Another Home for a Family
This month, our staff and volunteers in Reynosa built Casa #3 for the Rodriguez Godin family! It was provided by our friends at First Presbyterian Church in Lumberton, NC, and built in memory of a young member named Carr who used to come to Mexico with his dad and passed away in 2019. Carr’s parents and two other members of the church were able to come to Reynosa for a day to participate in a special dedication of this house, and we could not have been happier to have them. This month, we also poured the roof of Casa #2, completing another house for a family here in Mexico!
We currently have families on the waiting list for houses this year, and we are eager to build them the homes they need! If you or your church is interested in funding a house for a family in Mexico this year, please email Colleen at colleen@faithministry.org; the cost is $6,000. Muchas gracias!
Student Photos… Finally!
Every year, we take photos of our scholarship students to share with their sponsors, and the sponsors love seeing them grow up year to year. In 2020, we weren’t able to take those photos due to the pandemic, but this month, with many precautions in place, we were able to take the students’ photos, in addition to distributing their scholarship checks and receiving letters for their sponsors. Our current sponsors can look forward to getting these photos and letters in the mail soon!
If you’re interested in sponsoring a student in our scholarship program, click here to find out more or email Colleen at colleen@faithministry.org.
Welcome Back: Phase 1
We are excited to announce that our staff and Board of Directors have developed and approved a plan to safely welcome back small groups and visitors to Reynosa, Mexico, starting June 1!
Here’s a recap of what this Phase 1 plan looks like:
- Max group size is 6 people
- Everyone in the group must be fully vaccinated; this means right now, we will only allow people 16 years and older
- Masks and social distancing will be required at all times when with the FM staff/volunteers/community in Mexico
Check out the full plan, FAQs, and an example of the covenant everyone will sign here: https://faithministry.org/welcome-back.
Our objective with this plan is to revitalize the fellowship and relationships between our friends in the U.S. and our staff and community in Mexico with the health and safety of everyone involved as our number one priority.
We are happy to have a group of six come and work for a week, but we’d also love for anyone to come down and visit with us for a couple days! If this is something you’re interested in, email Colleen at colleen@faithministry.org, and we’ll make a plan.
We will be in Phase 1 starting June 1, and this phase will last until all of our staff in Mexico is fully vaccinated. At that point, we’ll move into Phase 2, which we envision to be one more step toward “normal” with larger groups. That could be later in 2021, or it could be until the beginning of 2022. We will continue to monitor the vaccine distribution in Mexico and keep everyone updated.
Thank you all for your understanding and your willingness to protect yourselves and our loved ones here in Mexico. We know that by working together, we can continue making a difference and changing lives, in the safest way possible!
Lupe’s Retirement
For 18 years, Lupe, one of our construction foremen in Reynosa, devoted his time and energy to the families in need in Mexico through Faith Ministry. As one of our construction foremen, he led in the building of countless houses, coming alongside U.S. and local volunteers to teach them how to lay blocks, mix cement, and tie rebar. No matter the circumstances, Lupe greeted everyone with a big smile and provided enough laughter to everyone around him to last a lifetime.
After an incredibly painful year and much prayer and consideration, Lupe has decided to close this chapter and has officially retired from Faith Ministry. Lupe will always be part of the Faith Ministry family, so we know that we will remain close and that he will want to say hi to everyone when they are able to visit again. We are so grateful for Lupe’s heart for serving others and his dedication to the ministry over the past 18 years and are praying for him in this next chapter of his life; we know that God will continue to do great things through him.
Prayer Requests
We believe in the power of prayer, so please join us in praying for:
- Lupe, as he enters a new chapter in his life. Pray for peace and guidance, as well as for his physical, mental, and spiritual health.
- Marisela, our cook and caretaker in Reynosa, who continues to have health issues related to her back; pray for healing and comfort for her.
- Continued peace and safety in the town of Miguel Alemán for our staff and the families that live there.
- The health and safety of our staff, volunteers, Board of Directors, and friends across the world as we continue to take small steps toward “normalcy”
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
Staff Vaccine Update
This month, Mexico began vaccinating adults 60 years and older, and this week, they opened up registration for adults 50 years and older. Here’s an update on the vaccine status of our staff in McAllen, Reynosa, and Miguel Alemán:
Thank You!
Thank you for everything you do to support Faith Ministry! We appreciate your donations, your prayers, and your dedication to the ministry.