1st,
Cristo Rey and San Lucas churches will be holding events for
community children and on Saturday, May 2nd, Pastor Hernandez is
gathering together the children from all for of his missions for
food and fun... [full
article]
Right now the big question concerning
the YLM building that burnt down recently is whether to repair it,
knock what remains down and rebuild, or to do a combination.
Before, the building was designed as two apartments with two
bedrooms each. It has been used to house volunteers and
missionaries over the years. In the earliest days with was used
for various youth group activities as well. Our hope is to rebuild
in a way that would provide flexible housing for the sake of
missionaries and students of the Lutheran Hispanic Missionary
Institute. [full
article]
Santisima Trinidad Lutheran Church is receiving its official
“Religious Association” status from the Mexican government! Soon
after, all the Juarez Lutheran churches will be able to join the
association. It has been a long process... [full
article]
The church was full on Easter Sunday at Santisima
Trinidad as families gathered to celebrate the risen Lord, be
baptized and confirm faith. Two Hundred and three adults and
seventy-five children were present for worship and celebration... [full
article]
At about 9:40pm on
Monday, April 13th, calls were made to 911 as flames spread through
Rita’s apartment at YLM. The fire was caused by a fan plugged into
an outlet with faulty wiring. The residence that lies next to the
dining hall is divided into two apartments where Rita (the servant
event cook & volunteer missionary) and her children live... [full
article and pictures]
The last group of the busy spring season, who stayed at the mission
from March 27 through April 3, was from Trinity Lutheran Church in
Lincoln, NE. The experienced bunch, who were scheduled to go into
Mexico, instead spent their week in Sparks at 2 or sometimes 3
different construction sites. They also did a health kit/school
supply kit distribution... [full
article]
New News Page- posted March 31, 2009
- by Stephen Heimer
I am SO excited to
launch the new page for YLM news! I've set up a page on
WordPress.com where I and other staff/volunteers will be able to
post articles photos and video. Now you will be able to
subscribe to our news updates like you would subscribe to a blog.
You'll also be able to comment on articles and easily find articles
that are of the category you're interested in.
In response to the
increased need for food and other assistance, we are purchasing food
from the West Texas Food bank each week to distribute in addition to
the food donations sent to YLM. Because of the extremely low
prices at the food bank, Elvira, the distribution coordinator
reports that $60 a week is enabling her and volunteers to prepare
120 food basket. Volunteers from San Pablo Lutheran administer
the distribution every Saturday. All are invited to gather for
worship at 11am on Saturdays. It is an informal worship
service designed to bring God's Word to people who aren't members of
any church. In general 60 people attend weekly. Many of
people who receive help come to San Pablo from Juarez. Others
are from all parts of El Paso and its surrounding towns/colonias.
Servant Event - Immanuel Lutheran, Fargo, ND
- posted March 23,2009
Five college
students from North Dakota State Univeristy and their pastor from
Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND came to YLM March 14th-21st.
The 6 of them arrived late Saturday night, but were eager to begin
soaking up the sun and as much Mexican culture as possible their
first full day here. They were not lacking in enthusiasm for
getting started on their work project when Monday morning rolled
around.
They spent the week
in Sparks, but divided their efforts between two homes. Monday
through Wednesday was spent continuing repairs on the Morales home;
in just three days the drywall on the kitchen ceiling is now
completed, the hallway is entirely painted, and two bedrooms are
painted as well as tiled. Little Alejandra and the rest of the
family now have six more amigos as well—not surprisingly, the group
was quick to bond with Maria, her husband, and her four children.
Thursday and
Friday, the group switched gears and was put to work building an
over-roof on the Carreón home, as well as doing some drywalling and
painting inside. The work there was finished by midday on Friday,
which wound up being a blessing because the group voted to begin
their 22-hour drive home on Friday afternoon!
We need everyone to
help us as we reach out to the people of Juarez during these
uncertain times. Please Join our
Prayer Team. Find out more
about project Amanecer.
