Mexico Mission Trip 2005

The Mexico Mission Trip is an annual trip headed by Dr. Frederick Martin of Blountville, Tennessee.  Each year, he leads a group of medical and dental professionals and assistants from east Tennessee, southwest Virginia and eastern North Carolina to  Zacatecas Mexico (Zacatecas is a state).  There, in tiny Estancia de Animas, is the Bethshean Mexico Mission, founded by Cris Garcia.  The Bethshean Mexico Mission includes a home for elderly people, a Christian camp, and a growing team of pastors and regional Evangelical churches.  Working in Estancia and outlying villages, the medical team sows the seeds of the Gospel by seeing hundreds of patients during their brief, but intense, visits.

In conjunction with the medical mission is a carpentry team that usually travels during the same week.  Led by Gary Edwards of Heaton Christian Church (Elk Park, North Carolina), this team builds buildings, cabinets, podiums, pews and other things for budding Mexican congregations.

Back in 2001, I had the opportunity to join the two teams on location, doing computer work for the Bethshean mission and taking promotional photographs for Dr. Martin.  I was amazed at the receptiveness of the Mexicans to us.  For many of the villagers, our medical team is the only medical help they receive from one year to the next.

If you would like to help with this mission in any way, follow this link for their contact information:

Bethshean Mexico Mission

What follows here is a brief log of their February 2005 trip.  We may fill in more details after the group returns to the United States.  Feel free to check back.

Friday, February 25, 2005

[Update from Kim Calhoun, via Phone, 11:25 a.m.]

Kim said that Kenny just called from Texas, and the team was about to board the plane for Charlotte.  It sounds like the mission trip was a great success!

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

[Update from Melanie Terrell, via E-Mail, 5:00 p.m.]

Melanie sent a few more photos to enjoy from her experience with our mission team.

 

[Update from Melanie Terrell, via E-Mail, 12:04 a.m.]

"I'm sorry I'm so late getting these to you.  I had to go to Atlanta this evening to retrieve my cell phone which I left at the airport last night.  I can't believe they actually found it.  Anyway, here are some pictures.  There are a couple that are blurry, but I can't remember which ones they are, so in the interest of time I'm going send them on and you can keep or delete whatever you want.  I looked at your website today and enjoyed reading all the entries.  God bless!"

All photos in today's entry are copyrighted 2005 by Melanie Terrell, taken with a Casio QV-R40 digital camera.  I especially liked the enlarged photo at right of Mark and Janie working on a patient in Rascon. 

To see a larger image, just click on any of the images below. 

 

Monday, February 21, 2005

[Update from Melanie Terrell, via E-Mail, 11:40 p.m.]

"Hola!  On behalf of the medical/carpenters mission team I am sending you this email to let you know that everybody on the team is doing well and working hard for the Lord.  Faith Simpson and I have been there with them doing a ladies' retreat and just returned home to Georgia tonight.  Since cell phones do not work in Estancia, and Cris's email is down, we told them we'd let you all know that they're all doing well.  We were so impressed by their dedication and love for the Lord and his people.  What a great work they are doing!  God bless you all for holding down the fort while they become the hands and feet of Jesus.  What a witness!"

[Update from Kim Calhoun, via Phone, 10 p.m.]

Kim provided us with a report this evening on the construction team.  They are making church pews, and unlike many other past mission trips, they have been able to get all the material they've needed.  The only thing that hasn't worked out is that the man making windows won't have them finished before they leave; however, he has committed to install the windows after he finishes them.

Everyone has received their luggage.  So far, no one's sick and the weather has been great.  The church service at Rascon was good yesterday.  The prayer request is for hearts to be opened to the Gospel as a result of the team's work.

Saturday, February 19, 2005

[Update from Dr. Freddy Martin, via Phone, 11:30 p.m.]

