Back to School
Summer is coming to an end, and it is time for students to head back into the classroom! This month, we had several different activities for the children in our communities. In Miguel Alemán, we hosted VBS in the rural outreach community of Guardados de Arriba, where each kid got a pack of school supplies. In both Reynosa and Miguel Alemán, we hosted back-to-school events for all of the 185+ students in our scholarship program! In Reynosa, we had two events – one for elementary and junior high students and another for our high school and college students. Students and staff from our partners at Berea Bible Institute in Monterrey came up to help and put on a wonderful program for everyone. We had snack stands, games, and fun activities, and we prayed over the students and their parents as they prepare to go back to school. We ended with a meal, and each student left with a pack of some supplies for school.
If you’re interested in sponsoring a student through our scholarship program, get in touch with Colleen at colleen@faithministry.org.
Saying Goodbye to Pastor Carlos
This month, we shared the bittersweet news that Pastor Carlos made the difficult decision to move on from Faith Ministry. While we were sad to see him go, we are confident that God has many good and wonderful things ahead for him, his family, and his ministry. Carlos served our ministry for more than eight years, and during that time, he truly made a difference in the community of Reynosa and touched the lives of many, many families. He loved working with the mission work groups and will miss you all, but knows that he always has his Faith Ministry family here on the border and across the U.S.
Training our Staff
As many of you know, we’ve been investing time into our own staff through our staff health initiative by bringing experts in fields such as physical health, nutrition, mental health, and spiritual health. This month, we focused on personal development and leadership, and our staff in Reynosa was blessed with two days of learning and training from Ismael Ruiz-Millan, who serves as a district superintendent with the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. We can’t thank Ismael enough for this opportunity to gain knowledge and develop together as a staff; it was a great experience for all of us!
How You Can Help
We’ve been sharing a lot this month about how the peso to US dollar exchange rate has plummeted this year. At the beginning of the year, it was about 20 pesos to 1 U.S. dollar. Right now, it’s about 16 pesos for 1 dollar.
But what does that all mean for Faith Ministry?
Well, we receive donations in U.S. dollars and spend the majority of them in Mexico as pesos. And our dollars are not going as far as they used to.
A few examples:
- In January, we could spend $5,000 a month to provide grocery packages to 150 families. Now, with that same amount of money, we can only buy enough packages for 120 families.
- Since the beginning of the year, the cost for us to build a house for a family in Mexico has gone up $1,000. The cost of materials is the same; that $1,000 increase comes from the exchange rate alone.
- At the beginning of the year, $750 every week bought enough meals to feed 250 kids. Those same dollars now only buy enough meals for 200 kids.
Here’s how you can help:
1) Sign up for monthly giving
This is one of the best ways to consistently support the families in Mexico through Faith Ministry. Visit faithministry.org/give-monthly to sign up. Any amount helps!
2) Make a one-time donation
You can easily make a donation online at faithministry.org/give or send a check payable to Faith Ministry to PO Box 756, McAllen, TX 78505. You can even make a donation through Venmo (@faithministrymx)!
3) Buy some cool Faith Ministry swag for yourself or a friend
All proceeds from our online merch store go back to help families in Mexico! Shop at shop.faithministry.org.
4) Share about Faith Ministry with someone you know
The more people know about Faith Ministry, the more likely they are to visit, volunteer, and/or donate! Get in touch with Colleen if you need ideas for sharing about the ministry or want print or digital materials to use.
5) Pray
These are tough times financially, and Faith Ministry needs your prayers. More importantly, the families in Mexico who we serve on a daily basis need your prayers.
Prayer Requests
We believe in the power of prayer, so please join us in praying for:
- Yadira, our administrator in Reynosa, who very unexpectedly lost her mom this month. Pray for peace and comfort for her and her family during this difficult time.
Juan, the brother of Juli, our nurse in Reynosa, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia and had a stroke. He is in desperate need of prayers for healing and strength, so join us in praying for him and his medical team, as well as for his family.
Marisela, who recently had gallbladder surgery – everything went well, so continue to pray for her recovery.
PRAISE! Luz, our construction supervisor in Miguel Alemán, is doing much better with his health. Continue to pray for him.
Omar, who continues to battle a wide variety of health issues. He remains in Monterrey, and we ask for your continued prayers for his health, wellbeing, and recovery, as well as for his comfort and peace.
The health of our staff, volunteers, Board of Directors, and friends around the world
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
Thank You!
Thank you for everything you do to support Faith Ministry! We appreciate your donations, your prayers, and your dedication to the ministry.