Reflecting the Shalom of God among Indigenous Communities of Southern Mexico

Angelica's update

2011-08-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

Antes que todo damos gracias a Dios por sus misericordias y grande amor con que nos ha amado. Gracias tambien a cada uno de ustedes que con sus donativos y especialmente sus oraciones hacen posible que podamos servir a nuestro Padre Celestial en este bello lugar de San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas.

En nuestra reciente visita a San Mateo en Puebla, al Centro Cultural, pudimos gozarnos de ver que hay constante actividad con los cursos de Reposteria, Bordado, Bisuteria, etc. Gracias a quienes dieron de sus recursos para poner el techo que ha dado un toque de acabado de construccion muy bueno.

Hace algun tiempo intente abrir un dispensario medico en la Iglesia y comenzaron a llegar unos pocos pero en mi corazon ha estado el dar servicio medico no solo a los cristianos, sino a todo aquel que lo necesite y esa oportunidad se presento cuando una tarde, pasando por una farmacia de Similares (donde se vende medicamentos genericos a bajo costo) vi un anuncio solicitando medico. Pense en la posibilidad de trabajar ahi y lo comente con mi esposo, quien me apoyo mucho al punto de aceptar que yo trabajase aqui de lunes a viernes de 9 a 2p.m. Asi que desde inicios de agosto estoy trabajando aqui. El costo de la consulta es de 20 pesos, por lo que la gente recibe beneficio a bajo costo y aunque no es mucho lo que yo gano, me he sentido bendecida porque Dios me ha dado la oportunidad de orar por gente con mucha necesidad.

Este horario me permite seguir participando en las actividades de la iglesia: la radio con mi program Hojas de Sanidad (donde doy temas medicas) y el de matrimonios con mi esposo los dias sabados de -7p.m. "Un Pacto con Dios." Agosto ha sido declarado El Mes de la Biblia y el 28 de agosto, el dia de la Biblia. Dios en su favor me ha concedido estar como maestra de Escuela Dominical para los adultos y en este mes hablar sobre la Biblia (el libro de Libros) lo cual es un gran privilegio.

Nuestro hijo pasa a segundo ano de kinder y en este mes, del 30, cumple 4 anos. Este domingo pasado fuimos a la comunidad de Esperanza para participar en la dedicacion de un templo para los hermanos de ese lugar, principamente familiares de los presos del caso Acteal, quienes por varias razones no tenian un lugar donde congregarse.

Bueno, que Dios les bendiga muchisimo y espero estar en contacto con uds. por email o en Facebook para poder chatear mas.

July update

2011-06-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

This month we celebrate our first year in Chiapas and what a year it's been! First, going back to the Spring of 2010 when we made the decision to affiliate with Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc. This mission agency came to our attention at just the right time and their vision of supporting national missionaries/ministries has helped us to focus our ministry goals. It was after joining Palm that we made the decision to leave the Center in Angelica's hometown to others in her family and move to Chiapas to help a Mexican pastor with his vision of an itinerant Bible school.

As we highlight some of our ministry in Chiapas over the past year we also want to give thanks to God for Jubilee Economics Ministries (JEM) with whom we had visited Chiapas many times over the past decade including the church we currently attend and the Bible school where we have rented a house. God has opened doors here for us to work in medical outreaches to indigenous villages, a ministry of reconciliation among groups in conflict, evangelism and discipleship through radio programs and teaching in our local church and finally theological education.

Medical Outreaches

It was 13 years ago when Angelica and I first came to Chiapas together, before we were married, to work with a young pastor from Oaxaca who was planting a church and working especially with persecuted indigenous Christians. This month we will be celebrating their 15th anniversary of the church where we are involved. Angelica has organized two medical outreaches to an indigenous village where the church has started a mission outpost and another outreach to a region where JEM has been involved. Our church has also made available a small room for Angelica to receive patients and provide medicine at low cost.

Ministry of Reconciliation

From our first visits to Chiapas during the 90's we have been struck by the complexity of the conflict with political, economic and religious ties all combining to make a solution very difficult to find. But because of our decade long experience here we have been able to gain the confidence of groups from many sides of the conflict. We have begun the process of inviting people from different sides to share a common experience with us as a way to see each other in a different light in the hopes of breaking down the walls that divide.

Evangelism and Discipleship

Our local church organizes evangelistic campaigns throughout the year and we participated in one in an indigenous village though we concentrate our efforts on our radio programs reaching out through medical themes and marriage counseling. We also have helped to solidify some cell groups from our church through a balance of prayer, praise and Bible teaching. Dan especially enjoys meeting young people who come to Chiapas interested in the revolutionary atmosphere as he did 30 years ago in Nicaragua trying to convey the idea of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the most revolutionary idea in the history of humanity.

Theological Education

This was the main ministry that initially brought us to Chiapas last year and Pedro's vision for the itinerant Bible school has expanded with groups in three cities, intensive courses with visiting profs., theological forums and book presentations as well as collaborating with our church's newly formed residential seminary. The Bible school where we are now living also has 15 years of experience with popular theological education among indigenous villages and we hope to have a closer relationship with them this coming year.

With gratitude in our hearts

When we look back on this first year in Chiapas gratitude is what fills our hearts as we have seen so many doors opened to us to use our callings and gifts in the service of national ministries. Please continue to scroll down this blog to see more of what God has provided for us with pictures as well. We thank all of you who have entrusted to us from your finances allowing us to experience God working through us in so many ways. We also continue to seek your prayers especially for: 1.) Pedro's precarious financial situation supporting his family as he launches the Bible school. 2.) The increased incidence of violence in indigenous communities due to the complex mixture of political, economic and religious affliliations. 3.) The fledgling theological groups that have been started that they might solidify with consistent students and more educators to teach classes.

As always, we love to have visitors and in true Latino fashion we say with an open heart that "Nuestra Casa es tu Casa" (Our home is your home).

Muchas gracias,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob

May/June update

2011-06-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

First, we are very excited that due to a generous gift from La Villita friends we were able to put a roof over our Centro in Angelica's hometown in Puebla. This will allow us to open the Cafe which can host concerts, seminars and workshops for the benefit of the community. Gracias!

This month we moved into this brand new construction on the grounds of a Bible school that we are helping with our rent. It is beautifully done inside with three bedrooms 1 1/2 baths and large living/dining area downstairs with a good sized kitchen. It should also be warmer during the winter months. This is the view from our front door with the large yard and a vegetable garden. Volunteers are scheduled to come this summer to clean it up and make it more fruitful. The Bible school is just below us thru the open door. The mountains are so beautiful!

So we also obtained a puppy since we have the large yard and as a friend for Jacob. Since he is the color of smoke I suggested calling him "humo" but Angelica thought the English translation sounded better..."smokey."

April update

2011-04-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Aside from our regular daily activities like: leaving and picking up Jacob at his pre-school, shopping and other necessary errands here is a rundown of our activities:
Monday: Angelica's craft class with displaced Christian women from indigenous communities. Dan is an invited guest on the pastor's early morning radio program.
Tuesday: Dan attends class at the church's seminary taught by the pastor and checks on remodeling progress for their dormitory.
Wednesday: Visit to indigenous communities in the Acteal region where tension is still high 13 years after a massacre of 45 people. Bible study/prayer meeting with displaced indigenous Christians living in San Cristobal.
Thursday: Angelica's radio program on medical issues. Teachers from our Jovel Biblical Institute teach courses at our church's seminary.
Friday: Angelica is invited guest on another Christian radio program. Prayer meeting at the church.
Saturday: When not traveling to another village we use this day to clean the house, rest and our family day until our 6-8p.m. radio program on marriage.
Sunday: Services at 10am and 6pm with a meal out in between usually with another family from the church.
No time for: Angelica's growing consultation practice as more people are calling for appts. Dan and Pedro are in desperate need to find more time to study and prepare course material for more opportunities to teach in various locations. We so appreciate your continued involvement with us through finances and prayer in our ministry here in Chiapas and ask that you specifically pray that correct priorities are maintained: God, family, ministry.

March update

2011-03-12T16:25:00.001-08:00

We will call this update "Spiritual feeding" beginning with Jacob's unquenchable hunger for his "leche" (milk).

Our family recently visited these awesome waterfalls known as "El Chiflon" which reminds us of God's unquenchable desire to continually feed us through his Word.

Our church sponsored an evangelistic campaign for three nights in the bull ring of San Cristobal which was well attended mainly by indigenous people from the periphery of the city whose hunger for God's Word is bringing revival to the whole city.

This is a local church in a small town about an hour from San Cristobal where our church has opened a residential seminary where Dan and Pedro are teaching two days a week.
We pray that you also continue to hunger and thirst after knowledge of God's Word especially in these difficult days of economic recession, earthquakes and wars. Peace be with you all!

A Life of Justice

2011-02-22T17:40:00.000-08:00

Psalm 112 provides us with a glimpse of what a life devoted to God's Reign yields. Someone who fears the Lord and delights in his commandments will see his children's children become mighty in the land, wealth and riches will be his, he will be light in the midst of darkness and his righteousness will endure forever. He will be generous, lending freely to any who ask and run his business with integrity. He will be steadfast, his mind and heart unshakable even when bad news comes and will live to see his enemies defeated. As his righteousness endures forever, he will give freely to the poor and be able to walk with dignity among all.

I recently preached from this text in a small church in southern Mexico and when we finished going through the chapter I asked what do you think is the main point. What seems to be a common concept? A 10 year old girl spoke up from the front row and said, " la justicia." You see in Spanish the word "justicia" appears three times and the noun "justo" another three times. That word has become notorious for keeping us from understanding biblical texts or at least providing us with an excuse for not practicing its demands. In the English text vss. 3, 5 & 9 use terms such as righteousness, honesty and integrity where the Spanish always uses "justicia."

In the Hebrew language the idea of justice has the meaning of rightness, integrity, and without obstruction on a variety of levels. In vs. 3 it is referring to an individual's relation to God. In vs. 5 it refers to a person's dealings with his neighbors, clients, customers and all those with whom he is in daily contact. Finally, in vs. 9 we see a much broader context where justice is being done on a societal level. This verse carries echoes of the "Year of the Lord's favor" that we hear about in the Jubilee, Is. 61 and Lk. 4 when the poor will have the good news preached to them, debts will be cancelled, land re-distributed with equality. The word translated power or dignity which will be gloriously exalted (v.9) is literally in the Hebrew "ram's horn," or the instrument used to announce the year of Jubilee.

The concluding verse of this psalm departs drastically from all these wonderful fruits of a life of justice when it says that this kind of life will provoke anger, resentment and violence from those who profit from the politics of hate, division and war. While the fruit of justice will be peace (Is. 32:17) we often are reminded of the violence that inevitably comes before such peace is obtained. News just came today that a Pentecostal pastor from Honduras who was also the founder of the Latin American network of Christian lawyers was assassinated in what has become an all too common event in that small country. Let us pray, struggle and be in solidarity with those around the world who attempt to live a Psalm 112 life only to fall victim to the reality of its final verse.

Feb. update

2011-02-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

Our six month time of introduction and preparation officially came to an end with 2010. After a week with the family in Puebla celebrating Christmas and a wonderful time with friends at the Rocablanca mission base helping with their Festival providing medical consultations to any of the more than 2000 attendees, it was back to Chiapas where we have been blessed since July of 2010 to have found numerous opportunities to serve. First, with our local church with medical consultations both locally and in indigenous communities. Second, sharing via their local radio station programs related to medicine and marriage. Third, preaching and teaching in their Christian Ed. program and fledgling seminary.

Dan continues to collaborate with the Yobel Center for Biblical Studies which this year adds two new professors and an additional location for courses. We have numerous visits planned by distinguished Biblical scholars from around Latin America offering intensive courses. A small book store has been launched in the capital city of Chiapas and we continue to request support to help pay some of our debts with Christian publishers in order to be able to expand our selection.

We also continue to visit the indigenous communities in and around Acteal where a horrible massacre occurred some 13 years ago. As most of those implicated in the massacre (justly or unjustly) now have been released from prison our call is to work with all parties involved toward reconciliation and forgiveness. It is not an easy task but we take heart from the story of the prophet Hosea who reminds us that despite the continuing unfaithfulness of God's people His love and mercy never fails.

As always, we invite anyone with the heart (as the indigenous here say) to come to a place like Chiapas where lessons are able to be learned in abundance precisely because it is a place of such destruction, despair, resistance, love and hope. Please pray if you feel God calling you to visit this "Holy Land" because it is only through seeking that we will find. "The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them" (Hosea 14:9).

a bittersweet experience in Chiapas

2011-01-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were invited to participate in a welcome home thanksgiving service in the small indigenous town of Esperanza, Chiapas, Mexico. 14 years ago a massacre occurred in a nearby town killing 45 indigenous members of a pacifist group known as "Las Abejas." This was in the midst of the recent Zapatista guerrilla uprising and tension was very high. Dozens of indigenous neighbors were rounded up, brought to trial and sentenced to 18-36 years in prison, many of whom were members of Evangelical churches in the region. In the past year we have gotten to know some of the "widows" of those imprisoned who have been waging a campaign for their release because of what they say was a terrible injustice. Somewhere around 50 were finally released in the past few months leaving around 35 still in prison. Two of the brothers and father of the young woman who has spearheaded the campaign were released and the service yesterday was primarily for her father.

You might understand that this service could have been interpreted as a provocative act by members of "Las Abejas" who still grieve their loss of 45 members from their organization. During the service mention was made of their grieving and a call to seek reconciliation was given that all the indigenous of the region might be able to live peacefully among each other.

Prayers were made for all the victims...those from the massacre, those unjustly imprisoned and all the families left without husbands, wives, mothers and fathers. Please pray with us that God would lead us to know how to be His ambassadors in this situation to bring the Good News of peace, hope and justice into a situation that for too long has not seen any of the three.

Muchas Gracias!

Dec. update

2010-12-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Have you read James 2 recently where he writes about not showing favoritism? James tells a story about a rich and poor man entering a church and says if you treat them differently then he writes, "have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" Then in vss. 5-7 he even says that God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith.

I was reminded of these verses in our church this morning as the pastor gave a stirring exhortation to have faith or rather allow our faith to become activated. We love the church where God has directed us because we worship side by side with indigenous people from various tribes many who have been forcibly displaced from their communities and have very little. The pastor has served these people for the past 15 years and without fear even confronting the powers that be seeking justice on their behalf. Many have left his church because of what James calls "discrimination" not wanting to worship with "poor Indians."

The pastor and his wife have welcomed us with open arms allowing Angelica to give programs on their radio station, visit indigenous communities with them and teach in their Seminary. In short, it has everything we have prayed about in seeking a ministry with whom we could serve since we were married eight years ago. We are prayerfully discerning the possibility of buying a home just outside the gate of this church. It could offer a small clinic for many of the indigenous people who also live on the grounds of the church waiting to be able to return to their communities. It is also closer to the school that has been such a blessing for Jacob and its location at the foot of some mountains offer him many opportunities to explore. Where else can you buy a two-story house for $40,000?!?

This is an opportunity to invest with us for our future in Mexico which we are sure carries with it many new adventures in Kingdom living as we serve the most poor. May God bless you at this time of year with abundant blessings.

in Christ's love,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob
donations may be sent to:
Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Camp Sano Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33146

Dec. update from Angelica

2010-11-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

IT IS AN HONOR TO SHARE ABOUT OUR MINISTRY OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS HERE IN SAN CRISTOBAL DE LAS CASAS CHIAPAS. I SHOULD START BY TELLING YOU THAT FIVE MONTHS AGO I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH US, BUT GOD ALREADY HAD A PLAN FOR BOTH OF US.
WE STARTED ATTENDING A CHURCH NAMED ALAS DE AGUILA ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HEART FOR MISSIONS AMONG INDIENOUS PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE HELPED THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH IN JESUS. IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE IN A BIG CHURCH WORSHIPING GOD WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED SO MUCH FOR THEIR LOVE FOR GOD. THEY HAVE LEFT BEHIND THEIR LAND AND POSESSIONS IN THEIR TOWNS AND NOW ARE LIVING IN SAN CRISTOBAL. BOTH OF US ARE INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES OF THIS CHURCH INCLUDING TEACHING THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS FOR THE TEENS.
THIS LAST NOVEMBER 13 I WENT TO A SMALL TOWN WITH A MEDICAL BRIGADE. WE SAW A LOT OF NEED AS IN ONE DAY WE ATTENDED TO MORE THAN 60 PATIENTS. A WOMAN WHO WENT WITH US TO CUT HAIR FOR THE CHILDREN TOLD US THAT MOST OF THEM HAVE LICE. WE ARE PLANNING TO GO BACK TO TREAT THEM. IT WAS SO GOOD TO ENCORAGE THEM AND TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH THOSE WHO DID NOT KNOW JESUS.
LAST WEEK THE SPOUSE OF THE PASTOR, THE DIRECTOR OF VOICE OF THE MARTYRS IN MEXICO, A TRANSLATOR AND MYSELF WEN T TO THE INDIGENOUS VILLAGE OF ACTEAL TO MINISTER TO THE RELATIVES OF THE PRISONERS FOUND GUILTY FOR A MASSACRE THAT HAPPENED IN 1997. JUST BEFORE LEAVING I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN I OPENED THE RADIATOR CAP AND THE HOT WATE R SPLASHED UNTO MY FACE. THANKS BE TO GOD THE BURNS WERE ONLY FIRST DEGREE THOUGH I AM STILL RECOVERING.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN INVITED HOST A RADIO PROGRAM ON MEDICAL THEMES ON TWO RADIO STATIONS AND RECENTLY WE MET A YOUNG MAN WHO PUBLISHES A DIGITAL CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPER AND HAS ASKED BOTH US TO WRITE A COLUMN EACH WEEK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE BUSY AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR DONATIONS FOR MEDICINE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF HELPING POOR DISPLACED PEOPLE WHO NEED FOOD AND MEDICINE YOU MAY SEND YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFT TO:

PALM MISSIONARY MINISTRIES, INC.
1315 CAMP SANO AVE
CORAL GABLES, FL 33146

GOD BLESS YOU AND MAY YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS WITH ALL YOUR FAMILY: ANGELICA.

Please read...

2010-11-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

Urgent Update!

Violence, threats and the sounds of revolution are in the air and occurring all around us here in Mexico. But then what else is new? Jesus said, "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen but the end is still to come. All these are the beginnings of birth pains. (Mt. 23:6,8) What a time to have been sent to the southernmost state of Chiapas, the birthplace of the most recent revolutionary upheaval in Mexico now more than 15 years old. The tension is palpable these days and we are working together with a group from the University of Mexico to organize a forum here that will try to provide a space for dialogue among all the parties in conflict. We plead for your prayers on our behalf as well as any financial assistance you may be led to provide for our expenses.

In the midst of all this we continue to build the vision for our itinerant Bible school as we seek interested pastors, churches and other leaders with whom we can cooperate. We are putting together our curriculum, schedule for 2011 and building a library. Concerning this last item we are in urgent need before the end of this year to pay off the debts owed to various publishing houses in Latin America. Here is a summary of these debts if any would like to help us shoulder this burden:

Kairos, Argentina..........................................$5,000
Kairos (via Juan Stam), Costa Rica.............$600
Semilla (Anabaptist), Guatemala......................................$500
El Faro (Presbyterian), Mexico City..........$900
Bible Society of Mexico................................$400

Thank you for your kind attention to our urgent need. Thank you for your prayers!

Reflexion de Angelica

2010-10-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

VISITAS A ACTEAL.
ESTE MIERCOLES QUE PASO FUIMOS A ACTEAL Y A ESPERANZA ACOMPANADOS DE PEDRO ROBLEDO. NUESTRA PRIMERA PARADA FUE EN ACTEAL CON LAS ABEJAS. SOLO ENCONTRAMOS A DOS MIEMBROS DE LA MESA DIRECTIVA, UN HOMBRE CON ALGO DE PROBLEMA MENTAL Y MANUEL, UN JOVEN SOBREVIVIENTE DE LA MASACRE. QUERIAMOS SABER CUALES ERAN SUS IMPRESIONES SOBRE LA LIBERACION DE OTROS 15 PRESOS ACUSADOS DE PARTICIPAR EN LA MASACRE. POR SUPUESTO QUE NO ESTAN CONTENTOS Y PLANEAN ORGANIZAR ALGUN TIPO DE RESISTENCIA .