"It's lots of fun," said Freddy, reflecting on how the overall mission trip was going.  On Friday in Pastorilla, the medical team saw nearly 70 patients, and Mark (dentist) saw 45.  A highlight of the day was eating lunch with a Catholic family and presenting them with a tapestry depicting Bible history.  Saturday, the group journeyed to Maravillas.  Freddy wasn't sure how many patients they saw because he was out midday with a migraine.  In spite of his condition, he was able to perform a couple of minor surgeries.  The construction crew has been making pews and other items for area churches.  Finally, Freddy continues to be happy with the medical trailer, which is "working wonderfully for the pharmacy and supplies."

By the way, the phone number at the camp is 011-52-496-965-4679.  It costs the Bethshean Mission more to call the states than it does for us to call them from the states.  Thus, Freddy recommends that families contacting mission team members originate their calls from the U.S. in the evenings.

The itinerary from here out is:  Rascon on Sunday; Provincia (or Progressa) on Monday; Rucio on Tuesday; and Estancia de Animas again on Wednesday.  Thursday is rest and relaxation (a.k.a. shopping in Mexico), and on Friday the group flies out.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

[Update from Kim Calhoun, via Phone, 9:00 p.m.]

Kim said that the group had a good first day in Mexico.  As an early answered prayer, a trailer hitch, shock absorbers, and wiring that Kenny brought worked on the trailer.  Kenny also worked on the preacher's vehicle (I assume Manuel's).  The medical team got organized, and a small group had gone back over to San Luis Potosi to pick up the remaining boxes and luggage that had not arrived the night before.  The temperature was warm today, in the low 80's.  The group is upbeat and ready for its mission work.

[Update from Dr. Freddy Martin, via Phone, 10:55 a.m.]

According to Freddy, everyone arrived safely at the San Luis Potosi airport at 8:17 p.m. last night.  The Mexican customs took about an hour to screen each and every box.  Five medial boxes and the dental unit did not make last night's flight, so please pray that American Airlines puts these items on tonight's flight so they can be used on Friday's trip to Pastorilla.  Also, Mark and Karen's luggage did not make the flight.  The group left the airport at 10:15, found a Dominos Pizza en route, and arrived in Estancia de Animas at 2:30 a.m. this morning.

Today, the medical team is organizing new supplies as well as supplies in storage from past mission trips.  Freddy will be seeing elderly patients at the home for the elderly (Bethshean Mexico Mission).  The construction group is working on the trailer so it can be used to haul medical supplies.

The itinerary for the next few days has the team in Estancia de Animas today, Pastorilla tomorrow, Maravillas on Saturday, and Rascon on Sunday.  

[Update from Kathy Ellis]

"The last time I talked to David and Katie they were in Texas.  Everything had gone good with customs; they were waiting on the next flight.  The flight made it to San Luis Potosi, but I haven't talked to them."  -- Kathy Ellis

Monday, February 14, 2005

[Update from Dr. Freddy Martin]

Only two more days until we leave.   We will be meeting at Heaton Christian Church at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and leave there around 9:00 a.m.  Mark is taking Central Holston's Church van, David is taking a cargo van for our supplies and luggage, and either Gary or I will be driving a vehicle down to the airport in Charlotte. 

If anyone needs directions to Heaton let me know.  I am also including a short list of clothes and things to possibly take.  I understand the weather is going to be much warmer this year, 70-80's during the day and 40-50's at night.

What to Bring: 

• Jeans Shirts - No tank tops 

• Warm Clothes -- Layers work well 

• Jacket 

• Comfortable shoes -- plan on them getting dirty 

• Work shoes -- if you plan on doing construction 

• Causal Church Clothes for Sunday Church - Dress Pants or Skirts for Women 

• Other personal items 

• No shorts 

• No crosses 

• No cards 

• Bible 

• Pencil or Pen 

• Flashlight with extra batteries 

• Camera, film, extra battery if needed 

• Towels, washcloths 

• Toiletry items -- toothbrush, toothpaste, small packs of diaper wipes, tissue 

• Sleeping Bag Optional -- Cris has several sleeping bags there already 

• Pillow 

Also, here is a phone number to use for contacting us in the evening: 001-52-496-965-4679.  I am also going to try to send out emails regarding each day if I can so our families and friends can keep up-to-date.