Below are e-mails we have received from our missionaries.

February 2008 News from Suz (this is a pdf file, Adobe Reader is needed to view this file. You may download a free version of Reader here.

Dear Friends,
   The Joining Hands network of Bolivia, Joining Hands for Life or "Uniendo Manos por la Vida", is involved in two causes that are supported by most of Latin America and many countries around the world.
   In 2008 UMAVIDA is focusing much of its time and energy on helping the people of Bolivia study and evaluate the new draft for a National Constitution, the product of the work of over 200 representatives over a period of more than a year. This draft  which provides better protection of human rights and of the natural resources of the country will be placed before the citizens for a referendum vote on May 3 of this year. We ask your prayers for the Bolivian people and for their leaders, as they consider this important document.
   For a people with five hundred years of slavery to decipher how to become involved in the virtual re-founding of a their country, which is the implication of the new Constitution, is a task worthy of your support, prayers and celebration.
   In addition, this year UMAVIDA has chosen to initiate an international campaign with the theme of access to pure water as a God-given right of every living being on the planet. "Clean Water -- More Precious than Gold!" is the call.
   The focus of the campaign is to research and make public the contamination and degradation of surface and subsurface sources of fresh water by extractive, industrial and other activities. In other words, to announce and find ways to prevent further contamination of drinking water by mining (and other) industry around the world, but especially in Bolivia and in our sister Presbyteries.
   We are reminded of the scripture found in Ezekiel 34:18---in which the prophet admonishes, "Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must trample the rest of your pastures with your feet? When you drink clean water, must you muddy the rest of the water by trampling it with your feet?"
   As many of you know, some SuperFund sites identified in the U.S. are areas where mining activity in the past deeply contaminated the soil and water. Unfortunately, olivia does not have the resources to establish a SuperFund. What other creative solutions can be found to resolve this desperate problem?
   In January, youth of Bolivia, Canada, Peru and the United States (from Cascade and San Francisco Presbyteries) attended the first International Youth Congress on the Environment in Potosí, Bolivia, sponsored by UMAVIDA network.
   For over five hundred years, eight million of the original people's ancestors died of exhaustion from the forced three-month work shifts inside the Cerro Rico silver mine in Potosí. Though once the richest and greatest city of the Western Hemisphere, Potosí today suffers from areas of highly contaminated water and is being stripped of its wealth: it has the distinction of being the poorest city in the poorest state in poorest country of South America.
   The Youth Congress was an effort to join hands and hearts internationally to look at the contamination of drinking water and other issues, in an effort to find new ways to restore God's Creation. Many of us were encouraged to learn of efforts by youth in the different countries to address these problems, and were very inspired by this opportunity to share together.
   For thousands of years, water has been one of the sacred elements of the people of the Andes. The Aymara and Quechua people, two of the original people groups here, consider the Earth to symbolize in essence the nurturing, feminine aspect of God, though not God itself, and "uma", or water, in the Aymara language, is considered to be the Earth's blood.
   Next year a second International Youth Congress will be held  in Perú to continue this process, hosted by the Joining Hands network in Peru.
   We invite all the countries of the Joining Hands network, all Presbyteries, all seeking justice for this tormented planet, to join hands with UMAVIDA's Water campaign and next year's Youth Congress.
   Please write us if you would like more information about these initiatives.
   Keep us in your prayers as we prepare to receive two delegations from our Presbyteries, and to attend the International Joining Hands Encounter to be held in California in July in conjunction with the Peace and Justice Conference of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
   Awash in the Good News,
   Bob and Julie Dunsmore
   La Paz, Bolivia

• My friend and colleague, Missionary Raquel Bonilla Gonzalez of the Chapulhuacanito church, was called home to Oaxaca last Friday night because of a downturn in her mother's health. What I can gather from reports via another friend, her 86 year old mom, Feliciana, is in stable but serious condition at home in Chichihualtepec. She has chronic lung problems. Please pray for healing of sister Feliciana's body and for the Lord' strength and consolation for her children, particularly Sister Raquel. Pray also for the church in Chapulhuacanito as they move ahead in ministry without her.
• For the team of brothers from the presbytery here and one other sister and I who will head to the remote community of Barco to help the church there do finishing work on the walls of their sanctuary in anticipation of a team visit in May to put in the concrete floor. We will be in Barco this coming Monday through Thursday. Pray for safety in our travel across the river, for our health while there, for the brothers' safety as they work on scaffolding, and that all will go smoothly despite Sister Raquel's probable absence (she was the organizer of this event). Pray too that God would minister to his children there through us during our time with them. We look forward to daily worship times together as well as the physical labor.
• For the family of an elder from the Huitzitzilingo church, Jose Hernandez Posta, who passed away yesterday in Tampico, TAMPS after a short illness.
• For me and the completion of the two classes I am taking at Fuller Seminary. I have until March 21st to complete the work. I will make the deadline, but it will be a crazy month between the visit to Barco next week and other commitments to the Presbytery in addition to my need to study. Please just pray that I will hear and obey God's guidance as to the use of my time and that He will help me to complete the coursework satisfactorily.
• For the Bible Institute of the Huastecas which has been reorganized for 2008. We will have classes two days each month in Chapulhuacanito. I am in charge of morning worship for each day and will be giving messages related to our development and character as leaders in the church. I have also been asked to teach a class on the "History of the Primitive Church" which is really a general church history course. I have materials, but do pray for me as I prepare my lessons and pray that what I have to offer might be a real benefit to our students. Our first classes are March 12 and 13.
• And finally, pray for special Holy Week events here in the presbytery. We will be projecting the Jesus Film in Náhuatl in public arenas in a number of communities and we expect large crowds. Pray for event organizers and for those the Lord would lead to the events….that the message of hope in Christ will be received with joy and commitment.
• And one praise! Simon, the 9 year old son of Missionary Saret Hernandez of the Taxicho church, was able to have the orthodontic surgery he needed in the state capital of San Luis Potosí last week, largely free of charge (part of the Mexican government's health care coverage. It will be a long haul for Simon as he will probably need braces and/or more surgery in the future, but the first steps have been accomplished. Continue to ask God to provide for Simon's dental health. Pray too for his brother Jairo who suffers chronic lung problems (tendency to pneaumonia) and appears to have some of the same orthodontic challenges his brother has.
• And one more praise! For my parent's visit to the Huastecas last week. I enjoyed their company and an opportunity to show them around last Monday through Friday before they returned to the States. What a joy to have them visit my new home and get to meet my family here. They were a hit with the kids in Frijolillo.