DIOS NOS PERMITIO TENER ESTE TIEMPO CON ELLOS Y EN MI CORAZON PUSO EL DECIRLES QUE EL PLAN DE DIOS ES QUE UN DIA NO MUY LEJANO TODOS ESTOS HERMANOS DE RAZA, TSOTZILES VAN A PODER ABRAZARSE OTRA VEZ Y ESTAR UNIDOS, COMO LO ERAN ANTES DE LA MASACRE, PUES INCLUSO HAY FAMILIARES QUE ESTAN AHORA EN CONFLICTO POR LO QUE PASO. LES HABLE UN POCO SOBRE QUIEN ES EL REAL ENEMIGO DE NUESTRA UNIDAD Y AUNQUE EN SU MENTALIDAD EL AUTOR INTELECTUAL DE TODO ESTO ES EL GOBIERNO, YO LES DIJE QUE EL DIABLO ES EL CAUSANTE DE TODO APROVECHANDO LAS PUERTAS QUE UNO COMO HUMANO LE ABRE A EL. TAMBIEN LES DIJE QUE LA JUSTICIA DIVINA ES SUPERIOR A LA JUSTICIA HUMANA. COMO POR LO GENERAL NO SON MUY EXPRESIVOS, NO SE CUANTO DE LO QUE YO LES DIJE RECIBIERON ELLOS.
DESPUES FUIMOS A VISITAR A ESTELA, LIDER QUE HA LUCHADO PARA QUE LIBEREN A LOS PRESOS, QUIEN NOS CONTO COMO ESTUVO LO DE LA LIBERACION, PUES ENTRE ELLOS SALIO UN CONFESO. TAMBIEN NOS COMENTO QUE SU PADRE AUN SIGUE EN LA CARCEL Y QUE ESTA BASTANTE ENFERMO, AL GRADO QUE ESTA PERDIENDO LA FUERZA EN LOS MUSCULOS DE LAS PIERNAS Y POCO A POCO VA PERDIENDO LA FUERZA PARA CAMINAR. SOLO LE HAN DADO VITAMINAS INYECTADAS Y HAN DICHO QUE ES LA DEFICIENCIA DE ESTAS LO QUE HA CAUSADO ESTO, LO CUAL A MI NO ME CONVENCE. ESTE PROBLEMA EMPEZO DESPUES DE QUE ENTRO UN OPERATIVO EN LA CARCEL Y LANZARON GASES LACRIMOGENOS CONTRA LOS PRESOS, PUES BUSCABAN DROGAS.
DESPUES DE ESTAS VISITAS, HE MEDITADO EN MI CORAZON SOBRE LO QUE AMBOS GRUPOS ESTAN VIVIENDO, A VECES ENTRO EN CONFLICTO, PORQUE MI MENTE FINITA NO ALCANZA A COMPRENDER TOTALMENTE LA COMPLEJIDAD DE ESTO, SIN EMBARGO, CREO QUE ENTIENDO EL GRAN DOLOR DE AQUELLOS QUE PRESENCIARON LA MASACRE O QUE SOBREVIVIERON A ELLA, PERO CON SECUELAS QUE INVALIDARON SUS VIDAS YA SEA FISICAMENTE O AUN PSICOLOGICAMENTE, Y ENTIENDO LA IMPOTENCIA QUE SE REBELA EN SU INTERIOR CUANDO SIENTEN QUE NO SE ESTA HACIENDO JUSTICIA. POR EL OTRO LADO TAMBIEN VEO MUCHO DOLOR Y SUFRIMIENTO EN LOS FAMILIARES DE LOS PRESOS. AUNQUE YA SOLTARON A VARIOS, LA CONDICION ES QUE NO PUEDEN REGRESAR A SU TIERRA DE ORIGEN, TIENEN QUE QUEDAR EN LA CIUDAD DE TUXTLA, LO CUAL SIGNIFICA QUE SUS MUJERES E HIJOS, SEGUIRAN VIVIENDO APARTE. ESTO ES ALGO MUY FUERTE PARA LAS FAMILIAS TSOTZILES, QUE CULTURALMENTE SE CARACTERIZAN POR TENER NUCLEOS FAMILIARES MUY UNIDOS.
MI PETICION DE ORAC ION ES QUE PIDAMOS A DIOS QUE ESTOS DOS GRUPOS SE VUELVAN A UNIR POR EL PODER DEL PERDON, Y DEL AMOR. QUE LAS PALABRAS DE JESUS EN EL SERMON DEL MONTE TOQUEN LOS CORAZONES DE ELLOS Y QUE LA PAZ DE JESUS GOBIERNE EN SUS CORAZONES.

our little Mexican...

2010-10-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

Oct. update letter

2010-10-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

Dan, Angelica & Jacob Swanson from San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

Dear Family & Friends,

We sincerely hope you are well and blessed by our Lord. We have so much to share about God’s leading in our lives that it is difficult to put it all into one letter. We hope you remember to check our blog periodically to keep updated on our activities at: www.rocajem.blogspot.com. In the spring of this year we both became convinced that God was leading us to leave the Center we helped develop in Puebla in the hands of family members and for us to move to Chiapas to assist another “national missionary” in his educational ministry among indigenous churches.

Angelica had a more difficult time adjusting to the change which meant leaving her family and a growing medical practice in her hometown. But her heart’s desire has always been to pour her love and energy into our 3 year old, laying a solid foundation for his physical and spiritual development. She has also been open to opportunities to return to providing medicine to indigenous people as a ministry more than a job. Just recently we talked with a local pastor who invited her to develop that ministry through his church. She is also giving medical advice on two Christian radio stations in San Cristobal. Please pray that she will be able to find the right balance between caring for Jacob and serving this important need in the church.

Jacob has started pre-school and we feel very blessed to have one that is part of a ministry of a local church. Though the first couple weeks were difficult with separation, he is gradually getting used to the idea. We also appreciate that his teachers are very understanding about allowing him to travel with us when we visit indigenous communities, recognizing this as a complement his formal school education.

Dan is very excited to finally be living in this city where he has visited for a couple weeks a year over the past decade leading groups with Jubilee Economics Ministries. Through these experiences he has developed many close relationships with leaders in indigenous communities which are proving to be very important now for a ministry of reconciliation that he is being called to. He has connected with the ministry of Voice of the Martyrs whose mission is to support Christians living in difficult situations and they are appreciative of Dan’s experience and contacts with these leaders.

Pedro Robledo is a Presbyterian pastor from Chiapas who two years ago started an itinerant Bible teaching ministry among indigenous churches. Previously, he has served in Presbyterian seminaries as a professor and dean while also as a book distributor for Kairos publishing based in Argentina. Dan helped him receive his first shipment of theological books through the Langham Trust (John Stott Ministries) and we expect our partnership to grow as well as a with the Langham Literature Trust.

Dan celebrated 30 years of mission service last year as it was at the Urbana Student Missions Conference that he signed the “decision card” to be involved in missions as a career. Some of his mentors along the way have graciously agreed to write a kind of endorsement of his career which I share with you below. We are so thankful for so many who have come alongside and especially many of you who have prayed and given for my (and now our) ministry over the years. May God continue to bless you!

Sincerely in Christ,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob Swanson
Email: SwanyRiver@aol.com

When Dan Swanson enrolled in the Westmont College Urban Program in San Francisco he demonstrated the qualities you hope will be present in a student. He spent three days a week in an internship working with minorities and was committed and passionate about his work. He was diligent in his studies and was very engaged with the disenfranchised throughout the city. His passion for mission was evident then and has been a part of his life experience in all the ensuing years. His faith and that passion have informed all the choices he has made. It is a joy for a professor to see a student's life unfold as Dan's has. (Ms. Rusty Springer, retired director of the San Francisco Urban Program at Westmont College.)
"I remember young Dan Swanson as a zealous Christian who took the Gospel with utter seriousness. We made numerous trips to Sandinista Nicaragua in 1988 where we visited poor barrios, neighborhood assemblies, art and music workshops of the Ministry of Culture, theological seminaries, shared with peasants (campesinos), talked to people on all sides of the issues. That was Nicaragua in the 1980s. I remember his intense and passionate reaction to the experience. His soul caught fire, and the fire of love and commitment burns to this day.” (Juan Stam, veteran missionary/theologian with the Latin American Mission).
“…it is such an encouragement for us to have partners on the ground that we know and that we can trust with literature resources, so I am grateful to know that you are there and able to use them well.” (Benjamin Homan, President of John Stott Ministries).

Thank you for your consideration to partner with us in this vision to support national missionaries/ministries serving the indigenous local church of Mexico. Support needs: $1000/month for personal support, $5000 to plant a seed for Pedro’s vision of a new kind of Bible School, and $10,000 to trade in our 1990 Ford for a newer all terrain vehicle.

Escuela Biblica Jovel

2010-09-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

A New Vision for Quality Biblical Education and Mission from Latin America

Introduction: It is time to leave behind the polemics that have characterized biblical and mission studies during the past century. The division between modernists and fundamentalists which spawned the creation of Bible Institutes against the Theological Seminaries is but one example. With the expansion of the missionary enterprise of the 20th century we witnessed a multitude of plans and strategies such as “church growth,” “the 10/40 window,” and “territorial spirits” as a kind of Christian marketing ploy. What we propose is a Bible/Mission school that utilizes all the instruments available for deep biblical study and a mission curriculum that is contextual for our Latin American experience. A school that we sometimes call “itinerant” because of our desire to take the courses to the local churches and “pioneer” because of our call to launch a new paradigm that analyzes, reflects and practices our faith in the world.

We are designing this school especially for the indigenous churches of the highlands of Chiapas which is why it's called “Jovel” (the indigenous name for San Cristobal de las Casas). Its purpose will be to bring quality biblical and mission education to the Evangelical churches in this area which have the commitment to proclaim and teach Holy Scripture together with a message of hope toward the construction of a world of peace with justice, freedom and dignity.

We invite your comments, questions and participation in this new endeavor as we take steps of faith by the grace of our Lord, having begun in Jan. of 2009 with a 10 year plan. We hope to be able to organize national and international seminars during this time as well as submit the program to a rigorous triennial evaluation to evaluate our medium and long term goals.

Biblical Education:

Under the coordination of Pedro Robledo this program is geared especially for those who have some studies in seminaries or bible institutes and desire to deepen their understanding of the Bible as they continue to minister in local churches. The facilitator of each course will offer the students tools to use to be able to more faithfully interpret Holy Scripture encouraging more expository preaching. The course will emphasize biblical study in small groups which encourage dialogue both with the text of scripture and daily reality to be able to more faithfully apply the intent of the original authors to our situation. Three characteristics form this program namely: Christological, Communitarian and Contextual.

Mission Education:

Under the coordination of Dan Swanson this program will emphasize small group reflection on our contemporary practice of missions. It will include a theology of mission, historical study as well as contemporary challenges. These courses are open to people from all nations, languages and cultures. For students from outside of non-Spanish speaking countries it will be suggested to combine their studies with language study and/or work with one of the many NGO’s in Chiapas. We will work closely with Jubilee Economics Ministries in the recruitment of participants as well as the Centro Cultural Tlaixpan in Puebla, Mexico as an example of holistic mission in Mexico. The three characteristics that will form this program are: Evangelization, Economy and Ecology.

Course titles: All courses will be 30 hours in total whether based in Jovel on a semester basis or in local churches on an intensive basis. For example they might be 3 hours per week for 10 weeks or 6 hours every other weekend for two and a half months or 6 hours per day for 5 days. . Some courses will lend themselves to be team taught by facilitators from both programs.
Sampling of course offerings:

Hebrew, Biblical Interpretaion, Mission without Domination
Greek, Luke/Acts, Mission in Post-Modern context,
Intro to the Bible, Pauline theology, Mission through the Centuries,
Exegetical Methods, Eschatology & Revelation, Mission in a Revolutionary Context,
Pentateuch, A Theology of Mission, 500 years of Mission in Latin America,
Hebrew Poetry & Wisdom, Mission & Family,
The Prophetic Books, Mission & Money,
Synoptic Gospels, Mission & Justice,
The Gospel & Letters of John, Mission & Ecology,
Theology of the Universal Epistles, Mission & Indigenous cultures

Cost of the programs: The cost of each course will be $1500 pesos. Students from outside Mexico will pay $250US per week which includes course registration, housing and two meals per day. Texts for each course will also be provided at subsidized prices. For more information please email Dan Swanson at SwanyRiver@aol.com.

Sep. update

2010-09-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, the 5th, will be two months since we packed up and moved from Puebla to San Cristobal, Chiapas. Instead of long prose paragraphs let me try to break them down into bite size chunks.

Setting up home: getting water for our tanks on the roof, finding gas tanks for hot water and stove, getting up at 6:30a.m. to learn the garbage truck's schedule, buying furniture for our living room.

Learning about San Cristobal: driving the streets for innumerable errands, where to pay the bills, opening bank acct., visit churches

Playing host to special guests: Cesar and his team from the UNAM, Mariana & Hilda, David & Laura and Dad & Zondra

Starting school for Jacob: a wonderful Christian pre-school, first few days of many tears all around, birthday party, first parent/teacher meeting and organizing his formal education and informal education with our trips to indigenous villages

Ministry opportunities: Pedro and I have set up our office in our home for the Escuela Biblica Jovel, one day a week in an indigenous region providing for physical needs and seeking reconciliation, visits to other indigenous regions recruiting for our school.

We hope we are ready to settle down now and develop routines (always open to surprises!) to let God use us as He wills. Thank you for your ongoing prayers and partnership.

August update from Chiapas!

2010-08-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we've already been here in Chiapas for a month. A visit from a university group from Mexico City interviewing family members of those who have been incarcerated for the Acteal massacre since 1997 confirmed God's call to us for part of our time in Chiapas. We are working with various groups to try to reconstruct what led to the massacre to gain a better understanding which hopefully will lead to peace and reconciliation (Please see paragraph below).

We also had a visit from Mariana, one of Angelica's nieces, who is leading our Center in Puebla. She was inspired to start the Center from her visits to Chiapas and we hope this visit will serve to reinvigorate her passion and energy. Pedro introduced us to a pastor of a local church in an indigenous community who is interested in bringing our courses to his church. Pedro and Dan attended the annual conf. of Presbyterian educators here in San Cristobal which also enabled us to make more contacts for our blossoming school. Finally, Dan, Angelica and Jacob have visited different churches each Sunday as well as a Christian pre-school that we hope will be Jacob's first formal educational experience. All this together with making our rental house into our family home. We are so thankful to God for opening this door for us to serve and are excited for what He will do through us as we open ourselves up to His will.

We are praying that more of you who read this blog will want to partner with us not only in prayer but also with finances. We need to raise another $500/month to enable us to cover our living and ministry expenses through the end of the year.

Rent for our house which also includes an office, library and classroom for our school: $250/month
utilities: $150/month
travel expenses: $150/month
promotional material for school: $50/month
living expenses for our family: $250/month
stipend for school coordinator: $150/month

Thank you for your consideration of partnering with us in this vision to support national missionaries/ministries serving the indigenous local church of Mexico. Once again our sending agency receiving donations is:

Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Camp Sano Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33146-1165

Dios les bendiga!

(After posting this I found a recent devotional by Richard Hays on "Reconciliation" which is the ministry God is calling us to in Chiapas and here is an excerpt:

"The interesting thing about the word “reconciliation” in ordinary Greek usage is that it is not a “religious” term. That is to say, it does not appear in cultic contexts where people speak of seeking to appease God by offering sacrifices, nor does it have anything to do with cleansing guilt or receiving divine pardon for sins. Rather, it is a word drawn from the sphere of politics; it refers to dispute resolution. So one could speak of the diplomatic reconciliation of warring nations or, in the sphere of personal relationships, the reconciliation of an estranged husband and wife. (Paul uses the term that way in 1 Corinthians 7:11.) So the key insight here is that even where Paul uses the verb “reconcile” with God as its subject -- a remarkable paradigm shift -- he is speaking about overcoming alienation and establishing new and peaceful relationships. We can see this clearly in Romans 5, the other key passage where Paul uses reconciliation terminology: “. . . while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10). God has taken the initiative to overcome our hostility and alienation from him and to restore us to peaceful relationship with himself."

Missions & Discernment

2010-06-25T10:09:00.001-07:00

Our holistic ministry center in Puebla is up and running and we have discerned with the help of Palm Missionary Ministries that it is time for Angelica and I to leave it in the hands of our capable young family members to carry on the vision. Palm's focus is to support national ministries without creating dependency. We will of course still be in contact with them and support them by sending artisanry from Chiapas for sale in Puebla. Meanwhile, we will be helping Pedro, a Presbyterian pastor, continue his vision for a Bible school among indigenous churches in Chiapas. He had been working over the past couple years when I first met him and we have developed a good friendship. The vision also involves Angelica who will return to her first love of taking medicine to indigenous communities where Pedro and I will be offering courses in Bible and missions.
Our move to Chiapas is the continuation of Dan's ministry over the past decade of leading groups through Jubilee Economics Ministries to indigenous communities there. He has developed numerous relationships of trust with these communities as well as groups who also are based in San Cristobal. Though there are many churches and non-governmental organizations there are no Bible schools with the commitment to bring serious Bible training and contextual mission classes to the area. We have already received our first shipment of books through the Langham foundation and anticipate a close relationship with them in the future.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for our ever expanding ministry in the southern states of Mexico. You can send donations to our ECFA approved sending agency at:
Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Camp Sano Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33146-1165
Sincerely in Christ,
Dan & Angelica Swanson

June update

2010-06-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

Anniversary celebration of our little church in San Mateo... complete with a Christian mariachi... embroidery classes at the Center...

and of course our growing boy, Jacob Daniel...

Mission vision, strategy & practice

2010-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

2010 is a year of remembering great events of the past and reflecting on how they have influenced us today. In Mexican history we are celebrating the bicentennial of Independence from Spain and the centennial of the Mexican revolution with Pancho Villa and Zapata. In missions history this month the modern Ecumenical movement remembered their beginnings in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1910. Later this year the Evangelical missions movement will celebrate their movement in South Africa. Each of these movements provided a vision, strategy and practice for missions during the XX century. If I could be so bold as to try to summarize these two movements it might go something like this:
Ecumenical movement: 1.) building the Kingdom of God on Earth 2.) supporting national liberation movements for political freedom 3.) nation building for the health, education and welfare of society
Evangelical movement: 1.) making the name of Jesus known among all peoples of the Earth 2.) supporting the growth of para-church mission agencies to accomplish this task 3.) amassing a huge global network of Christians, churches and agencies second only to the military-industrial complex of the US.
Then of course the Pentecostal movement started in 1906 in a small multi-cultural church on Azusa St. in Los Angeles with its impact being: 1.) preaching and doing works of the Kingdom of God 2.) planting churches as a result of evangelistic and healing campaigns 3.) a worldwide explosion of small grassroots churches and Christians who can testify to having been “touched” by the Holy Spirit with tangible results.
Each of these movements have had their dissidents from within aside from the often open hostility between them. As we begin the second decade of this new century each movement has begun to recognize the limited focus of each and how each could benefit from the others. Largely due to the dissidents within each movement conversation has happened between movements forming a new vision that could benefit from the work done last century. The summary of this new vision is also what is driving our ministry here in southern Mexico.
1.) Making the Kingdom of God visible on earth in imitation of Jesus
2.) Connecting Christians and Churches from across these three movements
3.) Doing mission in a holistic manner that includes the spiritual, physical and social
We invite your continued partnership and participation in the vision we have begun here with our holistic mission center in Puebla, Bible school in Chiapas and medical work in Oaxaca. It is a privilege to be living in such a time as this of movement and change but also a great responsibility to maintain close contact with those who are partnering with us. We pledge to you our commitment to being your faithful partners in southern Mexico accountable through our sending agency at:
Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Campo Sano Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33146-1165

Prophecy today...

