October News: Building, celebrating, and reflecting

Celebrating 26 Years!

This month, Faith Ministry celebrated our 26th anniversary of making a difference on the border in Mexico! Last year, we marked our 25th anniversary with a huge fiesta with hundreds of people in attendance. This year obviously looked a little different, but our vision remains the same. To celebrate this month, we had a small “fiesta” in Reynosa – just our staff, along with our Board president Tom. We grilled meat and tostadas (of course), we had cake (again, of course), and most importantly, we sang Unidos, Unidos together.

As we sang, we were reminded of the importance of staying connected, staying united. Despite the challenges and circumstances of this year, we know we are not alone. We know that for many of you, not being able to come to Mexico this year has been painful. It has been for us too. But know that each time we sing together, each time we mix another batch of cement, each time we deliver a grocery package to a family, each time we lay blocks for another house, we are thinking of each of you. The support and encouragement from each of you throughout this year has kept us going. We are not alone; we are unidos, unidos with each of you, despite the distance.

We are excited to see what God has in store next for Faith Ministry, and we are sure that whatever comes our way, we will continue to make a difference in His name and for His glory.

Click to watch our staff singing Unidos, Unidos together!

Building Houses & Pouring Roofs

Our construction program was fully back up and running this month. Our construction staff, along with a few former volunteers that we hired to help, made great progress by building three houses and pouring five roofs!

They built Casa #4, Casa #5, and Casa #6, the three houses that were slated to be built by mission work groups the first week of the pandemic back in March. Thanks to the funding we received from those groups who were supposed to come, we were able to still build those houses and provide homes for the families. In addition to pouring the roofs of these three houses, the staff and extra help also poured the roof of Casa #3 and the roof of a house built for Chuky’s in-laws to replace the one that burned down. We are so proud of the work the construction staff and extra helpers did this month!

Click to watch homeowner Margarita share about why her new home means so much to her and her family.

Grocery Packages

This month, we distributed another 150 grocery packages to families in need in Reynosa, Miguel Alemán, and Monterrey, including to our staff in Mexico and the workers we hired to help with construction. Thank you for all of your support that makes these packages possible!

Remembering Our Brother Deantin

While October is a celebratory anniversary month for Faith Ministry, it is unfortunately also the month we lost our founder Deantin Guerra two years ago. Deantin had a vision of changing lives in Mexico and faith that God would make it happen. 26 years later, much of what has given our staff the strength to keep going during this difficult year was learned from Deantin. Pray, but also move your feet. Make a difference, one starfish at a time. God is with us, every step of the way. As we remember Deantin, we remember his strong leadership, his wise catchphrases, and his unwavering faith, and that is the example we look to as we keep going, keep making a difference, one at a time.

Prayer Requests

We believe in the power of prayer, so please join us in praying for:

Ezequiel, our retired foreman, who lost his wife Petra this month. Pray for peace and comfort for him and his family as they grieve this devastating loss.
Lupe, our foreman, who continues to struggle physically and mentally after losing his wife, mother-in-law, and step-son Angel over the summer. Pray for comfort, strength, and peace for him and his family.
The family of Wilma, a member of the Naranjito church, who passed away this month from health complications. Pray for peace and strength for her family.
Families in Mexico as they prepare for the colder months here on the border, especially those who do not have a warm and safe place to live.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12

“More Than Conquerors…”

There is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God. Click to watch Pastor Carlos and Emmanuel share Romans 8:37-39.

Click to watch Pastor Carlos and Emmanuel share a passage from Romans.

On Our Blog

At the end of the 2019-2020 school year, four of our scholarship students graduated college, and another eight graduated from high school! This is, of course, a major accomplishment, but the graduates this year experienced that accomplishment in the midst of a pandemic, meaning changes to their classes and schedules and missing out on the in-person celebration of graduation.

This month, we spoke with two of our college graduates, Ricardo and Ailed, about their experiences graduating during a pandemic.

Read About Their Experiences