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Mexico Mission Trip 2006 Friday, February 17, 2006 I spoke with Freddy tonight. The group worked a half day today, seeing about 50 patients. They are packing, getting ready to go to Guanajuato to shop tomorrow and fly out Sunday. Everyone is healthy now, except Cris Garcia apparently has a cold. Freddy summarized the trip as very productive and said, "God is good." They averaged 90 to 100 patients a day. The construction team made about eighteen pews, ten tables, and did "beautiful work" finishing out the Maravillas church. Keep the team in your prayers as they journey home. Wednesday, February 15, 2006 Hi everyone. It's catch up time for the Mexico trip update. Let's go back to last Sunday, where the group worshipped at the church in Rascon (a tradition each trip). Freddy said that Mike Fields preached, doing an excellent job. Afterwards, they saw 65 medical and 30 dental patients. He also reported that there were a lot of sick children receiving attention. I asked him what some of the younger members of the team were doing. Rachel is working at checking patients in, Kyle is working the pharmacy, along with Sarah. Josh entertains and plays with the Mexican children, and Ben is videotaping. As for Monday, the group was planning a trip to Las Crucis, and Gary's construction team expected to finish working on the Maravillas church. However, Carol called last night, and said that Monday, they went to Las Dollas instead. The community dismissed school, and the team was able to set up the clinic there. They saw over 70 medical and 20 dental patients (the doctors are getting worn out). Tuesday, they went to San Miguel, seeing around 96 medical and 20 or so dental patients. A few in the group have had illnesses, but everyone is doing OK. From what Carol said, this trip is pretty routine, and the construction crew is staying busy. I didn't catch today and tomorrow's destinations, but I know they plan to be back in Estancia de Animas on Friday, head to Guanajuato Saturday, and fly home on Sunday. [I apologize for the delayed information. Kassi and new baby Tommy were discharged yesterday from the hospital (you can follow that story on our home page), just as Anna got sick, so we've been scurrying around to get her and Erika out of the house to keep the baby safe. Now that we're home, hopefully our updates will be more timely.] Friday, February 10, 2006 Dr. Martin called to let us know that they were in Maravillas today. This is the village where they have been building a church over the past year. Freddy said that the church is looking great. Gary, Dean, and David Ellis, who have been in Mexico since Monday, have been "working like dogs". They have been joined by Paul, Kenny, and David Jones, and are working on the ceiling and front wall of the building. Yesterday at Estancia de Animas, the medical team saw 20 to 30 dental patients and 40 to 50 medical patients. He said they performed several surgeries as well. They only worked a half day yesterday, which is normal on the first day since they get in so late the evening before. The call was short, as they were busy seeing patients. Thursday, February 9, 2006 Carol Martin called with great news! Everyone and everything made it into Mexico without any problems. All the medical supplies passed through customs, and no luggage was lost or delayed. Today, the group will stay at the camp in Estancia de Animas. The group thanks everyone for praying for the voyage and urges everyone to offer God prayers of thanksgiving for hearing our prayers for the trip into Mexico. The schedule for the next few days will be Friday, Maravillas, Saturday, Pastorilla, and Sunday, Rascon. Background Visit last year's 2005 trip website: 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.
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. |
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.