Servant Event - Martin Luther
Chapel, Michigan State University- posted
March 16, 2009
The week of March
7-14, a group of college students from Martin Luther Chapel at
Michigan State University chose to spend their spring break helping
those in need. Their intention was to cross into Juarez and build a
house, but YLM’s buzzword, flexibility, came into play when
it was decided to keep groups on the U.S. side of the border until
the end of March. The 13 group members were thus put to work
repairing the trailer home of Maria Morales in El Paso’s Sparks
Colonia and made a noticeable impact after just four full days. The
home is also inhabited by Maria’s husband and four children. At the
close of the workday on Thursday, she and her family had a new
over-roof (which was put to the test on Wednesday as the area got
its first measurable rainfall of the year), tile in the living room
and hallway, and freshly painted living room walls. Bathroom
renovation and ceiling drywall is also underway and will be
completed by a subsequent group.
Amid the
disappointment over not getting to go to Mexico, two things that
brought smiles to the faces of all were Maria’s 2 year-old daughter
Alejandra—she had an endless supply of hugs and kisses and was
always eager to help us too—and one of the vendors from the Juarez
Market , Arturo Puente, bringing a truckload of his wares to the
mission’s parking lot so no one had to miss out on some authentic
Mexican souvenirs. The group closed out their weeklong vacation from
classes with a roadtrip to White Sands National Park on Friday.
Servant Events - Minot, ND &
Eau Claire, WI - posted
March 16, 2009
YLM welcomed March
with two groups, one working on each side of the border: 12 from
Minot, ND, who completed two houses near Pastor Hernandez’s San
Francisco mission site and 8 men from Eau Claire, WI, who repaired
the home of Mrs. Correón in Sparks.
The Eau Claire group
split their week between YLM and another mission in El Paso that
their church is affiliated with, but they were nonetheless able to
tear down an old chimney, hang mold/moisture resistant drywall on
the ceiling, and redo part of the roof. They also worked with a
church from NE on a house that YLM has become increasingly
involved in over the past couple of weeks, that of a woman named
Perla and her daughter Jazmin. They even worked all day on
Saturday 3/7 and didn’t begin their drive home until early Sunday
morning.
The Minot group was
the last YLM group this month to have an option to work on the
Juarez side of the border. They chose to go and tackle their
ambitious project of constructing 2 houses there. The sites were
right across the street from each other, so the group was able to
divide and conquer while still enjoying some friendly competition.
In the end, both houses were finished, providing new living space
for a total of seventeen people.
The week concluded
with a house blessing ceremony led by Pastor Hernandez accompanied
by his wife Blanca. This included songs in Spanish, a
prayer, and a blessing, followed by “Sanctuary” sung in English.
The group also presented the families with a unique housewarming
gift: a cross made out of scrap siding with a heart cut out of the
center. Each group member signed the cross, and they had the
families sign the hearts. They are going to be hung in the group’s
home church as a reminder that we love because He first loved us,
and the homes that were built are a tangible reminder of that
wonderful news.
This year, spring break
servant events (March 2009) will focus on the needs of families
living on the U.S. side of the border in the Sparks Colonia.
Water damage, roofing, and other major repairs are necessary in
dozens of homes in the impoverished colonia community.
42% of Sparks residents live below the poverty line and after the
2006 floods, 84% of the homes were assessed as needing improvement
by TX Housing. El Paso is the 4th poorest county in the United
States and THE poorest county along the U.S. border with Mexico.
Servant Events will also address similar repair needs of the
facilities of San Pablo Lutheran Church and YLM.
As the Mexican
government increases troop and police levels in Juarez to gain
control over the violence there, YLM groups will remain in El Paso
while conditions are monitored in Juarez. YLM groups have
safely completed numerous building projects and medical clinics in
Juarez throughout the past year in parts of the city and during
times of day where/when conditions were safe. This month,
however, a new surge in troop deployment to Juarez creates a new
situation, and it is uncertain how violence will either escalate or
decrease in different parts of the city and times of day. We
pray the government's efforts will bring about peace in the city for
all the residents.
The week of the February
23rd saw temperatures in the low 80’s all week, but that didn’t stop
2 groups, 5 students from Hanover College (including 2008 summer
volunteer Jason Taber) and a group of 11 from Peace Lutheran Church
in New Berlin, WI, from completing two houses.