2010-06-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Judgment in the Gulf
Woes and blessings of the oil spill.
Mark Galli posted 6/01/2010 10:25AM
Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, upon the fruit of the ground and the life of the sea, and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. - Jeremiah 7:20 (paraphrase)
Many have destroyed my ocean, they have trodden my portion, they have made my pleasant portion a black desolation. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole gulf is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. - Jeremiah 12:10-11 (paraphrase)
And the word of the Lord came to America, and said,
Woe to you, O consumers, who drive when you could walk, who lust for goods that must be flown and shipped from far away in oil-consuming ships of land and sea and air, whose way of life must be preserved no matter the cost to my planet or to those whose lives depend on its health.
Woe to you, O producers, who pile greed upon greed, who drill and pump and ship and refine black gold with little thought of tomorrow, and sometimes not even today.
Woe to you, O presidents and politicians, who have one hand in the pocket of big oil and another tied by self-preservation, who fear to question the American way of life, that addiction to comfort fueled by fuel.
Woe to you, O environmentalists, who lose sleep over shrimp that will vanish and do not remember the eleven created in my image who died in the explosion, who wax eloquent about the suffering salamander and are blind to the plight of those who suffer most when my earth suffers.
Woe to you, O activists, who write articles that cry out "Earth care!", who fly on 747s to conferences and taxi to fine restaurants to network for the environment, who put up online petitions that millions can sign, on gadgets shipped in gas guzzling transport from overseas, gadgets that depend on coal to boot up.
Woe to you, O churches of the land, who tithe and fast, who preach and pray, who grow megachurches in the twinkling of an eye, who care about souls but not the land on which they live, which I too have made and called good. Woe to you who trust me not for their daily bread, but look anxiously to smoke billowing diesel to deliver them from their hunger. Woe to all who lift up their eyes to call upon my name, but who do not look down at that which they destroy by sucking up energy in their spacious megabuildings and at international gatherings to glorify my name.
Woe to all who feel pulled between fate and necessity, unsure of their needs and wants, confused about facts and propaganda, whose left hand knows the pollution created by their right hand but still have to feed their families, who have eyes to see and ears to hear but who are powerless to change the world economy.
Blessed are those who repent not out of fear but because they believe the Good News.
Blessed are those who know that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof," that they cannot ultimately destroy anything good I have created and over which I rule, who know that I am almighty and they are not, that I am the Lord still!
Blessed are those who know that I am a jealous God, who visits the environmental iniquity on their children and their children's children, even to the third and fourth generation, but also know that I am a God whose punishment does not last forever, that my wrath is only for a season, like that of a loving father toward his children.
Blessed are those who know that soon this earth will indeed be burned up, that the sea will be no more, and that the environment will pass away, not because of the folly of man but only in my gracious providence.
Blessed are those who know that they cannot save the planet any more than they can save themselves, no matter the extent of their good works, that I will create a new heaven and a new earth, just as I will clothe my beloved in imperishable bodies.
Blessed are those who have these truths written on their hearts, who know the promised future as a blessed present, who live with their God and their neighbor on the Garden called Earth as if the future were already so.
And the oil spewed forth for some forty days and forty nights, for the wickedness of the people was great, and the judgment of the Lord was upon the face of the earth.

Missions & the will of God

2010-05-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

I remember back in the 80's, I believe, trying to discern the Will of God was all the fad. Books like "Decision Making and the Will of God: An Alternative to the Traditional View" by Gerry Friessen was making a splash. I was searching for how to relate my call to serve among the poor with a love for learning and even law. I spent a summer in Japan after college graduation which extended into half a year after hearing clearly God's voice. I did a year at a Baptist seminary but after another summer mission immersion in the Dominican Republic I interrupted theological studies to spend more time in Latin America. I finished a master's in theology at the New College in Berkeley, a place especially geared for people like me who did not have a pastoral calling. I returned to Latin America in the late 80's thinking I would be there for life with the LAM but found myself spending the next decade in a Mexican barrio of Chicago. And then of course, there was marrying at age 44 and becoming a father at 49! So, how does one discern the will of God? How have I felt led over these past 3 decades? How do I learn from these experiences for the challenges of today? Here's our latest discernment process...

It's been a year since joining Palm Missionary Ministries with a focus on supporting national missionaries/ministries. It's been 2 years since beginning to collaborate with Pedro, a Presbyterian minister with a vision to bring solid, holistic Bible teaching to indigenous churches in Chiapas, Mexico. It's been 3 years since launching the vision of our Center in Puebla. So how does one discern the will of God to know when to leave one and support another? One important criteria are the external circumstances that surround each option. If we are faithful to Palm principles it seems prudent for Angelica and I to let go for now of the Center to let others from our extended family take the vision where they see fit. Meanwhile, Pedro has been struggling alone for the past couple years making connections with churches, living in a small room in San Cristobal and writing down the vision. Another friend, Cesar, a univ. prof. from Mexico City has also begun to walk alongside us recently with his desire to go more in depth in building relationships with indigenous families in Chiapas. JEM has invited people to visit Chiapas over the past decade and are searching for a new in depth focus for the coming decade. A house has been made available for us to rent and for Pedro to have as a more stable base for his Bible school in San Cristobal. So, the plan is to move there next month and plan to stay at least until the end of the year. In 2011 we will re-evaluate the activities at the Center in Puebla and what other doors God opens in Chiapas. We invite your prayers for us in this discernment process and hope to hear from many of you.

Missions & Dependency

2010-05-05T14:37:00.000-07:00

What a complicated subject! I've been thinking hard recently about this subject in relation to our ministry in Mexico as well as conversations with friends here and leaders over at Palm. I've read three books on the subject in the past couple months. First, a classic CCDA volume by John Perkins called, "Beyond Charity: A Call to Christian Community Development." This was written in the 90's with much practical wisdom gained from decades of CCD work in the US. He of course hightlights the CCDA "mantra" of the "3 R's" especially that of relocation which is essential to get to know the reality of the poor but also doing development with (not for) the poor. One leader commented to me that that is fine for those with that kind of call but missions is also for others who are called to be donors and prayer supporters. So, just recently, another book has come out by a pair of authors from Covenant College but also related to CCDA. The book, "When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty without Hurting the Poor and Ourselves," is a more academic book that looks at experiences from Africa as well as the US. This one does have helpful advice for all those with a heart of compassion for the poor even as it highlights the urgency to look at macro issues of economics while trying to do something to deal with the micro. They are especially harsh toward short-term missions and emphasize the need for ongoing long term involvement. Finally, "When Charity Destroys Dignity: Overcoming Unhealthy Dependency in the Christian Movement," is written by a long time missions consultant who served briefly in Africa but was not invited back for daring to raise these difficult issues. Glenn Schwartz is maybe the sharpest critic of the three concerning the traditional way of doing missions from a western perspective. At times, he seems to be advocating for an isolationist position allowing each culture complete autonomy over their own church development without any assistance from the outside. His failure is the lack of analysis of the economic interdependance of our globalized world or sufficient appreciation for the injustice that exists. Let me close with some questions of my own for further reflection...
1.) What about the traditional role of Western "faith missions" that fully support western missionaries? Is this dependency?
2.) What about the North's responsibility for past economic injustice or colonialism that has hindered development in countries of the South? Is it fair to talk about dependency now after the injustice has been done?
3.) Finally, Glenn talks about the need for Westerners to abstain from mission meetings especially when the talk is about money. This requires an enormous amount of trust and humility from the Westerner and he sums it up well here:

"There is plenty of evidence to show that church planting without causing dependency is possible. Also dependency where it exists has been shown to be curable. [10] However, in each case there may be a price to be paid. First, it may include a generous dose of humility and cultural sensitivity. Second, it might mean a serious time of reflection on how to get out of the current state of dependency in which congregations find themselves. Third, it might mean serious hard work over a longer rather than shorter period of time. Anyone looking for a quick and easy solution will probably be disappointed. "

Puebla, Chiapas & Oaxaca...

2010-04-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

The past couple months (since our last blog post) has been filled with ministry in the Center, travels to Chiapas and prayer for Oaxaca. Last Dec. we were involved for about a month with a family from our little town. An older son was critically injured in a bicycle accident and was hospitalized in a coma in Puebla. We took family members to visit him many times. Finally because of costs he was transferred to a local clinic in a nearby town where he died within a week. Dan was in the clinic at the time and was asked to help dress the body and help search for a casket (a first for him!). The father and two other brothers travel around the country looking for construction jobs but his mother visited our little church for the first time last Sunday.

Angelica's crafts co-op has spawned another women's group in our town. They buy material from us and are teaching some new crafts to our women. They recently asked the president of our town for money to buy a sewing machine and he offered to give them the local business tax from the stores in town if they would collect it. When asked by the storeowners who they are working with they replied the Centro Cultural Tlaixpan. Word is getting out about us and our reputation is growing. Sergio, our p/t adminstrator and computer techy has also launched a dance/exercise class led by a woman friend of his who sells natural vitamins. It is a joint business venture between her business and our Center.

Dan spent two weeks earlier this month in the mountains of Chiapas with a friend who is a prof. of social psychology (and former Pres. pastor) and two of his students. We interviewed family members of the Evangelicals who were sentenced some 10 years ago for the massacre that killed 45 people. For the past 10 years JEM has visited the families of the victims of the massacre and have been inspired by their ability to forgive and move on while at the sametime demand full justice from the govt. Tensions have erupted once again now that some of those sentenced have been released. We hope to be able to provide a listening ear to both sides in this conflict and help move the situation toward a peaceful resolution.

After spending a week last Dec. at the Rocablanca mission base in Oaxaca for their annual preaching and medical Festival, we were saddened last month to hear of the early death of Lupe. She was an indigenous young lady from a mountain village who Laura took under her wing funding her nursing degree and accompanying her over the years of her illness. We continue to lift up Laura, the clinic and the whole Base as they transition in many areas.

Last week Dan met with two board members of Palm Missionary Ministries, our sending agency, in Mexico City. We talked about how best to support national missionaries in Mexico without creating dependency that cripples the development of both donor and recipient. Pedro, a Mexican Presbyterian pastor, has launched a ministry of Bible teaching among indigenous churches in Chiapas. Dan has been an encourager to him over the past couple years and even with partial support over the past months. We talked about ways to increase his donor base even while he works to raise his own level of support.

Well, this is a long post but we hope it brings you up to date of our activities. We give thanks to each for your ongoing partnership with us.

1st anniversary, birthdays and more...

2010-02-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

We hit the road running this year with our 1st anniversary celebration during the first weekend of Jan. We had music, food and a round table discussion with a young Catholic theologian from our little town. Then we began year 2's remodeling with two new doors, an overhanging shade, paint and tile for the floors. Angelica continues to see patients but finds her real joy working with the women in the clothes, handbags and soon to come, jewelry co-op. Dan continues to meet with others about how to support national ministries in Mexico. He celebrated his 51st birthday with family and friends in Mexico City. Four other members of our extended family also celebrate birthdays in Feb. which makes it officially a party month. Our Jacob continues to give us such joy and Dan loves to give him his Froot Loops everyday. Thanks for your continued partnership. Please leave a comment and let us know how you are doing.

Nurturing the Prophetic Imagination!

2010-01-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

Dan is excited that his paper proposal was accepted for presentation at the above named conf. at Point Loma Nazarene Univ. in San Diego, CA. It presents a wonderful opportunity for me to reflect on my 3 decades of Latin American missions experience with a larger audience. The link for the conf. is at: http://www.pointloma.edu/Prophetic_Imagination.htm
Will appreciate your prayers.

Here's the abstract:

Revolutionary Koinonia

Latin American Politics, the Mission of God and the Prophetic Imagination

This paper will benefit from my personal experience of 30 years of mission service in Latin America. I will use as milestones the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua during the 80’s, (the last violent overthrow of a dictator of the XX century), the Zapatista “cyber-revolution” in Chiapas during the 90’s (the first revolution of the XXI century) and finally finish with a reflection on contemporary events in Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador, Honduras and Mexico. My own spiritual journey was grounded in the public discipleship of what is called progressive Evangelicalism (Sojourners) and deepened by the grassroots ecumenism in the liberation struggles of Latin America and today is being widened by the global Emergent movement. We here in San Mateo Tlaixpan, Puebla, Mexico have formed a ministry in this small town which we call the Tlaixpan Cultural Center: An Ecumenical Center for Transformational Action. We are Evangelical in theology, Ecumenical in our partnerships and Emergent in our methodology.

Biblical texts such as the Exodus story, the healing of Naaman, prophetic denunciations, parables of Jesus and the common life of the early church have been crucial in the development of what I’m calling “Revolutionary Koinonia” both in the revolutionary situations of Nicaragua and Chiapas, Mexico. My hypothesis is that as a larger vision takes hold in a society the tensions and divisions among Christians begin to pale while a new unity begins to form. Various things begin to happen that lead to this unity. Among them are: 1.) grassroots unity 2.) the poor are listened to 3.) injustice is denounced 4.) new values are lifted up and 5.) a new common life is manifested.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T14:12:00.000-08:00

We finished up 2009 at the Rocablanca mission base for their annual festival and medical campaign for somewhere around 3000 people.

After festival we attended a wedding in an indigenous village with plenty of festivity, food and formality.

Jacob had a great time running around the mission base, swimming in a pool and especially eating homemade beans and tortillas in the mountain village.

He joins us in wishing all of you a very Happy New Year. Thank you for your continued partnership in our ministry.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY LITTLE BUDDIES!!!

Transformational Power

2009-12-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

"The Kingdom of God, which Jesus said belongs to the poor, will, at the end of time, include all. How could this happen? The poor and powerless, who are excluded from the kingdoms of today, will have the unique joy of seeing every tribe and language and people and nation included in the kingdom of God...The kingdom of God affirms that power should always be relational and inclusive... Finally, in the kingdom of God all expressions of power will affirm the theocentric nature of the kingdom. The slain Lamb in Revelation 5 will purchase and make us into priests and a kingdom so that we may serve God. In the kingdom economy, Redemption is not aimless; people are bought so that they may belong to God (I Cor. 6:19-20). Again, we are redeemed to be a kingdom of priests for serving our God (Rev. 5:10). In the kingdom of God, serving precedes reigning. Here then is the fourth clue from the throne. All power, according to the kingdom of God, will be directed toward God. All power will belong to God (Ps. 62:11). Therefore, in the kingdom of God power will reverse the natural order, reverse the world's understanding of power, be relational and always affirm that power belongs to God. Power expressed here at the throne is transformational (Rev. 5:9-10), is worthy of a new song (Rev. 5: 9,12), and is the final understanding of power (Rev. 11:17)." God of the Empty-Handed, Jayakumar Christian

(and this in honor of the UN's Human Rights Day today...)

Jesus Christ is the model par excellence of a new, liberated humanity (Ruether 1993: 137), the radical incarnation of the egalitarian vision and “spirit of brother- and sisterhood” that this Universal Declaration of Human Rights attempts to elucidate. Like the Eucharist which bears the memory of his sacrifice and the Last Supper which encompassed the fateful offering of the cup and bread, Jesus Christ is the representation of a community of equals wherein the value hierarchy of the world via table-fellowship practices is subverted through voluntary acts of self-kenosis.

Tlaixpan Christmas Gift Store

2009-11-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

1.) Rosebud hand bag $30

2.) long strap handbag $30

3.) "Hobo" bag $30

4.) Country girl handbag $35

5.) Elegant flower handbag $40

6.) Butterfly girl backpack $30

7.) Yellow sun-flower handbag $40

Prices do not include shipping. We will work with each customer to find the most economical way of shipping whether by courier, shipping company or some other means. All sales will benefit the ongoing work of the co-op for which the women are very grateful. Thank you for your consideration for this year's Christmas shopping list. God Bless You!

Angelica's women's co-op (blouse line)

2009-09-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

If you would like to help us find markets for these beautifully simple blouses, please contact us at: swanyriver@aol.com. Muchas Gracias, Angelica

Thanks to Norma from our church in the La Villita barrio of Chicago for coming to teach sewing and plant the vision for this coop.

Stage/Year 3 is ready to go...

2009-09-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

If you've followed this blog you might have noticed that the development of our Center here in Puebla coincides with the development of our Jacob. We developed the vision for the Center in our first year, started construction in year 2 and plan to greatly expand activities in year 3. Jacob was teaching his parents how to do this parenthood thing his first year, taking his first steps during year 2 and is well on his way toward vastly increasing his vocabulary this year.

Given the increasingly severe economic crisis in Mexico we will be offering very low cost simple "continental" style breakfasts in the early mornings. We anticipate that men who do still have jobs will benefit as well as some students for both of whom this may be their only meal until the evening. Weekends then we will expand our menu with some typical Mexican favorites like tacos, tostadas and nachos along with our dessert menu of pie, cakes and sweet bread. We also provide a relaxed atmosphere with music (sometimes live), reading material and movies.

We will also continue to offer our most popular classes to date: embroidery, English and chess classes. We hope to add to these sewing, healthy cooking and reading classes. The sheep, turkeys and chickens are growing and we have already received some income from the sale of a few turkeys. Unfortunately, the severe drought like none other in Mexico for the past 60 years took its toll on our organic garden with corn, alfalfa, squash, beans and cilantro.

As we have not yet reached our goal of being self-sustaining we again ask you to please prayerfully consider how you might be able to help us in our development. We have needs from small to big so any amount you may be able to contribute will be very appreciated.

food for animals: $25/week
bills: $75/bi-monthly
p/t adminstrator: $100/month
put a roof over the Cafe: $5000

You may send donations to our receiving agency (with "Dan & Angelica" on the memo line) at:

Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Campo Sano Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33146

Muchas Gracias,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob

Jacob at 2!

2009-08-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

2009-08-18T10:05:00.001-07:00

Breath: A Poem for Transformational Action
by Lisa Sharon Harper 08-18-2009

I recently wrote and performed a spoken-word poem for the Transformational Development (TD) Conference at Eastern University, co-sponsored by Eastern and Food for the Hungry. Transformational development is the kind of development that does not only seek to transform the infrastructure of societies, but pays special attention to the development and nurture of human dignity in ones who have carried the crushing weight of poverty in our world. Poverty does not only take bread out of the mouths of children. It sucks self-worth and dignity from the souls of marginalized peoples.
I share the following poem with you with sincere hope that it might lead to transformational action now. Now is the time.

Breath A spoken-word poem by Lisa Sharon Harper

Da da – da da daDa da – da da daDa – da – da da – daDa – da – da da – da
Disconnected breath breeds disconnected beats
Drumming and strutting at a half-step
Then a quarter
Like a hunched over woman
Hands danglin’ from dead arms,
Dreams danglin’ lifeless behind dead eyes…
Da da – da da daDa – da – da da – da

Too many needles,
Too many hopeless visits to the parole officer And the judge mandated shrink
Too many hits from her pimp and her john
To many hits from the needle and the pipe.
To many days too far from heaven…
And wholeness…And family…And truth…And goodness…And beauty…And self…
Hands dangle Her soul limp Still
And the breath of God hovers over the deep.
The chaos The stench And fear takes cover Running – hiding from light
Chaos scatters in all directions
Kingdom breaks forth Kin-dom breaks forth
Love cuts darkness
Rise – rise hunched over one
Find your feet
Stand and find them
They are there.
I made you with feet strong enough to walk the face of the earth.
I made you with arms strong enough to maintain the integrity of my creation.
I made you with dreams strong enough to see what is NOT there YET. Dream!
Da da – da da daDa – da – da da – da

Kingdom breaks forth
Calling forth humanity to live as humanity
Calling forth hunched over queens
To receive their crowns
Calling forth pressed down princes
To stand and deliver
And commanding those who stand on their backs – imitating little-g gods.
“Bow to your knees.”
Face your humanity.“
Bow to your knees.”
Embrace your humanity.
Kin-dom locking arms
Limp arms, strong arms, and dead arms
Encircling
With tracks up and down
We will stand together in the darkness
And the breath of God will hover over the deep.
And we will all – all of us – Breeeeeeeathe…

Lisa Sharon Harper is the executive director of New York Faith & Justice and author of Evangelical Does Not Equal Republican … or Democrat.

"Transformational Development"

2009-08-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Centro Cultural Tlaixpan
A ministry of Christian Community Transformation: The future is now!

