Mission Work Groups
This month was all about youth! We had three groups visit and volunteer with us — one was returning after their first visit last year, one was 40+ people strong, and one was a completely brand new team! All of these groups had young people in them, and our local volunteers had a blast with them.
The groups built a combined five houses, plus poured roofs, helped with the children’s nutrition and grocery package programs, played hours of soccer and volleyball (after working all day!), and hosted some super fun end-of-week fiestas. There were tons of friendships built this month, and God’s love was evident – that’s what it’s all about!
We are already scheduling teams for 2024, so if you are interested in bringing a team to Reynosa, check out our calendar online to find a week that works for you and get in touch with Colleen for more information. We can’t wait to work with you!
Get Your Faith Ministry Swag!
We opened our new online merch store this month! Head over to shop.faithministry.org and get your hands on our new 2023 t-shirt, plus tons of other Faith Ministry swag! We’ll be adding even more soon, and all proceeds go right back to serving families here along the border in Mexico.
Providing Medical Care
This month, we had the privilege of partnering again with our friends at Manos Juntas, a Methodist nonprofit working along the border here in Mexico. They brought a volunteer medical team from Ohio to our clinic and were able to provide a wide variety of services to our community, including dentistry, optometry, primary care, nutrition counseling, and medication. It is thanks to our friends at FUMC McAllen that we have this partnership, and some of their members were here to help out. It was a wonderful day of teamwork, and we look forward to continuing to work together!
Interns from Monterrey
One of the exciting aspects of our spiritual growth program is our partnership with Instituto Bíblico Berea Monterrey, including having two of their recent graduates with us for a full year as interns. Braulio and Bris will be assisting in our spiritual growth program, as well as other ministry programs, so that we can continue sharing and showing the love of God to our communities in Reynosa and Miguel Alemán. We are excited to have them here with us!
We Need Your Help
For the past several years, the Mexican peso to US dollar exchange rate has been between 19 and 20 pesos per 1 dollar. This year, that rate has plummeted to 16 or 16.5 pesos per 1 dollar. So, what does that mean for Faith Ministry?
We receive our donations in U.S. dollars and spend them in Mexican pesos. So, this means that our funds are not going as far. For example, we are currently spending $3,000 to $5,000 more per week to run the ministry programs in Mexico, simply because of the exchange rate. We’re spending almost the same amount of pesos, but those pesos are costing us that much more because of the exchange rate.
This is hitting the ministry’s budget hard, and we need your help. Consider signing up for a monthly donation – the consistency of monthly donations keeps the ministry going! If you are able, increase your annual gift to Faith Ministry this year so that your dollars can go just as far as they did last year.
As always, we thank each and every one of you for your prayers, support, and generosity. You make a difference here in Mexico.
Prayer Requests
We believe in the power of prayer, so please join us in praying for:
- Luz, who is dealing with some health issues that are affecting his energy levels. Pray for him to heal well and for his strength and stability.
- Omar, who continues to struggle with a wide variety of health issues stemming from his fall and subsequent knee surgery last year, as well as a foot infection and subsequent surgery in December. 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.