The Hanover group worked
near Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in Juarez, and in 3 ½ days
built a new home for Armando, one
of the congregational leaders. In their remaining days they did some
evangelism to the local children (making beaded bracelets where each
bead is a different color and symbolizes a different aspect of the
Gospel story) went to the market, and helped with various other
tasks at YLM (the hot meal program and renovating the San Pablo
women’s restroom).
The New Berlin
group worked directly across the street from San Francisco, one of
Pastor Hernandez’s missions located on the western edge of Juarez.
Their home would be for a woman named Hilaria and her 15 yr. old
granddaughter, Carla. They worked steadily until Friday—although
their house did include indoor plumbing (an existing bathroom that
occupied part of the concrete pad) and they painted the inside (pink
and purple!)—but concluded the week with a market trip of their own
and dinner at Cattleman’s Steakhouse. Pastor Hernandez stopped by on
Thursday to conduct an incredibly moving blessing service for the
new homeowners.
An unforgettable moment from the week for the New Berlin group was
having the children at Santisima Trinidad sing for them at the end
of the service on Sunday—El Fundamento and Tu Nombre Levantaré, both
selections from the two Mariachi San Pablo CDs. The group couldn’t
just enjoy the choir’s serenade though...they had to get up and sing
too!
Lutherans Reach Out to Juarez Residents -
posted Feb. 23, 2009
Physical aid, prayer,
and Gospel outreach are some of the ways Ysleta Lutheran Mission is
reaching out to help Juarez, Mexico, residents during this time of
struggle and anxiety. Newspapers throughout the U.S. have been
reporting the violence and deaths resulting from the power struggle
between cartels and the Mexican government and police. Also,
the global economic downturn has led to factories closing,
unemployment and uncertainty about the future.
YLM is using its network
of missions and supply distribution to bring God's help to people of
northern Mexico and connect them with their live-giving savior,
Jesus Christ. YLM is increasing ministry support in ten Mexico
communities where it has planted missions or supports existing
churches. It is opening an additional ministry outreach in
Anapra. Meanwhile, ministry in El Paso is expanding from
Ysleta to include the Sparks colonia. "We are in the process
of planting two new churches this year -one in Mexico and one in the
U.S.," announced Vicar Stephen Heimer at a mission forum held at Our
Father Lutheran Church in Centennial, Colorado on Feb. 20th.
He explained, "I believe it is for such a time as this Ysleta
Lutheran Mission has been placed on the border with so many missions
planted in Juarez."
The violence in Juarez
has mainly targeted individuals involved in the drug
trade and the government. Large segments of the metropolis remains incident-free,
including the areas surrounding our missions. In 2008, servant event groups
(construction, medical, VBS) built and improved 48 homes, led VBS activities for 2,212 children, and saw more than 5,400 patients
in medical, dental, and eyeglass clinics. Local conditions are
closely monitored to ensure safety for groups, and backup projects
are planned in the U.S. if the day comes when it appears unsafe to
send groups to a mission community. Plans can be changed for
groups at the last minute and the servant events will still be able
to conduct needed and meaningful service. Many groups are
revitalizing homes and mission facilities in the U.S. (in Ysleta and
Sparks) as their first choice servant event projects.
Worship attendance and
Sunday School is booming in the Lutheran missions of Juarez as
people turn to God for help and hope. "We sincerely seek
to help the poor and make known the fullness of God's Word. We know that
faith in Christ is the necessary, unshakable source of peace for all
people," Stephen explains. This year YLM is aiming to
distribute $900,000 worth of food, clothing, school supplies, and
other aid to the people of Mexico. Additional ministry
objectives include:
the formation of a
prayer team of Christians from Juarez, El Paso, and throughout the
U.S. that will pray for the situation in Mexico, (Goal is to connect
with 1,000 people for weekly prayers)
the creation of "Small
Group Starter Kits" to help Juarez missions members and other aid
recipients to focus on God's Word. (Goal is to launch 20 small
groups throughout Juarez) The kit will include 7 portals of
Prayer devotions (in Spanish), 7 songbooks, two Mariachi San Pablo
CDs & an additional song accompaniment CD, and a prayer book.
launching of a new
church in Anapra
increased missionary &
lay minister follow-up for families in Juarez that receive physical
aid.