As a 30 year veteran missionary who has worked with traditional “faith” mission agencies doing church planting through activities like English teaching, local Bible studies and kid’s clubs, as well as spending 12 years in an urban neighborhood engaged in what is called Christian Community Development, I want to affirm that what we are witnessing in this XXI century is something very different. Many missionaries from the activities listed above are recognizing this shift and helping to define it. As one example, a recent book by two of the “founders” of the CCD movement, John Perkins and Wayne Gordon is subtitled: “How Urban/Surburban Partnerships can Transform Communties.” The difference between Development and Transformation might seem small but accurately defined can lead to very different results. Before I highlight some of these differences allow me to give a little history.

The 60’s and 70’s can be remembered among other things as the rise of community organizing led by such activists as Saul Alinsky and adopted by many mainline Protestant and some Catholic churches. A very brief synopsis of their teaching might be outlined as Analysis, Assets and Action. First you identify a problem in the community and analyze its roots and what is needed to bring change. Then, maybe a more recent addition to community organizing, is to discover the strengths or assets within the community that can be harnessed to help bring about this change. Finally, you go into action usually on the streets through some sort of pressure put on the powers that be.

The 80’s and 90’s saw the rise of community development as an activity to bring about what their practitioners call a “deeper” change. It’s Christian form sees this as combining spiritual change with socioeconomic change. In the classic definition by CCD founder, John Perkins, what is required are the “3 R’s.” Relocation is the actual physical presence of those engaged in CCD who get to know the people of the community through life experiences. Reconciliation means healing the differences among the people themselves and dealing with the racism between Anglo-Europeans and ethnic people of color. Redistribution most commonly as meant the transfer of money and other gifts in kind from suburban people of means to the urban poor through their religious institutions.

Just as a way to try to show that change is and has always been inevitable allow me to try to paint in very broad strokes the historical transitions that have taken place in past centuries. Because what we are really talking about here is a way of being and doing church in the world. During the first half of the XX century we saw the shift from Fundamentalism to Evangelicalism. Or as some have described it as moving from a “rescue boat” mentality to an involvement with the world for evangelistic purposes. The XIX century saw a major shift from the more historical and hierarchical churches (Anglican, Lutheran and Presbyterian) to more Congregational churches (Methodists, Baptists and Pentecostals). Before that of course was the “Magisterial” shift from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism.

So how does what we are proposing with Christian Community Transformation fit into this historical stream? While we happily borrow from each of the foregoing in our methods we are quick to point out that the results we are looking for are quite different. The transformation we are expecting must be on the local, national and international levels. Because we live in such a globalized, inter-connected world where communication is instantaneous and what someone does in one country can directly affect the lives of millions in other countries. Our Center here in Mexico seeks to bring awareness to the local people of our community of the causes of their own poverty and oppression through educational means. We also seek to build networks with other social movements who are on a similar path of education seeking transformation. Finally, we seek international partnerships with people who understand this reality and are willing to challenge their assumptions and divest themselves of their own privilege that there might be equality (II Cor. 8:13).

If you have “ears to hear” this call and desire to partner with us please contact us at: swanyriver@aol.com or view our blog at: www.rocajem.blogspot.com or send a donation to Palm Missionary Ministries at: 1315 Campo Sano Ave., Coral Gables, FL.

Summer '09

2009-08-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

The "Chiapas Adventure" team from the Mexican barrio of Chicago (and Pastor Pedro!).

Jacob loved the trampoline at the Soneson home.

and walking the maze at the Arboretum with Aunt Kathy.

and at the petting zoo with grandpa.

We enjoyed a wonderful family reunion at nephew Tim's wedding to Ashley.

Here's the new Mr. & Mrs. Soneson at their beautiful outdoor wedding in the rocky mountains of Colorado.

Jacob bringing mommy's bag to her at the wedding.

Jacob and his "oseeto."

Jacob and his parents would like to thank all of you who made our US visit last month so enjoyable. Thanks also to the La Villita church folk and friends in Arkansas.

Women's Outreach Breakfast

2009-06-27T16:46:00.001-07:00

Angelica sharing about the "The Inward Beauty of a Woman: Societal or God's Standards."

More than 25 women from our small town enjoyed chilaquiles, bread, cafe con leche and good fellowship.

Angelica was busy afterwards with a number of individual counseling appts.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the posts at Jim Wallis' "God's Politics" blog about Father's Day, I am writing this in honor of my own father. During my 50 years of life he has been a faithful provider, wise counselor, role model and and supporter of my dreams, visions and ambitions. Having just recently become a father myself I can now better relate and can thank God for this legacy I have that I can pass on to my own son. A long time faith hero of mine and also someone who became a father in his 50's, Jim Wallis writes,

"Becoming a father rather late in life has indeed taught me many things. In fact, many of life’s most important lessons, I would have to say, have come to me by way of finally being a dad. These two boys have become a spiritual anchor for me, and being their dad has been a kind of contemplative discipline that my busy life sorely needs. I began to build my speaking and travel schedule around things like Little League baseball, or even just putting them to bed at night — which I now do most nights of their lives. After a while, I realized I wasn’t just doing this for them — but also for me. I simply can’t bear not hearing the daily reports about what happened at school, or after school, or with their friends. And their prayers before going to bed at night (my job) are surely not to be missed. They now help shape my theology."

And finally this from a new mentor of sorts who I think my dad would agree is true of our relationship as well.

"... my dad learned from his kids. The truth is (speaking as a father) — the influence children have on their parents is widely underrated. I’ve watched my dad change in his thinking and beliefs through his sons, and I know that I’m continuing to learn and change through my kids every day. I think parents spend 20 years raising their kids, and about half-way through that process, the kids start raising their parents as well. In the end, everyone is better off. The older generation passes on its wisdom to the young, and the younger generation prevents “hardening of the categories” in the old … as long as both generations keep listening — something my dad has done." (Brian McClaren)

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!! I love you.

June update

2009-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Three afternoons a week Angelica offers an embroidery class.

Our roomy kitchen offers cooking class (pies, cakes, preserves, yogurt and ice cream) Sat. afternoons.

individual tutoring take place Mon.-Thurs. afternoons after school.

Children's classes are Sat. mornings.

Jacob and his older nephew are good buddies.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2009-05-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

We have finished our transition years as our Center here in San Mateo Tlaixpan, Puebla is ready to open and Angelica and I have received confirmation for our new direction. We are now officially "national workers" with Palm Missionary Ministries. Palm is a group that exists to serve the national church through websites, newsletters and receiving donations. We will be working with Palm to help organize Mexican missionaries and their ministries.

We are tentatively planning a US visit this summer to be able to share with many of you this new direction in our lives. It is a good feeling to recognize the confirmation from God for steps of faith we took two years ago in moving from Oaxaca to Puebla. While we continue to hold in our hearts the ministry of Rocablanca as well as our contacts in Chiapas, we know that our base is now in Puebla though with regular visits to both Oaxaca and Chiapas on behalf of Palm.

Our donations now can be received with checks made out to "Palm" and "Swansons" on the memo line and sent to:

Palm Missionary Ministries, Inc.
1315 Campo Sano Avenue
Coral Gables, FL
33146-1165

Thank you so much for your prayers and support through these transition years and we look forward to even greater partnership with you in the future.

April update

2009-04-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

Where did the past month go? We had our 2nd inauguration at the end of March with the new communal kitchen. Again Pedro from Chiapas joined us as well as Marti from the US who was with us in Chiapas last summer.

Then the first week of April we visited Chiapas at the invitation of Pedro who arranged homestays and church visits in three indigenous communities in the northern part of the state. We had never visited this region are were warmly greeted as we heard different perspectives about the conflict in Chiapas than we have heard in our JEM visits around San Cristobal. Our last stop was with Pastor Mario in Palenque who is starting a community center very similar to what we are starting in Puebla. We made a good connection and hope to stay in touch.

Thanks again for your prayers and support.

and some more of Jacob at a year and a half...

2009-03-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

A few pics of the ongoing construction...

2009-03-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

Along with medical consultations, legal advice, we are offering English and Chess classes and free weekend movies with food for sale.
The name of the Center is officially "Centro Cultural Tlaixpan" after our hometown. The cafe may be called Yoltekameh once it is finished.
A view through the beautiful iron work done by a local craftsman. We only use local people in the construction which is a blessing during these difficult economic times.

The kitchen for the Cafe under construction which will also host cooking classes that Angelica especially is excited about. Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

Dan's Jubilee Birthday!

2009-02-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

On Feb. 10 I will celebrate my 50th birthday. As my interest in the "Year of Jubilee" has grown since joining JEM nearly a decade ago, I wonder what land re-distribution, debt cancellation and liberation might mean for me this year. I am so thankful for the place God has me right now on the ancestral land of my wife's family in a small town in Mexico. We are attempting to "redeem" the land for God to use to bless many of our neighbors. We did accumulate some debt in the construction of our center but are seeing how God is using a variety of means to cancel it. I have said to some people recently that I have never felt so fulfilled in a ministry as I do now and I think that is part of my own "liberation" from things that have held me back in the past.

2009 is also very special to me because it is the 30th anniversary of my signing of a "commitment card" to serve in career missions at the student missions conf. known as Urbana '79. From 1979 to 1990 I finished my college education in Pol. Sci., a Master's in Theo. Ed. and immersed myself in a number of short-term mission experiences from Japan to the Dominican Republic, to Central America and finally to Mexico. From 1991 to 2002 I returned to my own "backyard" to help in the planting of a bilingual church in the Mexican barrio of Chicago while supporting myself as a teacher in public schools. Currently I, with my family, are halfway through "my third dozen years" of full-time mission service in the three southern states of Mexico (Puebla, Oaxaca and Chiapas).

Thank you for your prayers, support and ongoing communication that so enrich our lives everyday.

Introductions

2009-01-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Dra. Angelica

sheepherder Dan

Profa. Karina

fowl feeder Alejandra

Lawyer Mariana

After the inauguration we jumped into activities at the Center. Each Sat. we host a guest speaker to share from their expertise on such topics as Ecology from an indigenous perspective, caring for the health needs of your child, sculpturing and recycling and organic gardening. This week we launched our "reading circle" in an attempt to foster a culture of reading in our little town. Our sheep population is ready to double as we started with 5 and today have 9 but one more is due anyday. We've also added a male and female turkey to our already crowded chicken coop. Angelica and I have been asked to lead the services each Sunday afternoon in what is the first Evangelical church in our town. The global financial crisis is hitting more and more in Mexico as unemployment rises and inflation makes the peso worth less and less. We pray that we will have the resources to meet any need that presents itself in the coming days, weeks, months. Thank you for partnering with us as we seek the transformation of San Mateo Tlaixpan in the name of Jesus.

Inauguration Day...now the hard work begins...

2009-01-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

The cutting of the ribbon with the help of Pedro from Chiapas.

Mariana, the visionary and human rights lawyer, sharing the vision of the Center.

Dra. Angelica, sharing what a holistic health/counseling clinic looks like at the Center.

Three words were heard strongly last Sat. which summarizes what the Center is all about. Analysis (unafraid, critical analysis of the situation we are living today), Alternatives (creatively searching out viable alternatives) and Action (through commitment to the Word and People of God). We call it our triple AAA ministry! Please remember to pray for all aspects of the health clinic, legal aid clinic, classes, workshops, organic gardening and our sheep raising (now up to 8!).

Our Transition Year(s)

2008-12-06T10:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends & Family,

It's that time of year to look back to give thanks to God for his guidance in our lives as a family. We knew 2008 would be a transition year for us but it actually started in 2007.

Jan. 2007: Angelica announced she was pregnant!!!

July 2007: Moved to Angelica's hometown in the state of Puebla to prepare for the birth.

Aug. 30, 2007: Jacob's birthday!!!

Sep.-Dec., 2007: Sharing our visions with family and university friends of two of our nieces.

Jan.-Mar., 2008: Discovering a common vision among all of us for a Jubilee Center.

Jan/Feb., 2008: book tour with Juan Stam in Puebla, Oaxaca & Chiapas and JEM board mtg.

Mar/Apr., 2008: mini Chiapas experience with some Rocablanca people.

Apr.-June, 2008: work at the clinic at Rocablanca.

July/Aug., 2008: JEM's annual adventure to Chiapas.

Oct/Nov., 2008: Anniversary of founding of Nuevo Ybeljoj, Chiapas and participation in 5th annual workshops on Social Psychology and Religion in Mexico City.

July-Dec., 2008: Laying the foundation for the Jubilee Center.

We knew something special was being prepared for us here in Puebla because of the involvement of two of our nieces together with some of their university friends in Chiapas over the past 4 years. In Spanish we have called this process of visioning to fulfillment our "3C process."

Conociendonos (sharing our visions)
Construyendo una vision (A Jubilee Center)
Cimentando la vision (laying the foundation)

We look forward to the work God has for us in the coming years building on these past two years of transition. Please pray with us for strength, perseverance and faithfulness for this vision.

May Christ be the Center of this holiday season!

Dan, Angelica & Jacob

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-27T14:33:00.000-08:00

We give thanks for:
1o.) faithful prayer supporters
9.) a growing healthy baby boy
8.) a loving extended family with whom we are privileged to share life
7.) good health for all of us
6.) opportunity to serve others in Mexico
5.) vision of Jubilee Economics Ministries
4.) vision of the clinic at Rocablanca
3.) near completion of the Jubilee Center in Puebla
2.) network of good friends far and wide
1.) Our Savior & Lord Jesus Christ!

Jacob says, "I feel much better now."

2008-11-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

Please pray for my mommy who still is struggling with the flu along with others in her family.

please remember in thoughts and prayers...

2008-11-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

1.) Angelica threw out her back yesterday in an attempt to pick up our little "load," Jacob. She just needs to take it very easy for the next several days which means we're all helping out around the house.

2.) The 88 year old sister of Angelica's mom died early this morning in Loma Bonita, Oaxaca. Much of the family accompanied Angelica's mom there today for the funeral. The doctor strongly recommended that Angelica not make the trip given her back injury.

3.) On election eve in the US a govt. jet belonging to Mexico's security dept. crashed in Mexico City killing 8 people aboard and others on the ground. The "Security Czar" of Mexico was aboard and has sparked numerous rumors about the cause of the crash.

Thank you, more to come...

Jacob, full of life...

2008-10-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGELICA!!!

2008-09-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

Oct. 1 is Angelica's birthday and we are celebrating with Mole Poblano in her childhood home.

Angelica's update

2008-09-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Below is a brief update about Angelica's recent activities with translation following.

SE QUE DAN HA ESTADO COMPARTIENDO LA VISION DE TRABAJAR EN LA MISION INTEGRAL, QUE COMPRENDE EL COMPARTIR EL EVANGELIO, PERO TAMBIEN PARTICIPAR EN LA COMUNIDAD PARA LOGRAR MEJORAR LAS CONDICIONES DE VIDA DE LA GENTE.
EN MI CASO, MI PRIORIDAD AHORA ES CUIDAR DE MI HIJO JACOB, QUIEN GRACIAS A DIOS ES UN NINO MUY SANO Y YA DA MUESTRAS DE UNA PERSONALIDAD MUY PARTICULAR. SIN EMBARGO, TAMBIEN HE TENIDO OPORTUNIDAD DE MINISTRAR A ALGUNAS PERSONAS. RECIENTEMENTE LLEGO UNA MUJER JOVEN (EN SUS 30’S) QUIEN VENIA BASTANTE AGOBIADA POR SUS PROBLEMAS. ES UNA MUJER CASADA CUYO ESPOSO SE FUE PARA EU EN BUSCA DE DINERO PARA SOSTENER SU FAMILIA JUSTO CUANDO ELLA ESPERABA SU SEGUNDO HIJO. ESTO FUE HACE MAS DE 8 ANOS. EN TODO ESE TIEMPO EL NO HA VENIDO UNA SOLA VEZ, SOLO HA MANDADO DINERO, CON EL CUAL ELLA PUDO CONSTRUIR UNA VIVIENDA DIGNA. ELLA HA SABIDO QUE EL TIENE OTRA MUJER ALLA DONDE VIVE, Y QUE TIENE FOTOS DE EL CON LA OTRA.
SU PROBLEMA AHORA ES QUE ESTA EMBARAZADA DE OTRO Y SU CORAZON AHORA ESTA ENLAZADO CON ESTE HOMBRE, EL CUAL ES SOLTERO Y QUIERE CASARSE CON ELLA, PERO EL NO QUIERE HACERSE CARGO DE LOS OTROS HIJOS. QUE CONSEJO DARIAS TU A ELLA? ES DIFICIL ESTE CASO, PERO LAMENTABLEMENTE NO ES EL UNICO, EN ESTE MISMO PUEBLO VEMOS VARIOS CASOS MAS, PUES HAY VARIOS HOMBRES CASADOS QUE HAN TENIDO QUE IR A BUSCAR EL SUENO AMERICANO DEBIDO A LA SITUACION ECONOMICA DE NUESTRO PAIS. HAY MUCHAS MADRES QUE SOLAS TIENEN QUE LUCHAR POR SACAR A SUS HIJOS ADELANTE. COMO VAMOS A PODER LEVANTAR A LA NUEVA GENERACION QUE ESTA CRECIENDO SIN EL MODELO DE UN PADRE? TENEMOS QUE BUSCAR SOLUCIONES PARA EVITAR QUE SIGA HABIENDO TAL GRADO DE MIGRACION EN NUESTRO PAIS, ESPECIALMENTE DE LOS PUEBLOS CAMPESINOS.
CADA VEZ ESTAN LLEGANDO MAS PACIENTES A BUSCARME Y ESO ME MANTIENE CADA VEZ MAS OCUPADA. NECESITO MUCHA SABIDURIA, PORQUE LA MAYORIA DE ELLOS VIENEN MAS QUE NADA EN BUSCA DE CONSUELO, UNA DE ELLAS ME DIJO QUE AL VENIR AQUI SENTIA LA PAZ QUE TANTO NECESITABA, PUES TIENEN HAMBRE DE DIOS, AUNQUE TODAVIA NO LES HA RESPLANDECIDO LA LUZ DE CRISTO, PUES EN ESTE PUEBLO HAY MUCHA IDOLATRIA. RECIENTEMENTE FUE LA FIESTA DEL PUEBLO QUE ES EN HONOR A UN SANTO Y GASTARON MILES DE PESOS QUE BIEN PUDIERON SER USADOS PARA MEJORAR EL ASPECTO DEL PUEBLO O PARA DAR DE COMER A LOS HAMBRIENTOS.
POR FAVOR OREN POR NUESTRO PAIS, HAY MUCHA NECESIDAD ESPIRITUAL, HAY MUCHA ANSIEDAD, MUCHOS TEMORES Y ELLOS TIENEN QUE SABER QUE JESUS ES EL UNICO QUE NOS PUEDE DAR LA PAZ VERDADERA.

I know Dan has been filling you in on our vision of “integral mission” here in Puebla where we hope to share the gospel of Christ’s Kingdom as well work to improve the daily living situation of our neighbors. Personally, at the moment my priority is to care for my son Jacob full-time who thanks be to God is very healthy and showing signs of his own distinct personality. Nevertheless, I have also had opportunities to minister to others here in my hometown. Recently a young lady came to our house very distressed by her difficult dilemma. Her husband and she have been married for 20 years and have one 18 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. However, just before the son was born her husband made the difficult decision to cross the border for the US because of his concern to support his growing family. Though he has never returned to his hometown over these 8 years, he has called and sent enough money even for his wife to have a nice house built. The difficulty comes with knowing that he has fathered another child in the US and is living with another woman. She also has recently been seeing another man and is now 7 months pregnant. The man is single and wants to marry this young woman but only take responsibility for his child. Her dilemma is making the difficult decision between her first two children and this man with his child. What would you counsel her? Unfortunately, this is not a unique experience here in our little town of Mexico. Many married men choose to cross the border in search of the “American Dream” and never come back. How are we going to minister to so many children being born without the example of a father? We need to find a solution to this immigration problem that has such drastic effects on our little towns all over Mexico. More and more people are beginning to come to our home for medical consultations but really what they are looking for is counsel. One young woman recently said that she feels such peace in our home when she comes to talk. There is much hunger for the Lord here in the midst of a very entrenched idolatry. Last weekend was the celebration of my town’s patron saint and thousands of pesos were spent on decorations, food and fun while so much more could have been done for the benefit of all of us with all that money. Jesus is the only one who can bring true peace to the fears, anxiety and desperation of so many of our neighbors.

A Prophetic Plea

2008-09-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

Please read the following letter from Evangelical leaders from the "Global South" (Latin America, Africa and Asia). See the website for the Micah Challenge USA for more info.

August, 2008
TO THE CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES
As the Church of the Lord in what is known as the "Southern" part of the world, moved by the Holy Spirit to fight for the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers, we address our Christian family in the United States, a Church of the same covenant, faith and love. Grace and Peace to all of our brothers and sisters.
We know your works of love; these works have allowed millions of human beings for many generations in our countries in the South to receive the gospel, the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of His Salvation. The U.S. church's untiring missionary effort planted in our lands Hope in Him who came to reconcile EVERYTHING.
Nevertheless, the political, social and economic situation in the places where this hope has been announced is increasingly distressing. Millions of people in the global South are dying of hunger, violence and injustice. These situations of poverty and pain are not simply the product of the internal functions of our countries; rather they are the results of the international policies of the governments that wield global power.
Therefore, we have this against you, brothers and sisters, that along with this powerful announcing of the Gospel, the Church from the United States has not also raised its voice in protest against the injustices that powerful governments and institutions are inflicting on the global South - injustices that afflict the lives and ecosystems of millions of people who, centuries after the proclamation of the Gospel, still have not seen the sweat of their brow turned into bread.
The worsening inequality and poverty in the South is alarming. Seven years since the United States and 191 other nations publicly promised to cut extreme global poverty in half by the year 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), your country has made only a little progress towards fulfilling its commitments.
The MDGs should stir us to action because they echo the calls of the biblical prophets for justice and equity. Further, they are achievable and measurable markers on the roadmap to end extreme global poverty.
And so we ask you as sisters and brothers, citizens of the wealthiest most powerful nation on earth, to publicly challenge your candidates and political leaders - now and after the elections are over - to lead the world in the struggle to cut global poverty in half by 2015. If you who know the Truth will not speak for us who will?
The Church in the United States has the opportunity today to be faithful to the Hope that it preaches. We urge you to remember that the Hope to which you were called as a messenger demands that you seek first the Kingdom of God and God's justice.
Out of love for us, the global Church, in holiness, use your citizenship responsibly for the benefit of the entire world; it is for this very reason that the Lord poured out His life on the Cross.
All who have ears, let them hear what the Lord says to His Church.

An Evangelical/Emergent Approach to Missions

2008-09-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Our ministry here in Puebla is beginning to take shape and we would like to share with you a brief outline of how it looks so far. We feel so blessed to be able to have so much family close by to love and assist with our beloved Jacob. We also feel like it is of God that more and more neighbors are visiting now that they recognize that we are not coming and going as in the past. Jesus commanded the teacher of the law in the parable of the Good Samaritan to be a good neighbor when he said, "Go and do likewise." That is our commision as well here in San Mateo Tlaixpan.

A Jubilee Center

I. Community living: We currently have 11 members ranging in age of 1 to 85 with the median age being 34. We share household chores, cooking, grocery shopping, babysitting, specific talents and callings such as medical consultations, legal counsel and classes in cooking, artisanry, computer and English.

II. Mercy ministry: medical consultations and legal assistance for people with few resources.

III. Alternative sustainable living: sheep raising as an income generator for our community, organic gardening for our own consumption, and "green" architectural design for our Center.

IV. Justice ministry: "eye-opening" faith adventures to indigenous communities, networking with other social orgs. doing political/economic analysis, supporting local economies such as coops.

V. Sharing the love of Jesus as the embodiment of the Jubilee inviting others to follow Him.

Thank you for your continued support in prayer and finances as we seek to communicate the unchanging gospel message in an ever changing world.

Happy Birthday Jacob!

2008-09-01T16:51:00.001-07:00

Jacob would like to invite everyone to his 1st birthday on Aug. 30

2008-08-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

"walking humbly..."

2008-07-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

Continuing our search for how to live out our theme verse for our ministry from Micah 6:8, we came across the following article about the ministry of accompaniment, solidarity or what this author calls, "coming alongside of." He writes that it takes humility to live among, come alongside of and bring hope to hopeless people. That is what we are desiring to do here in San Mateo Tlaixpan. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Please read this excerpt from an excellent article called...

Poverty and Personal Responsibility (by Romal Tune)

...And yes, I understand that this notion of stepping out of our comfort zones to have deeper personal relationships with people whom we don't know and perhaps don't understand, is not very appealing or makes us uncomfortable. But is this not what Jesus did? Every person he encountered was a stranger before that moment. In fact, we were strangers when he found us. But as it was when Jesus walked the earth, reaching out to those in need of change, touching people who had never felt a compassionate hand, so it is today.
Yes, in our own power and limited ability we cannot do this, and I would daresay that some may not want to do it, but with God all things are possible. If we humble ourselves and say, "God, I cannot move this mountain, I need you to move it for me, increase my faith," then and only then can we truly eliminate poverty by liberating the poor from the psychological bondage of their circumstances.
I know this is possible because it is my story. Had it not been for men and women who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, people who refused to leave when I tried to force them out of my life, had it not been for them I would either still be living in poverty, selling drugs, in a gang, or dead. But thanks be to God for those men and women who refused to give up on me simply because they realized that in their own lives, God refused to give up on them. Yes, we need better policy, new programs, and personal responsibility, but perhaps what we need most is to stand alongside the people who need us most.
Rev. Romal Tune is the CEO of Clergy Strategic Alliances, a graduate of Howard University and Duke University School of Divinity, and a member of the Red Letter Christians.

July update

2008-07-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends & Family,

Sorry we haven't updated in a few weeks but our return to Puebla has found us hitting the ground running. Dan has made one trip to Mexico City to meet with the Kairos book distributor to organize activities for this Fall. He will be there again tomorrow to apply for Mexican citizenship so please keep that in your prayers. Back in our hometown here in Puebla, we have been working to finish a govt. built home for our niece who is a single mom with two children. We also have been clearing the land for construction of our "Jubilee Center" which will house the JEM office in Mexico, library/resource room, medical consultation space with small pharmacy, distribution center for indigenous merchandise and who know what else...

The last four years we have continued our "eye-opening" trips to Chiapas with mostly participation from young people from Puebla. In 2005 we also included a few from Chicago and Barcelona, Spain and this summer we will welcome a retired sociology prof. from TX who will join 5 young people from Puebla. It is both eye-opening for us and an encouragement to our indigenous friends in Chiapas who continue to suffer the effects of low-intensity war. We invite anyone reading this blog to participate with us in an upcoming trip. Just let us know.

Angelica's hometown here in Puebla is called San Mateo Tlaixpan and has historically been very resistant to any other religious groups aside from Catholicism. But about 5 years ago the Jehovah's Witnesses were able to build a building just on the outskirts of the town and they do door to door witnessing each Sat. A little Evangelical church began last Fall where one of Angelica's sisters is helping to plant. We hope to begin attending after our summer activities. But our little MIJE (JEM in Spanish) group will continue to meet as well as a testimony of breaking down barriers of religion, language, culture and socio-economic status. God has called us to be "One in Him that the world might believe" and we are calling ourselves a little seedling of His Kingdom.

On July 14 Angelica and Dan celebrated 6 years of marriage and it was a special joy to include our little miracle in our plans for the day. Jacob is growing and developing normally for which we give thanks to God and continues to give us much joy.

with our love,

Dan & Angelica

Jacob celebrates 10 months in Chiapas

2008-06-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Family & Friends,

Yesterday we packed up once again, said good-bye to Rocablanca, and made the 10 hour trip to San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. We decided it was a good time to make this transition as Dan had contacts lined up here this week, the last medical team is in good hands and it offers us a little time to unwind from the intensity of the last three months in Oaxaca. San Cristobal is a beautiful colonial town high in the mountains of Chiapas with much cultural diversity and an amazing array of hand woven textiles, people from around the world and very tasty food. It is named for the Spanish monk, Bartolome de las Casas, who arrived to these shores some 500 years ago to evangelize the Indians but ended up also evangelized by their simplicity and defended them from the economic exploits of the Spanish conquerors. He later became the Bishop of a large section of southern Mexico which today encompasses Oaxaca, Chiapas and part of Puebla. We would hope to have just a fraction of the impact he had in this same region.

We will write more as our conversations continue this week and we discern God's direction for our lives and ministry. Thank you for your prayers and support of our ministry in Mexico.

in the love of Christ,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob

Angelica's update

2008-05-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Queridos amigos:
Tenemos casi 2 meses en Roca Blanca y muchas cosas han sucedido. Con un bebito de casi 9 meses, las cosas son muy diferentes. Los primeros dias aqui, Jacob ejercito mucho sus pulmones, pues toda la gente era desconocida para el y lloraba mucho ante cualquiera que se le acercaba. Tardo 2 semanas para poder acostumbrarse a su nana. Esto me ha impedido trabajar en la manera que lo hacia antes, atendiendo pacientes todo el tiempo. Ahora tengo un horario y debo apegarme a el, porque mi bebito no es muy paciente que digamos, y pide su comida a sus horas.
Nuestro trabajo ha sido dirigir el ministerio medico en ausencia de Laura, lo cual es un trabajo que exige mucha responsabilidad. Se trata de organizar el trabajo en la clinica base, y tambien el trabajo en los pueblos, lo cual implica esfuerzo fisico, mental, y espiritual. Actualmente hay una generacion de jovenes que estan buscando el llamdo de Dios para sus vidas y nos alegra en alguna manera poder influir en ellos para consideren el servicio a Dios con sus carreras como la meta. Tenemos 2 jovenes enfermeras de Oral Roberts University: Sarah y Elizabeth han estado aqui desde hace algunosmeses y estaran otros mas; A Matt, medico de Illinois, quien en unos dias empezara la residencia en New York, a Sarah y Michel, estudiantes de enfermeria de Michigan y al equipo de casa: Eder,recien egresado de la Escuela de Medicina y a Rosi y Lore, estudiantes de enfermeria, y a Misa, estudiante de Prepa que esta considerando estudia enfermeria proximamente. Todos ellos son jovenes que no pasan de los 30s. Tambien el recibir equipos misioneros de corto plazo nos ha mantenido muy ocupados.
Cada miercoles tenemos un tiempo de oracion juntos. Cantamos alabanzas al Senor ,meditamos en unpasajebiblico (ultimamente los que hablan sobre enfermedad y sanidad divina) y oramos por las necesidades de la clinica y de la base en general. \los viernes tenemos una reunion para tartar detalles administrativos. Esto ha servido para acercarnos mas y tartar de buscar la unidad en Cristo.
Ahora Jacob esta adaptandose mucho mejor a la gente y al clima . Por favor pedimos sus oraciones para que podamos continuar este tiempo y render buenas cuentas a Dios principalmente y a Laura, que confio en nosotros para esa mision.
Dios les bendiga ricamente: Angelica

Feliz Cinco de May!

2008-05-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

1st Annual Christian "Day of the Child" in Puerto Escondido! All the churches collaborated and multitudes of "ninos" came. Jacob enjoyed the dancing clowns and seeing so many others his own size.

celebrating 8 months old in Puerto

2008-04-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Jacob places his order...

update

2008-04-23T10:10:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

We have a been back to the Rocablanca mission base now about 2 1/2 weeks. Following a week in Chiapas with a small group from the base, we returned for Laura's wedding, a medical campaign in the small Mixteco city of Jamiltepec and organizing the work of the clinic for the next three months in Laura's absence. We are blessed with Dr. Eder who joined our staff last year and with his wife of 4 months has moved into the clinic to give round the clock care to patients. We also have two nurses and a doctor just about to enter residency from the US helping us during the months. Two short-term medical teams will arrive in May and June along with other medical interns so we will have a complete team to continue reaching out to mountain villages.

We have been warmly received back at Roca and are comfortable in the main floor master bedroom with a full kitchen next door. So every 4 hour feedings, washing and sterilizing bottles and liquifying vegetables is convenient. Jacob is adapting well to the climate as he is a "sweater" like his dad. The positive side is that the mosquitos don't seem to bother him. He is slowly adapting to his caregiver three days a week but either Angelica or I need to reassure him of our presence at least every hour.

Thank you so much for your continued support with finances and prayer as we seek God's will for our lives as a family for the long term.

P.S. We have an urgent need to replace the clinic's septic system as it is full, overflowing and quite smelly. Cost runs about $1000US and donations can be sent to the VLAO office with Corban clinic on the memo line. Muchas gracias!

Jack Swanson's 80th birthday!

2008-04-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

We just want to honor this man (Dan's dad) today on his 80th birthday. Here holding his grandchild number 7! He grew up on the Swedish side of Rockford, IL, attended Wheaton college and earned his Phd from Northwestern U. His marriage after college to a non-Swede would point to a life of rattling some cages and breaking down barriers. He strayed from his Swedish Covenant background to raise his family in the Evangelical Free tradition though eventually landing in the Presbyterian church. Just a quick rundown of his 80 years: teacher, coach and counselor at Wheaton Academy, Asst. principal/counselor at East High School (his alma mater) and first Principal of Guilford High School in Rockford, IL, Asst. supt. of the Deerfield/Highland Park, IL high school district and Supt./Principal of Oak Park River Forest High School. Finishing his school administration career at the age of 57 he proceeded to search out opportunities to serve the most poor of our world through Christian ministries: Director of Legal Aid clinic at Circle Urban Ministries, Director of the Development corp. and health clinic of the Lawndale Community church, pioneer missionaries in a squatter settlement of Manila, Philippines with CARE Philippines. He was also a loving and devoted husband to his wife through her decade long struggle with Alzheimers. And always a faithful provider, wise counselor and loving dad and grandpa to his three children and seven grandchildren. My favorite memory, however, is when he was asked to give his "living testimony" on the Chicago Sunday Evening Club on the same TV program that they had also taken a risk (in the early 70's) of inviting Bill Pannell, an African American pastor and teacher to preach. Dad has always been my inspiration and a shining example of a life devoted to God's service for others.
Thank you Dad,
Dan, Angelica & Jacob

Jacob's 7 month B-day!

2008-03-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

first haircut

2008-03-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

and one short video...

2008-03-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

Jan/Feb update

2008-03-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

Dear Family & Friends,

Jacob joins his parents to say a big thank you to all who continue to support us with your prayer and finances. March 1 will be Jacob's six month birthday and the months have flown by. We are so grateful to God for this precious gift of a healthy, growing boy who everyday fills our lives with joy and laughter. He is so receptive to us now that we feel like he understands everything we say to him although he still doesn't have the words to communicate with us.

We are so thankful for these past six months that have allowed us both the time and space needed to learn this new task in life that God has given to us. We are also thankful for the ministry opportunities God has provided Dan during this time with Bible teaching in local churches, book distribution and author tours with Kairos publishing, organizing for upcoming trips to Chiapas and of course keeping up our ministry updates at our blog (http://www.rocajem.blogspot.com/).

We continue to meet regularly with a group of young people here in Angelica's hometown in the state of Puebla about the vision of a "Jubilee Center." We continue to pray and dialogue together about the vision which has come to include everything from a coffeehouse to a learning center to a distribution warehouse of indigenous artisanry to a greenhouse and sheep farming. These last two we will hopefully launch during this month before Angelica and I return to Rocablanca in Oaxaca for a few months. We are praying for the finances to begin construction of the Center in the Fall when we return to Puebla.

We are learning again how to live by faith and depend on God each day for His provision and faithfulness in leading us toward the ministry that He has prepared for us. We are so thankful for each of you as you stand with us in this endeavor. Please remember that the doors are always open for visits as we say in Mexico, "Mi casa es tu casa!"

in Christ's love,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob

What is vision?

2008-02-21T13:03:00.001-08:00

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/february/32.76.html?start=1

"Good (God) things come to those who wait!"

2008-02-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

de Angelica

2008-01-29T09:08:00.000-08:00

CARTA DE ANO NUEVO

AMADOS DE NUESTRO CORAZON:

DESEAMOS QUE PARA ESTE ANO QUE SE ESTA INICIANDO LAS PROMESAS DE DIOS SE CUMPLAN EN SUS VIDAS Y QUE DESCANSEN CONFIADOS EN LA ROCA DE NUESTRA SALVACION.

HACE UNOS DIAS EL PASTOR DE TECAMACHALCO NOS PREGUNTO CUALES ERAN LOS TEMORES QUE TENIAMOS PARA EL ANO 2008. ALGUNOS DIJERON QUE LA ECONOMIA, OTROS QUE A LAS ENFERMEDADES, OTROS A SEPARARSE DE DIOS, OTROS A LOS DESASTRES NATURALES, ETC. YO PENSE EN VARIAS COSAS. SIN EMBARGO, A MI LADO MI ESPOSO ME DIJO, YO NO TENGO NINGUN TEMOR, PORQUE EL PERFECTO AMOR ECHA FUERA EL TEMOR. AL MOMENTO ME SONO UN POCO RELIGIOSO. PERO ESTA CONFESION ME HA SEGUIDO A CADA INSTANTE DESDE QUE AQUEL DIA. POR EJEMPLO, HACE UNOS DIAS JACOB ESTUVO ENFERMITO Y ME QUERIA ENTRAR LA ANGUSTIA, PERO ESTA PROMESA FUE MAS FUERTE, LO CUAL ME HIZO ORAR CON AUTORIDAD Y CON CONVICCION. EL LLANTO DE MI HIJO PARO, LUEGO DE ORAR DE ESTA MANERA.

ESTAMOS EMPEZANDO EL ANO CON ALGUNOS RETOS POR DELANTE. NUESTRA TAREA MAS IMPORTANTE AHORA, ES LEVANTAR A NUESTRO HIJO. EL INVERTIR NUESTRO TIEMPO EN EL, PRODUCIRA MUCHO FRUTO MANANA, PUES DECLARAMOS QUE NUESTRO HIJO VA A SER UN PESCADOR DE ALMAS, UN FUERTE SIERVO DE DIOS, COMO YA ALGUNOS HAN PROFETIZADO SOBRE EL. DANIEL Y YO ESTAMOS EN EL ESTADO DE PUEBLA, NUESTRA BASE POR EL MOMENTO, Y ESTAMOS CONFIANDO QUE EL PROYECTO DE TENER UN CENTRO DE AYUDA CON UNA MISION INTEGRAL PUEDA ECHARSE A ANDAR PRONTO. EL SUENO ES TENER EN ESTE CENTRO UN ESPACIO PARA LOS JOVENES PARA REFLEXIONAR EN EL DESTINO DE SUS VIDAS Y COMO TENER UN ENCUENTRO CON JESUS, A LA VEZ QUE GUIARLOS A TENER UNA MAYOR CONCIENCIA SOCIAL, DADOS LOS ACONTECIMIENTOS NACIONALES E INTERNACIONALES QUE NOS AFECTAN DIRECTA O INDIRECTAMENTE. TAMBIEN HABRA UN LUGAR PARA CONSEJERIA O CONSULTA MEDICA EN CASOS ESPECIALES. OTRO ESPACIO PARA VENDER ARTESANIAS PARA AYUDAR A NUESTROS INDIGENAS DE OAXACA Y CHIAPAS, ENTRE OTRAS COSAS.
YA HEMOS EMPEZADO DESDE HACE ALGUNOS MESES A TENER REUNIONES EN DONDE MEDITAMOS EN LA PALABRA Y ANALIZAMOS LO QUE ESTA PASANDO EN EL MUNDO A LA LUZ DE ESTA. ESTAS REUNIONES HAN SIDO MAS QUE NADA CON LA FAMILIA.
ESTE PROYECTO DIFIERE UN POCO DEL MINISTERIO EN EL QUE HE TRABAJADO A LO LARGO DE 15 ANOS DE SER MISIONERA. LO DIFERENTE ES QUE NO SOLO SE TRATA DE AFECTAR SOLO EL AREA ESPIRITUAL DE AQUELLOS QUE DESEAMOS ALCANZAR, SINO QUE SE TRATA DE ABARCAR TODAS LAS DEMAS AREAS QUE DETERMINAN SU DIARIO VIVIR: LO SOCIAL, LO POLITICO, LO ECONOMICO, ETC. POR EJEMPLO: QUE DEBE HACER UN MISIONERO EN UN LUGAR DE CONFLICTO. DEBE ESTAR DEL LADO DE LOS POBRES O DE LOS PODEROSOS? DEBE QUEDARSE CALLADO ANTE LAS INJUSTICIAS QUE SE COMETEN?