If you would like to
join this effort, please contact us. We need people to
pray for and with us, and we need
donations of food, school supplies, vitamins, and more. [see
donations]
Have a Heart Servants & Home
Makeover - posted Feb. 23, 2008
The week of February
14-21, YLM was aided by 2 groups of the non-traditional sort. Most
of the time, groups arrive and depart on Saturdays, but that was not
the case with either of these. On Friday night, the annual group of
youth and chaperones from Calvary Lutheran Church in Rio Rancho, NM,
arrived to provide help for the Have a Heart volunteer recognition
gala on Valentine’s Day. We couldn’t have executed the event without
their willing hands that set up tables, decorate, assist in the
kitchen, serve food, and clean up. They returned home on Sunday.
On Monday another group
arrived, this time comprised of two staff members from Fort Lone
Tree, a leadership ranch in New Mexico, and nineteen
youth/chaperones from Washington state who were participating in
their program on their mid-winter break from school. They worked
with YLM Tuesday through Thursday, proved themselves to be extremely
hardworking servants. They tackled home #12 in the Sparks Colonia
near El Paso. It is a trailer belonging to a woman named Ruby
and her 2 children—8 years and 10 months old. By sundown on
their last workday, the place had a new roof, new tile in the
bathroom, hallway, and one of the bedrooms, a newly painted living
room and hallway, and (after many trips to the hardware store) new
bathroom fixtures. Before saying good-bye, the whole group circled
up with Ruby in the middle, laid their hands on her, and lifted up a
prayer for her, her family, and her now livable home.
Praise the Lord for the
way He shows love for the needy and reaches out through His people
to the lost. In 2208, 47 servant event groups (812 servants)
devoted themselves to building, teaching, treating, witnessing
...doing wonderful acts of service and love to help the poor and
equip missions for ministry. Here is a summary of what servant
events accomplished last year:
built 19 homes for families
did major home repairs
on 29 families in Juarez and Sparks (Sparks is a colonia in the
U.S.)
saw 3,234 patients in
medical clinics
saw 2,193 patients in
eyeglass clinics
saw 154 patients in
dental clinics
witnessed to and taught
2,212 children with VBS-type events/activities
made numerous repairs
and improvements to 6 missions/churches (including cleaning,
painting, roof replacement, construction of RV pads,
electrical/plumbing, building storage area for construction
materials, drywall, etc...)
distributed 300+ pairs
of shoes
taught 120 students in
ESL classes
distributed 1,400 meals
during Thanksgiving weekend
Read some of the
articles written about the 2008
servant events. Some select pictures below... wonderful
moments of ministry:
Have a Heart Luncheon Honors Volunteers-
posted Feb. 17, 2009
A crowd of more than 300 volunteers & family
Mariachi San Pablo performs
Chef and Assistants
Super Y-Dance Program performs
Door Prizes
More Door Prizes
El Paso Mayor Cook visits and speaks to the volunteers
Winners of the Servant of Christ Award
On Saturday, Feb. 14th,
volunteers and their families (more than 300 people) gathered at YLM
for a banquet to honor them and other volunteers that served in
2008-2009. Volunteers served more than 52,000 hours helping
the poor and assisting missions. Four individuals we awarded
the "Siervo de Cristo" (Servant of Christ) award for their full-time
service as volunteers throughout the year: Felipe Esparza,
Virginia Rios, Felipa Chavira and Lazara Montejano. Below is a slideshow highlighting 2008-2009 at YLM.
Priase God for ALL the many people who serve Him at YLM!
Medical Clinics & Maintenance in
Juarez - posted Feb. 17, 2009
by Erin Makenzie
The week of February
7-14, YLM hosted a combined servant event group of twenty-five: 21
from St. Mark’s in Kentwood, MI, and 4 St. Paul’s in Des Peres, MO.
Together, they hosted record-setting medical clinics, completed a
roof in Anapra, and made significant progress on flooring and
painting the parsonage adjacent to Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in
Juarez. 611 people were helped at the medical clinics during
the week.