HAY ALGO QUE QUISIERA ACLARAR EN CUANTO A ESTO ESTOY APRENDIENDO ACERCA DE LO QUE SIGNIFICA MISION INTEGRAL. MI ESPOSO HA TRABAJADO Y LEIDO MUCHO SOBRE ESTA, Y YO ESTOY APRENDIENDO DE EL. PUES EL POR SUS CONOCIMIENTOS DE POLITICA Y TEOLOGIA DOMINA ESTA AREA. EN UNA OCASION ME ATREVI A DECIR QUE EL ME ESTABA ADOCTRINANDO . CREO QUE NO USE LA PALABRA CORRECTA. EL ME HA ABIERTO LOS OJOS A LA REALIDAD SOCIAL Y POLITICA AUN DE MI PROPIO PAIS, PERO ESO NO QUIERE DECIR QUE HE RENUNCIADO A MIS PROPIAS CONVICCIONES. TENGO AUN ALGUNOS CUESTIONAMIENTOS SOBRE ALGUNAS COSAS, PERO NO SON ESENCIALES PARA LA FE EN JESUS, ASI QUE NO LES DAMOS MUCHA IMPORTANCIA. EN LO QUE SI ESTAMOS TOTALMENTE DE ACUERDO ES QUE SOLO HAY UN CAMINO PARA LLEGAR AL PADRE: JESUS, CAMINO, VERDAD Y VIDA. Y QUE NUESTRAS VIDAS GIRAN ALREDEDOR DE EL.

USTEDES SON UNA PARTE IMPORTANTE EN TODO LO QUE HACEMOS, PUES NECESITAMOS DE SU APOYO TANTO EN ORACION COMO FINANCIERO. LES DAMOS MUCHAS GRACIAS POR LA CONFIANZA QUE SIGUEN DEPOSITANDO EN NOSOTROS. LES MANTENDREMOS INFORMADOS DE LO QUE HAGAMOS.

QUE DIOS LES BENDIGA ABUNDANTEMENTE CON MUCHAS RIQUEZAS ESPIRITUALES: ANGELICA.

Jacob at 5 months!

2008-01-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

Feliz Navidad & Happy New Year!!!

2007-12-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

Nov./Dec. update

2007-12-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

We have been so blessed this past month during our US visit. The wedding of Dan's dad was extraordinary and we feel so happy to have been a part. We attended the "Global Medical Missions" conf. in Louisville, KY and were inspired by numerous speakers including one mother who shared her heart about "medicine, motherhood and missions." We have enjoyed wonderful fellowship with our spiritual families at two churches as well as with Dan's biological family especially around tables, not least of which being at Thanksgiving.

We have spent this month praying and seeking counsel from others about our future ministry and this letter is to fill you in on what we have discerned so far. We are very excited about this new chapter in our lives as a family of three doing ministry together and bringing together the different passions of both Angelica and Dan. That is, the ministry of offering compassion to hurting people and doing justice on behalf of the poor and oppressed. The board of the Centro de Ayuda Corban A.C. based at Rocablanca has given an initial green light to begin the process for this expanded vision. We will meet together in mid-Dec. to put flesh to the vision.

For the next four months the three of us will stay in Angelica's hometown in Puebla to initiate a center that will include a small cafe, library, food depository, clothes closet and warehouse for products from indigenous communities. After Laura's wedding in April, we will return to the Base in Oaxaca to help cover the clinic activities there until July. In Aug. we will be hosting JEM delegations in Chiapas before returning to Puebla to continue the work in our new center. We will be depending on your prayers during this coming year as we continue to listen to God's voice in the development of this expanded vision.

Would you also please prayerfully consider partnering with us to help meet the following needs :

$500/month needed for our personal support.
$3000 debt needs to be erased before the end of the year from a shortfall in our monthly support over the past six months.
$2500 needed for the construction of the center in Puebla.

Please mail your donations to our home church in Chicago:

La Villita Community Church
2300 S. Millard Ave.
Chicago, IL 60623
(checks made out to LVCC with "Corban clinic" on the memo line.)
Thank you so much for your prayers and continued partnership with us.

for a better world through Jesus Christ,

Dan, Angelica & Jacob

Education, Advocacy & Action

2007-11-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

We are gaining a bit more clarity about our future ministry goals. Borrowing from the mission statement from the JEM website, the words in the title to this piece seem to best outline our ministry among indigenous communities of southern Mexico. We hope to educate people on both sides of the border about the reality of indigenous Mexico. We then want to advocate ourselves and provide opportunities for others to join us on behalf of those without a voice. We also will be involved in action whether that be offering medical service, community development projects or helping to market products from the indigenous communities. All of this is part of our Christian calling as we continue "Reflecting the Shalom of God" or announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God inaugurated by Jesus Christ.

When you have a half hour please listen to the following story about the difficult life of one Mexican family:

http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=16035

This story is quite disturbing about playing politics with lives of Central Americans:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16661333

more from Jacob...

2007-11-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

Dependence & Inter-dependence

2007-11-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

We are at the SouthEast Christian church in Louisville, KY this weekend for a Global Medical Missions conf. Last night's opening plenary was Eli Kachagunga, an indigenous person from Brazil translated by Steve Saint (of "The End of the Spear" fame). Eli was very eloquent in explaining the history of missions from the European and N. American--to mestizo Latin Americans--but says now that the time has come for the indigenous themselves to evangelize especially other indigenous in Latin America.

But, as he says, we in the north have things that they do not have (like financial resources) and they in the south have things that we do not have (like the ability to live in the jungle!). Therefore we need each other and must learn to work in unity as the Body of Christ. Long time urban minister, Bob Lupton, has developed the following "oath for would-be helpers."

1. I will never do for others what they have (or could have) the capacity to do for themselves.
2. I will limit my one-way giving to emergency situations and seek always to find ways and means for legitimate exchange.
3. I will seek ways to empower the poor through hiring, lending and investing and use grants sparingly as incentives that reinforce achievements.
4. I will put the interests of the poor above my own (or organizational) self-interest even when it may be costly.
5. I will take time to listen and carefully assess both expressed and unspoken needs so that my actions will ultimately strengthen rather than weaken the hand of those I would serve.
6. Above all, to the best of my ability, I will do no harm.
(Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life--Rethinking Ministry to the Poor, Robert Lupton)

Justice & Mercy ministry with humility

2007-11-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Micah 6:8 has been an important verse in Dan's ministry over the years. What does God require of us, but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. Can we meet the emergency needs of hungry people with food handouts while at the sametime asking the hard questions about why the people are hungry? We need to be careful of not falling into the trap of benefitting those who have already benefitted from an unjust system. For example, buying bags of corn to give away from the same corporation who flooded the market with their cheap corn driving the poor campesinos off their land. It takes courage to ask these questions but it also takes sacrifice to share from our abundance with those who don't have enough.

How would this type of balanced ministry look in today's world? Comments? Wise counsel?

The Person & Work of Christ

2007-11-05T16:47:00.000-08:00

As we continue our journey through the midwest and discerning the shape of our future ministry among Mexicans on both sides of the border we continue to wrestle with various perspectives. Some on the Roca side of our ministry question the convictions of people in JEM as to their belief in the person of Jesus Christ. Is he the only begotten Son of God, Saviour of the world and the only way to God? Those from JEM tend to question people from Roca as to their belief in the work of Jesus Christ. Did he come to earth to die on the cross only for the forgiveness of our sins or does the way he lived and the things he taught also have relevance to our ministry today? If we believe that Jesus is the only way to God but don't follow his example for our life today are we not just as guilty as those who claim to follow the example of Jesus without claiming him as the only Son of God and Saviour of the world?

Is there a way to bring these perspectives together for each to serve as a corrective of the other?

Food for thought. Comments? Wise counsel?

2007-10-03T15:31:00.001-07:00

AMADOS HERMANOS :

LES SALUDAMOS CON CARIÑO EN EL AMOR ENTRAÑABLE DE JESUS, ESPERANDO QUE SEAN PROSPERADOS Y BENDECIDOS EN TODO.

QUEREMOS COMPARTIRLES EL GRAN GOZO QUE ESTAMOS EXPERIMENTANDO ANTE LA LLEGADA DEL REGALO MAS PRECIOSO QUE HEMOS RECIBIDO DE MANOS DE NUESTRO DIOS. SOBRE TODO A USTEDES, QUE SON PARTE DE NUESTRA FAMILIA DE LA FE EN CHICAGO. COMO LA MAYORIA DE USTEDES SABEN, A PESAR DE QUE DESEABAMOS CON TODO EL CORAZON TENER UN HIJO O HIJA DESDE QUE DANIEL Y YO NOS CASAMOS, NO LLEGABA, LO CUAL NOS HIZO PENSAR QUE YA NO VENDRIA, MAS QUE NADA POR MI EDAD. SIN EMBARGO, RECIBIMOS HACE UNOS AÑOS UNA PALABRA PROFETICA DE QUE DIOS NOS DARIA UN VARON QUE LE SERVIRIA. NOSOTROS GUARDAMOS ESA PALABRA EN NUESTRO CORAZON Y SEGUIMOS ADELANTE EN EL MINISTERIO, DEJANDO TODOS NUESTROS DESEOS EN LAS MANOS DE DIOS. CUANDO, A MIS 44 AÑOS DE EDAD ME DI CUENTA DE QUE ESTABA EMBARAZADA FUE ALGO INDESCRIPTIBLE LO QUE SENTIMOS, PORQUE NOS DIMOS CUENTA DE QUE ESTE ERA UN MILAGRO GRANDIOSO DE DIOS. A PARTIR DE ESE MOMENTO, EMPEZAMOS A CAMINAR EN UNA FE FUERTE, PORQUE LOS MEDICOS QUE ME ATENDIERON CONSTANTEMENTE ME RECORDABAN DE LOS RIESGOS DE TENER UN HIJO A MI EDAD. PERO NOSOTROS SABEMOS QUE TENEMOS UN DIOS MUY GRANDE QUE TIENE TODO EL PÒDER PARA HACER POSIBLE LO IMPOSIBLE. DIOS NOS DIO UN HIJO HERMOSO Y SANO, POR EL CUAL DAMOS GLORIA Y ALABANZA A EL.

AHORA, LO QUE SIGUE ES UN CAMBIO MUY FUERTE EN NUESTRAS VIDAS. DE HECHO DESDE QUE MI EMBARAZO EMPEZO, MI RITMO DE VIDA SUFRIO UN CAMBIO, YA QUE DEJAMOS DE VIAJAR A LOS PUEBLOS DE LA SIERRA Y NOS DEDICAMOS YO, A DAR CONSULTA EN LA CLINICA DE LA BASE Y DANIEL A CUIDAR ASPECTOS DE LA ADMINISTRACION DE LA MISMA. AHORA ESTAMOS VIVIENDO EN MI PUEBLO NATAL EN DONDE HEMOS RECIBIDO MUCHO APOYO DE MI FAMILIA EN EL CUIDADO DE NUESTRO BEBE. AQUI DANIEL HA TENIDO OPORTUNIDADES DE COMPARTIR ESTUDIOS BIBLICOS EN LA IGLESIA DE TECAMACHALCO, EL PUEBLO CERCANO EN DONDE NOS CONGREGAMOS. ADEMAS MIS SOBRINAS ESTAN INVOLUCRANDOSE MAS Y MAS EN JEM, POR LO CUAL SE ESTA PLANEANDO TENER UNA OFICINA AQUI, CUYO FIN SERA CONCIENTIZAR MAS Y MAS A LOS JOVENES SOBRE LA JUSTICIA SOCIAL. TAMBIEN DANIEL ESTA COLABORANDO EN LA VENTA DE LIBROS CRISTIANOS DE AUTORES LATINOAMERICANOS Y EN VARIAS COSAS MAS. LO CUAL ME PERMITE A MI DEDICARME TIEMPO COMPLETO A CUIDAR DE NUESTRO AMADO JACOB DANIEL. NUESTRO PLAN ES ESTAR AQUI POR LO MENOS HASTA QUE JACOB CUMPLA 6 MESES Y DESPUES, CONTINUAR NUESTRO TRABAJO EN LA BASE MISIONERA, MEDIO TIEMPO PARA MI; Y CON VIAJES MAS FRECUENTES A CHIAPAS. TODO ESTO LO ESTAMOS PONIENDO EN LAS MANOS DEL SEÑOR, POR LO CUAL LES PEDIMOS SUS ORACIONES, PUES QUEREMOS RECIBIR DIRECCION DEL ESPIRITU SANTO PARA HACER SU PERFECTA VOLUNTAD.

LES AGRADECEMOS MUCHO SUS ORACIONES Y TAMBIEN SU APOYO ECONOMICO, PUES EL PASTOR VICTOR NOS HA COMUNICADO DE SU GENEROSIDAD PARA SEGUIR APOYANDONOS, LO CUAL NOS HACE SENTIR QUE SEGUIMOS ESTANDO EN SUS CORAZONES. DIOS LES RETRIBUYA EN ABUNDANCIA.

CON EL AMOR DE JESUS: ANGELICA Y DANIEL.

Oct. update

2007-10-03T14:40:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

If you've been following this blog over the past months you know the incredible changes that have come to our lives. Dan participated as best he could in a 40 day fast in May and June to try to discern where God was leading us to minister as a family. We have spent the past three months now in Angelica's hometown in Puebla preparing our lives as best we could for the arrival of our son. In a few weeks we will depart for the US primarily to participate in the joy of the wedding of Dan's dad. However, we also are praying that we will be able to see many of you to share how we think God is leading us and request your prayers for guidance.

If you have been curious about the title of this blog and looked at the websites of the two organizations listed next to our names then you have an idea of the shape of our future ministry in Mexico. We are being led through many open doors to a more active partnership with Jubilee Economics Ministries. We hope that this added ministry ally can bolster our work with Rocablanca and the work of the clinic through its "Centro de Ayuda Corban A.C."

It seems to be a marriage of the divine vocations of "prophet and priest" that we are being called into. Can the priestly work that Rocablanca has been doing over the years so effectively of calling the church to worship, teaching the Word of God and bringing healing to wounded people be joined with the prophetic vocation of naming the injustices around us, calling for repentance and living an alternative. Or, maybe it is better said in this recent email:

While it may be annoying to some of us, prophets are those persistent
individuals who challenge assumptions that lead the church astray. Prophets
oppose theological, moral, and logical imprecision! They are the surgeons who
draw attention to deadly growths within the Body of Christ that, left
unattended, would drain the church of its spiritual health and power.
While the prophet’s voice is necessary, it is never sufficient. Once the prophet has
offered the challenge—once the growth is recognized—a priest is also needed to
help seek God’s healing hand in removing it! While prophets often provide
clarity to a problem, priests bring us to God for rescue! As members of Christ’s
body, each of us are to serve as prophet and as priest!
(Mimi Haddad, Christians for Biblical Equality)

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf and we look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months. Dios les bendiga, Dan, Angelica and Jacob Daniel

Jacob Daniel Swanson Juarez!

2007-09-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

Join us in giving thanks for the arrival of this most precious gift from God. We appreciate all the prayers that brought us through the pregnancy safely and for God's grace to be good and effective parents. All three of us are healthy in Angelica's hometown in Puebla. We will stay here until mid-Oct. when we hope to make a road trip to Chicago and visit friends along the way. Please continue to pray for the clinic at Rocablanca during this time of shortage with Laura still in Mexico City and we in Puebla. Thanks be to God for Dr. Eder, Josana (our new dentist) and the entire staff for their perserverance to continue the work for the Lord.

with our love,

Dan & Angelica

August update

2007-08-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

As we are in the final countdown to the birth of our son, I will try to provide this update of our lives over the past two months. Our gynecologist continues to instill in us much confidence with his years of experience and knows the precise time for our baby to make his arrival. He says by Aug. 30 or 31 (or possibly a few days later), as he assures us that the baby is much more comfortable inside of Angelica now until his development is ready to handle the external world.

While Angelica has been trying to rest in her family home over the past couple months, Dan has been busy with renewing his visa in Mexico City, working with a Christian book distributor of Kairos books setting a calendar for activities for 2008, leading a delegation of five young Mexican people to indigenous communities of Chiapas and teaching a Wed. night series in Aug. at a local church on "4 characteristics of a true prophet" from I Kings.

Please continue to pray with us as we seek God's will for us after the birth of our son as we seek to balance the most important task of raising a child with medical work in Oaxaca and an increasingly full schedule in Chiapas. We continue to feel God leading us toward the vision he gave us three years ago that was summarized in our pamphlet called: "Reflecting the Shalom of God among Indigenous communities of Southern Mexico." That, for us, seems to include Puebla, Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Paz y amor en Cristo Jesus,

Dan & Angelica

Familia Juarez.

2007-07-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

A family meal on Sonday at the Juarez family compound in San Mateo Tlaixpan. We are so grateful for this wonderful place to stay while awaiting the birth of our son surrounded by the love of family members among three generations.

Una comida en domingo en la casa de la familia Juarez en San Mateo Tlaixpan. Estamos muy agradecidos por este lugar maravilloso en el que estaremos esperando el nacimiento de nuestro hijo, rodeados por el amorde los miembros de una familia compuesta por varias generaciones.

2007-07-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I purposefully took a break from blogging here during the 40 day fast I wrote about in May. I can't say that I was totally faithful with the fast during the whole 40 days (too many group dinners and farewells) or that a whole lot of wisdom was gained. But it was a good start!

We left Puerto Escondido for Angelica's hometown in the state of Puebla on July 1. It is about a 10 hour drive but we took three days since sitting too long in one place is difficult these days for Angelica. The day after we arrived we had our first appt. with the surgeon who will do the cesarean who told us everything looks good and we can plan for an Aug. 30 or 31 birth.

Life is very different living on the Juarez family compound close to Angelica's two sisters, brother in-law, three nieces and two great nieces. Angelica's mother shares our home with us who we are grateful to God to still have with us in her 84th year. We are still trying to organize our lives here to fit into the schedules of the others even as we enjoy much conversation around the table.

In a couple weeks I may accompany a group of young people from Puebla on a JEM delegation to Chiapas which promises to be an eye-opening experience. I wish Angelica could be with me as it could provide new opportunities for us to serve together among other indigenous groups in the future. Regarding 2008, please pray with us as we make plans that will enable us to re-structure our family life to include one more.

Please keep in touch as we love to hear from you whether thru emails or comments to this blog.

Paz,

Dan & Angelica

Interesting article from a recent Christianity Today about missions in poor contexts:http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/12.22.html

Fasting for wisdom

2007-05-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

We are in the midst of a very busy time here in Oaxaca and at the Rocablanca mission base. We´ve had two short-term groups come and go and two more coming this week and next. Laura continues to assist Lupe in Mexico City in her recuperation from her stroke. We have seen that God is faithful even at the last minute as He has provided for our needs and worked among us as we minister in various communities.

Angelica has her six month appt. with the gyne tomorrow and we anticipate that all will be well. She continues to feel good and enjoy immensely this new experience in her life. We can´t wait until next month when another ultrasound should tell us the gender of our child. We continue to plan for a mid-July departure for Puebla to prepare for the birth and then hopefully a quick trip to Chicago in Nov. for Dad´s wedding.

Dan has decided to participate in a 40 day fast called by various national ministries in the US. It is especially for wisdom for a number of crucial decisions that we need to make in the coming days, weeks and months. While we don´t agree with everything that this fast is about we believe that there is enough common ground that allows us to unite to see God do what He desires both in the US and around the world. You can read about it at the link below.

Thank you for your continued partnership with us through prayer, finances and visits. We continue to pray for you as well.

in Christ,

Dan & Angelica

Calling America to a 40 day Fast
May 28-July 6, 2007

Lou Engle and The Call leadership team along with many national ministries are calling America to join together in seeking God according to Joel 2:12-28.

"Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. 14 Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him…15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; 16 gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room. 17 Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach…Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' " 18 Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, and pity His people…28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. (Joel 2:12-28) http://www.ihop.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000014470

And one more reason for this time of fasting for wisdom. We need to listen to the prophets of God however they come to us like this quote from the famous "anti-war Mom" who has given up in discouragement with the whole system. But the following quote from one of the Christian Peacemaker Team members kidnapped in Iraq last year on why he won´t testify in the trial of his supposed kidnappers. Our hope is in the freedom that Christ brings alone.

Cindy Sheehan writes:

"I guess no one paid attention to me when I said that the issue of peace and people dying for no reason is not a matter of 'right or left', but 'right and wrong,'" the diary says. Sheehan criticized "blind party loyalty" as a danger, no matter which side it involved, and said the current two-party system is "corrupt" and "rapidly descending into with nary a check or balance: a fascist corporate wasteland." Sheehan said she had sacrificed a 29-year marriage and endured threats to put all her energy into stopping the war. What she found, she wrote, was a movement "that often puts personal egos above peace and human life." But she said the most devastating conclusion she had reached "was that Casey did indeed die for nothing ... killed by his own country which is beholden to and run by a war machine that even controls what we think". "Casey died for a country which cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many people will be killed in the next few months while Democrats and Republicans play politics with human lives," she wrote. It is so painful to me to know that I bought into this system for so many years and Casey paid the price for that allegiance. I failed my boy and that hurts the most."

From James Loney of CPT:

Jim ends his statement by saying, “We want to see an end to all killing, regardless of the reason. Capital punishment is simply the legal face of the dead-end cycle of violence and retribution for violence that is destroying Iraq. We want to see something genuinely new and different, a future that begins with the power of forgiveness.”This is an example of who we are as Christians. Death – and all its attendant principalities and powers of violence cloaked in the lie of necessary evil – has no dominion over us. This is the freedom that we are offered in Christ.

John Stott on the global economic divide

2007-05-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

For those who don´t know who John Stott is, he is a retired Anglican pastor in England, who traveled around the world encouraging Christian leaders from the "global south" to a ministry of preaching the Word of God. The following quotes from him speak to the still urgent need in our world today. The organization that continues his worldwide ministry can be seen at:
http://www.johnstott.org/

The sin of Dives
We are all tempted to use the enormous complexity of international economies as an excuse to do nothing. Yet this was the sin of Dives. There is no suggestion that Dives was responsible for the poverty of Lazarus either by robbing or by exploiting him. The reason for Dives's guilt is that he ignored the beggar at his gate and did precisely nothing to relieve his destitution. He acquiesced in a situation of gross economic inequality, which had rendered Lazarus less than fully human and which he could have relieved. The pariah dogs that licked Lazarus's sores showed more compassion than Dives did. Dives went to hell because of his indifference. --From 'Economic Equality Among Nations: A Christian Concern?' "Christianity Today" (2 May 1980).

Our blind spot
It is easy to criticize our Christian forebears for their blindness. It is much harder to discover our own. What will posterity see as the chief Christian blind spot of the last quarter of the twentieth century? I do not know. But I suspect it will have something to do with the economic oppression of the Third World and the readiness with which western Christians tolerate it, and even acquiesce in it. Only slowly is our Christian conscience being aroused to the gross economic inequalities between the countries of the North Atlantic and the southern world of Latin America, Africa and most parts of Asia. Total egalitarianism may not be a biblical ideal. But must we not roundly declare that luxury and extravagance are indefensible evils, while much of the world is undernourished and underprivileged? Many more Christians should gain the economic and political qualifications to join in the quest for justice in the world community. And meanwhile, the development of a less affluent lifestyle, in whatever terms we may define it, is surely an obligation that Scripture lays on us in compassionate solidarity with the poor. Of course we can resist these things and even use (misuse) the Bible to defend our resistance. The horror of the situation is that our affluent culture has drugged us; we no longer feel the pain of other people's deprivations. Yet the first step toward the recovery of our Christian integrity is to be aware that our culture blinds, deafens and dopes us. Then we shall begin to cry to God to open our eyes, unstop our ears and stab our dull consciences awake, until we see, hear and feel what through his Word he has been saying to us all the time. Then we shall take action. --From "Culture and the Bible" (Downers Grove: IVP, 1981), p. 36.

The principle of simplicity
Materialism is an obsession with material things. Asceticism is the denial of the good gifts of the Creator. Pharisaism is binding ourselves and other people with rules. Instead, we should stick to principles. The principle of simplicity is clear. Simplicity is the first cousin of contentment. Its motto is, 'We brought nothing into this world, and we can certainly carry nothing out.' It recognizes that we are pilgrims. It concentrates on what we *need*, and measures this by what we *use*. It rejoices in the good things of creation, but hates waste and greed and clutter. It knows how easily the seed of the Word is smothered by the 'cares and riches of this life'. It wants to be free of distractions, in order to love and serve God and others. --From "The Christian and the Poor" (All Souls Paper: London: All Souls Church, 16 February 1981).

One immigrant´s story

2007-05-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

Please listen to this amazing story of a one time undocumented ("illegal") Mexican immigrant who in 20 years has become a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins. Thank you NPR for this story.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10013111

Sam Brownback: 'The Poor Will Save Us'
The Republican senator says it just might take a religious revival to save America.
Interview by David Kuo

Sam Brownback, Republican senior senator from Kansas, has his eyes on the White House. He is a social conservative through and through. He is staunchly pro-life. He is against gay marriage. He is also radically pro-poor and has spent much time and effort trying to bring the poor's plight - particularly in Africa - to America's attention. He sat down with Beliefnet's Washington editor, David Kuo, to talk openly and in depth about his religious faith and what it is going to take to save America. Watch segments of the interview or read an extended version below.

Shoes

2007-04-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to many of you we were able to bless some people in the villages with good shoes that they enjoy and are better for their feet.

Mission update: April, ¨07

2007-04-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We hope you are all fine and finding joy and rest in the Lord. These special "nine months" for us are indeed very special but also very different. As we spend more time at home for Angelica to get the rest she needs we are learning new ways to minister to each other as well as to those outside. God is faithful to bring people to our door both to be a blessing to us as well as offer us an opportunity to be a blessing.

One example is a young Christian woman who came with her husband last night requesting that we visit her ailing uncle in a nearby community. We went with her this morning and indeed found a 62 year old man who has been very sick for years with infections on his feet and hands. Angelica was able to diagnose his medical problems and promised him medicine early next week but she was also able to lead him in a prayer of repentance and acceptance of Jesus into his heart. Others have come to our front gate as well who bring joy into our lives as we are able to share with them.

The clinic at the Rocablanca Base is running very well with our new doctor and Josanna, a recent dental graduate who is considering joining us full-time. We need to raise $200/month to be able to contribute to her support. The need is very great, especially in the mountain villages, for a dentist. Please pray with us to know when the time is right for her to join us. Laura and Isidro are driving back from the border today with a used pick-up that was donated that we are hoping will be used to bless the people of the Ixtayutla region. It will allow Isidro to make more regular trips with much needed food rations, supplies for the missionaries living in the region and just enable us to be more present to the people there. God is doing amazing work in that region amidst great changes that are coming with road improvement, govt. infrastructure and more "outsiders." Pray for wisdom to know how to share the Good News amidst all this change.

We have a busy next couple of months with many short-term medical, construction and evangelistic teams. Pray that they all will be a blessing to the people they visit in the mountains and that each person on the teams will be touched in a special way with what God is doing in and around them. In July we plan to head for Angelica´s hometown in the state of Puebla (about a 10 hour drive) to await the blessed event of the birth of our first child. We are growing more excited everyday as we hear ever more clearly the heartbeat and feel the baby moving.

Thanks to each one of you who share with us either by reading this blog, praying for us or giving financially. The address to make contributions to our ministry is:

Victory Latin American Outreach (VLAO) Inc.
421 1/2 E. 30th Avenue
Hutchinson, KS 67502
(with Dan & Angelica on the memo line)

for Christ´s Kingdom,

Dan & Angelica

Food for Fuel: Good or Bad?

2007-03-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Starving for Fuel?
By RUTH GIDLEY, Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Using plants to feed our fuel needs may be a great idea, and the biofuel goldrush could be a moneyspinner for several poor countries, but some experts warn people may go hungry as food prices rise.Fans of biofuels give the impression we could soon be running cars on maize, producing electricity with sugar, and getting power from palm oil.Even though the biofuel boom is only just beginning, it has already pushed up the cost of staples in places like Mexico where rocketing tortilla prices have sparked angry protests.
Some experts foresee a permanent change in food economics if farmers scent higher profit in fuel crops than in growing plants to feed people."We're into a new structure of markets," said British food aid expert Edward Clay. "It could have profound implications on poor people."World leaders promised in 2000 to halve by 2015 the proportion of people, estimated at 1.2 billion or a fifth of humanity in 1990, who live on less than a dollar a day and who suffer from hunger.According to the 2006 review of progress toward the goal, an estimated 824 million people in the developing world were affected by chronic hunger in 2003, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia.Oil prices have roughly tripled since the start of 2002 to above $60 a barrel and as oil resources held by Western firms dwindle, biofuels have seemed viable and the message about climate change has gone mainstream.Governments and oil companies are seeking alternative fuel sources and President Bush has made it clear he supports a major shift toward biofuels.Farmers in the United States are raising production of maize, now a lucrative material for biofuel production. Soaring U.S. demand for ethanol -- produced from crops like maize and sugar cane -- has sent maize prices to their highest level in a decade.
Mexicans are feeling the impact. Tens of thousands took to the streets in January when the price of tortillas tripled to 15 pesos ($1.36) a kg. There are about 35 of the flat maize patties that are Mexico's staple food in a kg.Since half of Mexico lives on $5 a day or less, that's no small jump, and President Felipe Calderon -- a conservative who is a firm believer in free markets -- intervened to cap prices.Food costs as a proportion of incomes have been on a downward slide since World War Two, at least in the West. Clay says one of the big questions now is whether biofuels could reverse that process and take us into a new economic era which might be yet harder on the poor.Although he says the current spike in prices will be temporary, he is not convinced food prices will fall back to pre-biofuel boom levels."By next year, (food) prices will begin to fall away," he predicts. "But that doesn't mean they'll ever fall to what they were before."
The United States and Brazil, the world's top biofuels producers, are not the only countries jumping on the biofuels bandwagon. China has joined them and now ranks in the global top four for biofuels output.The incentive to switch land use from food crops to fuel crops mounts with rising biofuel demand, potentially underpinning prices.Also maintaining upward pressure on food prices are the twin needs of economic boomers China and India to be self-sufficient in fuel, but also in food. China's expanding middle classes want to eat more meat, which requires grain production for feed, in turn keeping food prices high.While food prices are likely to be dampened by farmers increasing food crop production in the short term, the scope for switching is limited.Numerous scientists and economists say China and India do not have enough water to increase grain production, whether for animals or fuel.The biofuel boom may also change policies on food aid.Now U.S. farmers can make good money selling grain to make ethanol, there could be a shift in its policy of giving 99 percent of food aid contributions in goods, rather than cash.It might now actually be more convenient for the United States to buy its food aid allotment elsewhere, food aid expert Clay says.The United States is the world's largest food aid donor but has come under heavy criticism, especially from Europeans, who say aid in kind distorts local markets, often takes a long time to arrive and is more expensive to ship than buy locally.Bush has been trying to persuade Congress to change the law to allow up to 25 percent of the country's food aid in cash, but the bill has been rejected under pressure from farmers who did not want to lose what was more or less a subsidy for their grains.
Bush's bill is up before Congress again this year. For the last few years, the world's annual food aid donations have been around 10 million tons, in line with an international agreement in place since the 1960s for wealthy countries to give at least 5 million tons of food annually.Donations fluctuate depending on prices, and relief organizations are already bracing themselves for a likely cut in volumes donated.Clay says when food prices last rose in 1995, parts of the world where food aid was used in development projects -- like school feeding programs -- were the most vulnerable to cutbacks in the following year.The same places -- Bangladesh, Central America, Eritrea, Ethiopia and North Korea, for example -- will probably be first to feel the pinch now.

"Guest workers" or slaves?

2007-03-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Close to Slavery: Guestworker Programs in the United States
his 2007 State of the Union Address, President Bush called for legislation creating a "legal and orderly path for foreign workers to enter our country to work on a temporary basis." Doing so, the president said, would mean "they won't have to try to sneak in." Such a program has been central to Bush's past immigration reform proposals. Similarly, recent congressional proposals have included provisions that would bring potentially millions of new "guest" workers to the United States.
What Bush did not say was that the United States already has a guestworker program for unskilled laborers — one that is largely hidden from view because the workers are typically socially and geographically isolated. Before we expand this system in the name of immigration reform, we should carefully examine how it operates.
Under the current system, called the H-2 program, employers brought about 121,000 guestworkers into the United States in 2005 — approximately 32,000 for agricultural work and another 89,000 for jobs in forestry, seafood processing, landscaping, construction and other non-agricultural industries.
These workers, though, are not treated like "guests." Rather, they are systematically exploited and abused. Unlike U.S. citizens, guestworkers do not enjoy the most fundamental protection of a competitive labor market — the ability to change jobs if they are mistreated. Instead, they are bound to the employers who "import" them. If guestworkers complain about abuses, they face deportation, blacklisting or other retaliation.
Federal law and U.S. Department of Labor regulations provide some basic protections to H-2 guestworkers — but they exist mainly on paper. Government enforcement of their rights is almost non-existent. Private attorneys typically won't take up their cause.
Bound to a single employer and without access to legal resources, guestworkers are:
routinely cheated out of wages;
forced to mortgage their futures to obtain low-wage, temporary jobs;
held virtually captive by employers or labor brokers who seize their documents;
forced to live in squalid conditions; and,
denied medical benefits for on-the-job injuries.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel recently put it this way: "This guestworker program's the closest thing I've ever seen to slavery."
Congressman Rangel's conclusion is not mere hyperbole — and not the first time such a comparison has been made. Former Department of Labor official Lee G. Williams described the old "bracero" program — the guestworker program that brought thousands of Mexican nationals to work in the United States during and after World War II — as a system of "legalized slavery." In practice, there is little difference between the bracero program and the current H-2 guestworker program.
The H-2 guestworker system also can be viewed as a modern-day system of indentured servitude. But unlike European indentured servants of old, today's guestworkers have no prospect of becoming U.S. citizens. When their work visas expire, they must leave the United States. They are, in effect, the disposable workers of the U.S. economy.
This report is based on interviews with thousands of guestworkers, a review of the research on guestworker programs, scores of legal cases and the experiences of legal experts from around the country. The abuses described here are too common to blame on a few "bad apple" employers. They are the foreseeable outcomes of a system that treats foreign workers as commodities to be imported as needed without affording them adequate legal safeguards or the protections of the free market.
The H-2 guestworker program is inherently abusive and should not be expanded in the name of immigration reform. If the current program is allowed to continue at all, it should be completely overhauled. Recommendations for doing so appear at the end of this report.(by Morris Dees from the Southern Poverty Law Center)

Missionary Letter March 2007

2007-03-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

Dear friends and family,

We greet you with affection wishing you all the best. We have wonderful news! God is faithful and a very great God. We know this because all of us have received from Him innumerable benefits. Some days ago Dan was reading the new book by Philip Yancey called Prayer¨and God put the same theme on my heart to preach in the church where we are attending in Puerto Escondido. Äs I was preparing the message I was remembering all of the specific answers to prayer I have received over the years. I have a prayer journal where I have a record of my requests with the date and also the date when each request was answered. I learned this from my mentor in missions who has done the same thing over the years. I could see that the majority of requests since Dan and I were married have been answered. Only the request for a child had a blank box next to it but two months ago I could check that box as answered. Yes, God has answered that prayer request and so far everything is going well and we don´t know how to thank our beloved Father in Heaven for his incredible mercy to us.

As we wait for this miracle child we continue to collaborate with the Rocablanca mission base. This past month we had a surgical campaign led by a plastic surgeon from Corpus Christi, TX. Two baby girls, both a year and a half, had their cleft lips repaired. We also did a circumcision, an amputation and removed two cysts from two young ladies. All the surgeries were successful thanks be to God. This time God provided us a brand new government hospital for the surgeries.

Dan and I are not visiting the mountain villages during my pregnancy so we are able to cover the Base clinic while Laura takes teams to the villages. They have received many blessings as well as come up against some resistance. Recently, the people from one village rose up against a Mixtecan missionary because they accused him of bringing in foreigners to steal their land. But God once again stepped in and impeded their desire that he leave their village. Please continue to pray for brother Florentino. We have been blessed with a medical couple from New York who have been with us for the past two months and have made many visits to indigenous villages.

We have seen the provision of the Lord in our lives in so many ways beginning with the provision of medical help in the clinic during my pregnancy. His timing, as always, is perfect. We rejoice that Dr. Eder, a young doctor from a church in Puerto Escondido, has recently joined our clinic staff full-time. We also rejoice in the provision of a home in Puerto that allows us time and space for rest as well as an extra room for a baby. Finally, for the provision that comes from many of you that allows us to serve God in Oaxaca. Thank you so much for your assistance and God has His reward for you.

We love you and hope to stay in contact. May God bless you richly, Dan & Angelica

2007-03-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

CARTA MISIONERA MARZO 2007

Queridos amigos y familiares:

Les saludamos con cariño deseando lo mejor para cada uno de ustedes.
Esta vez tenemos maravillosas noticias. Dios es Fiel y muy muy grande. Todos lo sabemos, porque todos de una u otra forma hemos recibido de sus bondades e innumerables beneficios. Hace unos dias Dan leyo un libro de Phillip Yancey ¨Prayer¨(Oracion) y Dios puso en mi corazon predicar el mismo tema en la Iglesia donde nos congregamos en Puerto Escondido. Mientras elaboraba el mensaje, me puse a recordar las veces que Dios ha contestado nuestras oraciones. Tengo un cuaderno en donde he anotado la fecha en que hacemos la petición y la fecha en que Dios nos contesta. Esto lo empece a hacer desde que mi mentor en misiones me compartio que asi lo hacia por algunos años. Pues bien pude ver que la mayoria de nuestras peticiones desde que nos casamos Dan y yo fueron contestadas. Pero por mas de 4 años, la petición de un hijo era un cuadrito en blanco, sin embargo, el mes pasado pude anotar en mi cuaderno: oracion contestada. Si, Dios nos ha concedido el milagro de un embarazo que hasta ahora marcha bien. No sabemos como agradecer tanta misericordia de parte de Nuestro Padre Amado.
Mientras esperamos a nuestro (a) amado(a) hijo(a) seguimos colaborando con la Mision Roca Blanca. El mes pasado tuvimos una Campaña de cirugía de labio leporino, realizada por un cirujano plastico de Corpus Christi, TX. Dos ninas de un ano y medio, chatinas, recibieron ese beneficio. Tambien se realizo una circuncisión, una amputacion y la extirpación de 2 quistes en dos jovencitas. Todo salio bien gracias a Dios. Esta vez Dios nos dio favor para realizar estas cirugías en un Hospital de Gobierno recien construido.
Ahora nosotros no estamos saliendo a la Sierra. Estamos cubriendo la Clinica de la Base mientras que Laura y varios equipos visitan otras comunidades. Ha habido muchas bendiciones y tambien algo de resistencia. Recientemente en Yucuya’a los habitantes del pueblo reaccionaron en contra del misionero mixteco que esta viviendo entre ellos tratando de sacarlo, pero Dios, una vez mas lo impidio. Pedimos sus oraciones por el, se llama Florentino. A el le reclamaron que llevo a unos hombres que visitaban el pueblo con el equipo medico, a el rio cercano y caminaron por propiedad privada.
Tuvimos la visita de un matrimonio del estado de Nueva York todo el mes de febrero y marzo, lo cual fue una grandisima bendicion, pues los dos son medicos. Ellos pudieron hacer muchos de los viajes misioneros a diferentes pueblos mixtecos y chatitos.
Hemos visto la Provision de Dios en nuestra vida en todos los sentidos. Desde proveyendo mas ayuda medica en estos momentos en que por mi embarazo no puedo moverme tanto como antes. Que increíble, que todo Dios lo tiene planeado en su tiempo perfecto. Tenemos tambien a Eder, un joven medico recien egresado que podra cubrir la Clinica cuando nosotros tengamos que salir para esperar al bebe. Tambien vemos la provision de una casa y los medios economicos para nuestro sostén que Dios nos da a traves de muchos de ustedes. Mil gracias por todo su apoyo. Dios tiene ya la recompensa para cada uno de ustedes.