The medical clinic began
at San Lucas in Anapra on Monday and Tuesday, and then shifted to
Cristo Rey for the rest of the week; the construction crew worked
wherever the clinic was being held. Braving the lack of electricity
and the SNOW in Anapra, the group smoothed their process into a
science. Patients registered their names and medical histories and
then waited until one of the “runners” escorted them to the nurses
for an assessment as well as blood pressure and glucose tests if
necessary. Any difficult cases were passed onto the pros—a
pediatrician and a nurse practitioner—and then every patient
received vitamins and those who needed them headed to the pharmacy
for other types of medication. Lastly, everyone was given a coupon
for a hygiene kit, handed out by Pastor Meyer from St. Mark’s. He
also had Spanish Bible study materials and copies of the Lord’s
Prayer available.Cristo Rey followed the same pattern, only
everything was slightly more condensed, seeing as though the only
available space was the sanctuary itself.
The week had its share
of setbacks—ominous weather that prevented the group from attending
church in Mexico on Sunday and snow chilled the group on Tuesday—but
many good times were had by all, including a trip to the market in
Juarez and steak dinner at Cattleman’s. Another highlight was
providing a piñata for the children at each site on the last day we
were there. Lots of laughs were had watching them scramble to get as
much of the candy as possible. The group has already expressed
interest in returning to YLM next year, but hopefully they will keep
their Michigan weather where it belongs next time!
In February, eight members
of Bella Vista Lutheran Church in Bella Vista, AR, dedicated their
labor to a variety of projects on both sides of the border. Monday
and Tuesday part of the group crossed into Anapra to San Lucas
Lutheran Church, where they sided and painted a member's house and
painted the outside of the church that had been sided earlier this
year. They also gave the inside of the church a thorough
cleaning. Others in the group chose to stay in El Paso
organize the church library and the mountain of donations streaming
into the thrift store. They are so much improved!
The rest of the week was spent rennovating the home of Perla and
Jasmine in the Sparks colonia of El Paso. The relationships
and trust these and other volunteers have formed in the El Paso
colonia led to the recipient family asking to attend worship at San
Pablo the following Sunday. It is wonderful to see how God
uses His servants to break into the lives of people who desperately
need Him. When the group first arrived, they presented San
Pablo with a hand-carved wooden plaque in the shape of their home
state that says, “Amigos de BVLC.” It will be displayed at the
mission as a reminder that we are all friends in our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. For five of the six team members, this was at
least their second time at the mission—last year it snowed on them
and this year it was in the 70s all week!
In January, a group of 7 adults from Grand Island, NE, left the
wintry Midwest and ventured to YLM for a week of spreading the
Gospel. (and enjoy the warm weather) They had prepared a 2-hour VBS
curriculum which they performed at a different mission site each day
from Tuesday through Friday. A total of 316 kids and 92 adults
were served throughout the week. Also, small projects around
the mission were completed, such as working in the kitchen and
helping to sort donations in the warehouse.
The curriculum centered
around the theme of “Jesus is our Friend,” and included music
(complete with a saxophone and a recorder), the Bible story about
the paralyzed man being lowered through the roof so that Jesus could
heal him (Luke 5:17-26), a reenactment of the story using one of the
kids as the paralytic, crafts, snacks, and goodie bags at the end.
Everyone had a great time and learned a little more about what it
means to be a friend, how we can be a friend to others, and how we
can be a friend to Jesus. At the end of the week, the group left
their extra supplies with the Sunday school teacher that serves both
Anapra and Cristo Rey.
Servant
Event - Meyer Lutheran High School - posted
March 23, 2009
What better way to ring
in the New Year than serving the Lord? High school and college
students along with adult leaders from Mayer Lutheran High School in
Mayer, MN entered 2009 swinging....their hammers that is! This group
of 48 built 3 houses for needy families in Anapra. In addition to
their construction projects they held 3 days of VBS for about 80
kids each day. This team also carries out a unique outreach each
year where they invite neighborhood kids to a basketball clinic.
Here they teach the kids basketball skills, enjoy time playing with
them, and use this interaction as an opportunity to share their
faith. This year their basketball clinic had about 40 particpants.
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