Les amamos mucho y estaremos en contacto, que Dios les bendiga ricamente: Dan y Angelica.

The Immigration Debate

2007-02-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

Richard Cohen of the Southern Poverty Law Center writes:

Perhaps the most striking thing about our national debate over immigration is the utter lack of attention to the root causes of mass migration from Mexico or to the moral dimensions of the injustice and human tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes.
Mexicans and other Latinos have been coming to our country for more than a century -- lured by businesses seeking cheap labor and by government policies that promote temporary work programs.
This migration accelerated greatly in the 1990s, in part because of the devastating impact on Mexican agricultural workers from the North American Free Trade Agreement. About two-thirds of the 12 million undocumented immigrants in our country have arrived since 1995, shortly after NAFTA took effect. The vast majority of unauthorized immigrants, about eight in 10, are from Latin American countries. And three-fourths of those are Mexican.
Today, these immigrants are among the most abused, exploited and denigrated people in our society.
Like the Irish of the mid-1800s and other waves of immigrants that have arrived on our shores, they provide the muscle at the lowest rung of our economic ladder. They make hotel beds and help put food on America's tables. They process poultry and work in construction, making products and services less expensive for all of us. Yet, they are vilified just for being here and are increasingly at risk of physical violence from border vigilantes and racist thugs.
Yes, many cross the border illegally, in search of a better way of life. But tens of thousands of Latino "guest workers" are recruited each year by major U.S. corporations seeking cheap labor to harvest vegetables, plant pine trees on giant timber plantations in the South or fill other low-wage jobs. Many lured here find only broken promises, pain and misery. Unscrupulous companies routinely cheat immigrants out of their rightful pay or force them to work in unsafe conditions, knowing they have little recourse.
As a nation, we can and should do better. We should greet immigrants with compassion and treat them with dignity.
And we must seek realistic solutions. As we've seen repeatedly in these first years of this new century, belligerence and ideological rigidity do not work.
Rounding unauthorized immigrants up and throwing them out of the country -- a notion favored by many conservative pundits -- is not a realistic option. Arresting, detaining and then deporting such a vast number of people would cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars and would require the creation of a virtual police state built on racial profiling. The potential for human rights violations is enormous.
Even if we could enforce a mass deportation, it would have severe economic consequences, as undocumented workers now make up nearly 5 percent of the U.S. labor force. And, with families being literally ripped apart, the human suffering would be incalculable.
We can stop the mass flow of economic refugees, but we must start by promoting economic policies designed not solely to extract profits from Mexico but to help our long-troubled neighbor strengthen its communities and build an economy that will sustain its people.
At home, we must reject the apocalyptic fantasies of political demagogues and the depraved appeals of white supremacists who seek to inflame racial passions.
We must ensure that immigrants, regardless of their status, are not exploited for profit and are not subjected to violence and hate. We must stand for justice and tolerance on behalf of those who have left behind broken communities to seek a better future for their families. Whether we can muster the courage and wisdom to do this will be a true test of the American spirit. 1 1 -->
SPLC ReportDecember 2006

CARTA MISIONERA ENERO DE 2007

2007-01-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

QUERIDOS AMIGOS Y COMPANEROS DE LA OBRA:

DAMOS GRACIAS A DIOS POR EL INICIO DE UN NUEVO ANO EN EL CUAL CONFIAMOS QUE DIOS SEGUIRA SU OBRA EN NUESTRO AMADO MEXICO.
HEMOS ESTADO MUY OCUPADOS EN MUCHAS SALIDAS A LOS PUEBLOS Y VIAJES QUE NOS HA SIDO MUY DIFICIL ESCRIBIR. PERO QUEREMOS QUE DARLES A CONOCER EL TRABAJO QUE HEMOS REALIZADO EN ESTOS ULTIMOS MESES.

GRACIAS A DIOS UNA VEZ QUE LAS LLUVIAS PARARON PUDIMOS HACER VARIOS VIAJES A LA SIERRA DE IXTAYUTLA. EL ANO PASADO LA GENTE PASO POR UN TIEMPO CRITICO DE HAMBRE. DESESPERADAMENTE NOS PEDIAN AYUDA, Y NOS PEDIAN MAIZ. LA GENTE DEL CAMPO DEPENDE BASICAMENTE DEL MAIZ PARA PODER SUBSISTIR, ALGUNOS DE ELLOS A VECES SOLO COMEN TORTILLA CON SAL. DIOS SUPLIO EN UNA MANERA PRECIOSA A TRAVES DE VARIOS HERMANOS DE DIFERENTES PARTES DE LOS EU, QUIENES DIERON OFRENDAS DE AMOR CON LAS CUALES SE PUDO COMPRAR UNA BUENA DISPENSA, QUE NO SOLUCIONO EL PROBLEMA DE LA ESCASEZ, PERO QUE AYUDO MUCHISIMO A MUCHOS.
COMO SIEMPRE, TUVIMOS MUCHOS PACIENTES, AUN MAS QUE EN OTRAS OCASIONES, DEBIDO AL CONFLICTO DE OAXACA, YA QUE LA MAYORIA DE LOS MEDICOS DEL SECTOR SALUD SE UNIERON AL PARO Y A LAS MARCHAS. ESTO ORIGINO QUE MUCHA GENTE LLEGARA A NUESTRAS CLINICAS MOVILES Y TAMBIEN A LA CLINICA BASE EN ROCA BLANCA. GRACIAS A DIOS, A FINES DEL ANO PASADO LLEGO UN JOVEN MEDICO CRISTIANO DE PUERTO ESCONDIDO A APOYARNOS, LO CUAL HA SIDO UNA MUY GRANDE BENDICION. A PARTIR DE ESTE ANO, EL HA EMPEZADO A TRABAJAR DE TIEMPO COMPLETO EN LA CLINICA, LO CUAL NOS PERMITIRA HACER 2 EQUIPOS QUE PODAMOS ESTAR SALIENDO MAS A LAS COMUNIDADES.

EL FESTIVAL VICTORIA, QUE ES UNA CELEBRACION A JESUCRISTO CON TODAS LAS IGLESIAS ALREDEDOR, LA MAYORIA DE GENTE INDIGENA, UNA VEZ MAS FUE VICTORIOSA. NOSOTROS COMO MINISTERIO MEDICO PARTICIPAMOS OFRECIENDO CONSULTAS MEDICAS A TODO EL QUE LOS NECESITARA, DE ENTRE LOS MAS DE 3 000 ASISTENTES AL FESTIVAL, MAS DE 500 FUERON ATENDIDOS MEDICAMENTE POR NOSOTROS, ENTRE ELLOS MUCHOS QUE NO HABIAN RECIBIDO A JESUS EN SU CORAZON Y QUE EN ESE MOMENTO TOMARON LA DECISION DE SEGUIRLE. LA ULTIMA NOCHE DEL FESTIVAL HUBO UN ACCIDENTE CERCA DE ROCA BLANCA. A LA CLINICA LLEGARON TODOS, A ALGUNOS LOS TUVIMOS QUE MANDAR AL HOSPITAL, PERO A LA MAYORIA LOS ATENDIMOS NOSOTROS. COMO CAYERON EN UNA NOPALERA, LA MAYORIA DE ELLOS TENIAN MUCHAS ESPINAS. ALGUNOS TENIAN HASTA EN LOS OJOS Y LA BOCA, ERA MUY DOLOROSO PARA ELLOS. ASI QUE YA SE IMAGINARAN CUAN OCUPADOS ESTUVIMOS TRATANDO DE SACAR LAS ESPINAS UNA POR UNA, CON NUESTRAS PINZITAS.

EN ESTE MES DE ENERO HEMOS HECHO UN VIAJE MISIONERO A UN PUEBLO QUE SE LLAMA COPALA, EN DONDE RECOGIMOS UNA GRAN COSECHA. LA MAYORIA DE LOS QUE LLEGARON A CONSULTA NO CONOCIAN AL SENOR. NOS GOZAMOS MUCHO DE VER CON QUE HAMBRE ELLOS RECIBIERON LA PALABRA DE VERDAD, MUCHOS DE ELLOS, LLORANDO RECIBIERON A CRISTO.

HAY MUCHOS PLANES MAS, MUCHOS VIAJES PENDIENTES, MUCHOS GRUPOS LLEGANDO. ENTRE ELLOS ALGUNOS DE USTEDES QUE TANTO NOS HAN APOYADO. QUE NUESTRO PODEROSO DIOS NOS DE LA GRACIA Y LAS FUERZAS PARA CONTINUAR HACIENDO SU OBRA EN ESTE LUGAR.

DIOS LES SIGA GUIANDO Y SUPLIENDO TODAS SUS NECESIDADES CON SUS RIQUEZAS EN GLORIA EN CRISTO JESUS, CON AMOR: DAN Y ANGELICA

January, 2007

Dear Friends and fellow workers for the Kingdom,
We give thanks to God for a new year in which we trust that God Hill continue using us in His work in our beloved Mexico. We have been very busy the past weeks with many visits to mountain villages but we want to finally let you know some of what we have been privileged to do.

Thanks be to God that the rains have stopped in the Ixtayutla region where the end of last year many of the people were suffering a very critical food shortage. They were asking us for help to give them corn because they are able to live just by eating corn tortillas with salt. Some people gave donations that allowed us to buy sacks of corn for them. We also have seen an increase in patients at our clinics because of the unrest in Oaxaca where many government doctors joined the teachers in a general strike calling for the resignation of the governor. This month a young doctor from Oaxaca has joined our team. He is a member of a local church in Puerto Escondido and is a gifted worship leader as well. We also have a nurse with us for few months and a older couple (both doctors) with us until March. This allows us to have two medical teams: one for the Base clinic and another for visits to mountain villages.
Festival Victoria is an annual celebration of Jesús Christ together with manyo f the churches from the mountains. This year was again a wonderful success for us as a medical staff as we were able to attend to more than 500 patients in three days. Many of whom also came to know Jesus as a result of our concern for them. The last night of the Festival their was a terrible accident on the highway just outside the Base. 16 indigenous were thrown from a truck when it blew out a tire and we made the clinic into an emergency room. We had to send 4 patients to nearby hospitals. The worst part was that many landed in a bunch of cactus bushes and it was tedious work trying to pick out the spines with tweezers. Thanks be to God all are on the road to recovery now.

Last week we helped a local church in Puerto Escondido do a medical campaign in the village of Copala where they had started a mission church some years earlier. Most of the 150 patients who came were not Christians but we rejoiced that many were hungry to hear about God.

We have plans for many more trips in the comino months with various groups, among whom are some of you who have helped us for years. May our powerful continue to give us the grace and strength in the work that He has for us. May God continue to guide you and supply all your needs with His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. With love, Dan & Angelica

The Baby is born!

2006-11-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

During the past five months of struggle in Oaxaca numerous people have talked about this being a time of "labor pains" before a beautiful baby is born. The time of revival is upon us and we are beginning to see an openness to new things. The above photo is but one example of a group from the indigenous pacifist organization called "Las Abejas" from Chiapas, Mexico. This group has suffered greatly over the past decade but have always chosen the path of non-violence in response. Recently they sent a delegation to Oaxaca to pray with the people in the streets for a non-violent resolution to the crisis.

Angelica and I had a wonderful time in Oaxaca city last weekend visiting our friends who are starting a church in a very poor town just outside the city. We worshipped together and visited a family who also has been very involved in the struggle over the past months. The governor has announced a six point plan to restore order to Oaxaca beginning Monday (Nov. 13)including the return to work of all teachers and other government workers. We continue to pray that not only order will be restored but that a true lasting peace with justice will come about. Praise God for the "baby" that is being born in Oaxaca and maybe as confirmation the two actual babies we have seen born in the past week and two more expected anytime at Rocablanca.

A Timeline of Recent Events in Oaxaca

2006-11-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

May 22--Teachers went on strike for salary increase and better school facilities which is an annual event in Oaxaca. Governors in the past have negotiated and agreed to a deal. But the current governor refused to negotiate and used intimidation tactics to try to force the teachers back to work.
June 14--The governor authorized the state police to forcefully remove the teachers from the central square of the capital with tear gas bombs and riot gear.
July 2--Presidential election in Mexico in which Felipe Calderon, the right wing candidate, was declared the winner (three days later) by less than one half a percent. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the left wing candidate, who was runner up declared massive fraud and his supporters staged their own demonstrations in the central square of Mexico city until Sep. 16.
Aug. 1--The People's Assembly of Oaxacan Peoples (APPO) is convened in Oaxaca city because of the intimidation tactics of the governor of the state resulting in numerous human rights abuses and claims to be a parallel state govt. They are calling for the resignation of the "official" governor. They also align themselves with the teachers in their struggle.
Sep. 16--Lopez Obrador convenes a Democratic National Convention in the central square where they draft a new constitution and he is named president of Mexico by the participants. He will "take office" on Nov. 20. The "official" winner takes office on Dec. 1. The APPO says: "Si Ulises no se va, Calderon no pasara!" "If Ulises (the current governor) doesn't leave then Calderon will not take office!"
Oct. 27--A wave of para-military violence spreads across the Oaxacan capital region resulting in three deaths and numerous wounded. The president of Mexico uses this violence has an excuse to send the national troops in to "restore order." They successfully remove the demonstrators from the central square.
Oct. 30--A massive march takes place to protest the incursion of federal troops.
Nov. 2--The federal troops attempt to remove the demonstrators (mostly university students) from the university campus where they retreated to and from where they broadcast their own radio station. The demonstrators successfully turn back the federal troops from taking over the "autonomous" campus.
Nov. 3-4--Another wave of para-military violence rages across the city with drive by shootings killing or seriously wounding five more demonstrators.
Nov.5--Another mega-march renewing the demands of the APPO.
Nov. 6--A teachers march in the capital aligning themselves with the APPO while teachers in other regions of the state return to work. Early this morning 8 bombs were discovered in Mexico City after 6 of them exploded destroying parts of the buildings housing the national HQ of the PRI political party, the federal election commision and two banks. Later in the day five armed guerrilla groups in Oaxaca claimed responsibility for the presence of federal troops in Oaxaca.
...to be continued...

Update from Oaxaca

2006-11-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all for your prayers and support for the privilege we have to serve in this part of the world at this time. This weekend a young man from our clinic will try once again to make the trip up the mountain to El Mosco. He will bring large bags of much needed corn as well as a new young Mexican doctor who has recently joined our team to serve the people with medicine. If they are able to make the trip without problem then Angelica and I will probably go up next weekend together with the Bible translator that is planning a visit at the same time. This weekend we will be making the six hour drive to Oaxaca city to visit our friends who are planting a church there and need encouragement during these difficult times of transition. Please continue to pray with us that God's Spirit would provide courage, discernment and hope to the people who are struggling for a better Oaxaca.

Please come home

2006-11-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

One more editorial from La Jornada expressing the down side of the money that Mexican immigrants are sending back to Mexico. The "American Dream" that so many chase in crossing the border is turning into a nightmare for many. Mexico, more than ever, needs their people to please come home.

Miércoles 1 de noviembre de 2006
Editorial
Remesas: aspectos vergonzosos
El dinero que los trabajadores mexicanos mandan al país desde el extranjero ha sido, de manera creciente, un sostén de la economía y de las variables macroeconómicas. Como lo explica el Banco Mundial (BM) en un informe dado a conocer ayer, las remesas se traducen en "reducción de la pobreza, mayores ahorros, mejor acceso a salud y educación y aumento de la capacidad empresarial, así como estabilidad macroeconómica y menor volatilidad e inequidad". Desde ese punto de vista, este flujo de divisas es, de manera indiscutible, un factor positivo y auspicioso para México y para otras naciones latinoamericanas que se benefician de un fenómeno semejante.

El documento de la institución financiera internacional alerta, sin embargo, sobre los efectos negativos de los envíos de dinero: "sus efectos sobre la pobreza y la desigualdad son bastante modestos en la mayoría de los casos", "las transferencias reducen la fuerza de trabajo en los países de origen", "pueden generar una sobrevaluación del tipo de cambio y, por lo tanto, reducir la competitividad del país que las recibe", propician "el éxodo de profesionales y trabajadores capacitados" y "en ningún caso pueden sustituir la aplicación de políticas nacionales sólidas" en los países de destino. Asimismo, las transferencias generan el riesgo de "la potencial pérdida de ingresos asociada con la ausencia de los emigrantes del seno de sus familias y comunidades".

En el caso de México debe apuntarse que los envíos masivos de dinero son realizados por trabajadores migrantes que en su enorme mayoría viajan a Estados Unidos sin documentos, cruzan la frontera en circunstancias muy peligrosas, se enfrentan a maltratos, abusos y atropellos de toda suerte, y una vez que consiguen asentarse en alguna localidad estadunidense deben padecer persecución, discriminación, explotación y humillaciones. Este factor de la "estabilidad económica" de la que se jacta el foxismo se origina en un sufrimiento inadmisible, en una exasperante cuota de sangre más de 400 migrantes muertos en la frontera en el último año y en un creciente atropello de los derechos humanos de millones de connacionales, atropello que se multiplica cada vez que el país vecino entra en periodo electoral: en esas temporadas, las autoridades, los legisladores y grupos de ciudadanos ultraconservadores, en pugna por los sufragios de la paranoia chovinista, compiten entre sí para ver quién propone las medidas más injustas, dolorosas y degradantes en contra de los trabajadores extranjeros. La más reciente es el muro que ordenó construir el presidente George W. Bush a lo largo de mil 200 kilómetros de la frontera común.

Por otra parte, el flujo migratorio que hace posible las remesas tiene por origen la marginación, la miseria y la falta de oportunidades en una economía que cuando crece lo hace sólo para los grandes capitales extranjeros y nacionales, en ese orden y, en el mejor de los casos, para las clases medias. La estrategia económica en vigor desde hace más de dos décadas, con su disciplina fiscal a ultranza, sus medidas de apertura comercial indiscriminada que devastan el campo y la industria y su obsesión de privatizar todo lo imaginable, tiene la dudosa virtud de generar desempleo, postración regional y, en consecuencia, flujos migratorios. Al margen de las mediciones demográficas y económicas del fenómeno, el abandono de sus lugares de origen y residencia por parte de millones de mexicanos implica un desgarramiento de tejidos sociales y familiares, una catástrofe humana y social que no suele figurar en análisis como el que se comenta.

Otro aspecto vergonzoso de las remesas es que, siendo una de las principales fuentes de divisas para la estancada economía nacional, quienes las generan se encuentran en una indefensión total por parte del gobierno. La ausencia de una estrategia oficial para preservar los derechos humanos, laborales y sociales de estos mexicanos, así como la sumisión gubernamental ante el sistemático atropello de los migrantes por parte de autoridades y particulares estadunidenses, contrasta con el descarado trato de privilegio que se otorga a los inversionistas extranjeros, con todo y que, en la captación de divisas, las remesas superan en importancia a la inversión privada foránea.

Finalmente, resulta también vergonzoso que el gobierno saliente se atribuya el crédito por una estabilidad que se explica no por la torpeza y el cinismo privatizador de la política económica sino por la suma de envíos de dinero que el país recibe de los connacionales que trabajan en el extranjero. El único "mérito" del Ejecutivo federal en todo este fenómeno es el de haber sido incapaz de retener en el país, por medio de empleos y calidad de vida, a quienes hoy representan un sostén fundamental de la economía, a un costo trágico para el país: el de la pérdida de una parte de la riqueza fundamental de cualquier nación, su propia gente.