More prayer requests and joys will be included in an update I send AFTER March 21st (classwork deadline!).
   Thank you so very much for standing in the gap for me and all your friends/brothers and sisters here in the Huasteca!

Love, Susie

Dear Friends and Family,
   Greetings to you in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
   I find it hard to believe that we are already near the middle of February. The first weeks of the year have flown by. I have spent much of my time over the past month working on visa challenges, ours rather than yours. There have been changes in the law, and though they were not directed at us, they have affected us significantly. Falling in line with much of the rest of the world, Russia has issued a new law that requires those working in Russia to have a work permit (the same kind of law applies in the United States and nearly all European countries). Without a work permit, once I get a new visa (and I am due very soon), I can only be in Russia for 90 days out of every 180. You can imagine the complications of this for us. We are busily working on a long term solution, and feel good about the prospects, but in the meantime, I am working on a contingency plan that will have me in Russia when I need to be and out of Russia as much as is necessary to conform to the law. We would be grateful for your prayers.
   Gary Payton (Regional Liaison for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland) and Jerry Van Marter (Coordinator of the Presbyterian News Service), arrived at the beginning of February. This is one of Gary's biannual visits with mission co-workers in Russia. It is Jerry's first visit to Russia. After spending time with our other colleagues in Moscow, Gary and Jerry joined me beginning last Tuesday for a course on Twinning over lunch. The course was actually given by one of our partners, Mikhail Chekalin (senior presbyter of the Moscow Baptist churches and pastor of Good News Baptist Church). I really needed to add very little, as Mikhail understands and appreciates the program very much. You can find Jerry's article at http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2008/08092.htm.
   Tuesday night, the three of us boarded the late train for Smolensk. Smolensk is an amazing church. They are an extraordinary example of a missional church. The congregation of 234 is engaged in a wide array of ministries, and always looking for where the Lord is calling them next. Gary and Jerry wanted in particular to see the church's television studio and pieces of their orphanage ministry. The church is also involved in post orphanage ministry, sports ministry, prison ministry, music ministry, and is on the verge of opening their first rehabilitation center for alcoholics and drug addicts. You can find an article at http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2008/08100.htm. There are photos as well on Jerry's blog.
   Returning to Moscow on Friday morning, we spent the day with Margarita Nelyubova of the Russian Round Table, visiting some of the ministries that she is involved with. We visited an excellent elder care facility run by the St. Dmitri sisterhood (an Orthodox lay sisterhood associated with St. Dmitri Church involved in a wide range of ministry). Next we visited the St. Alexi hospital, the only church related hospital in Moscow. It is also the only completely free hospital, but you would not know this by looking at the level of care. We were particularly interested in visiting this hospital, because they are getting ready to open a palliative care unit for people living with HIV/AIDS. Finally, we visited an organization, Sobesednik – a resource center for psychological counseling involved in educational seminars on HIV/AIDS and volunteer burnout. They are educating clergy and congregations, to destigmatize HIV/AIDS and empower people to reach out with care and support. With so few hands involved in ministry and so many problems, volunteer burnout is a serious problem here. Margarita and I have been talking about the issue for some time. I was delighted to get acquainted with them and look forward to attending their next seminar. Watch the Presbyterian News Service page for upcoming articles. Gary and Jerry are now in St. Petersburg visiting other colleagues. I'm sure that there will be articles coming out of that portion of their visit as well.
   On Sunday, I drove out to Podolsk to visit the Old World drug rehabilitation center. I had lunch with the staff and residents. I shared with them about my travels to rehabilitation centers in the United States, and they were deeply interested in all the details. Still, I sensed fatigue there. Drug rehabilitation is a challenging area of ministry. Few are interested in it. The director, Evgeniy Protsenko, has in the past told me how much a partner would mean to them – someone to share their joys and challenges, someone to encourage them when they get worn down. I have not yet found one, though. Having been involved in conversations over the past week about so many aspects of our ministry, I have been thinking about the whole. The pieces are all a part of one whole – Vacation Bible School and camping, orphanage outreach and work with troubled youth, and drug rehabilitation ministry. All are efforts to help children build a foundation in Christ that will give them the strength and direction to stay the course. Many in drug rehabilitation spent their youth in troubled homes, orphanages or on the streets. When do we stop caring about them? Our Lord does not.
   I am humbled by the work that our partners are engaged in and I am deeply grateful for the support that Presbyterians have given – your prayers, your encouragement and your financial resources. I hope that you will read Jerry's articles, because our partners have expressed what partnership with Presbyterians has meant to them, and you should know.
   There is a chance that I will be in the United States for much of April. If you would like me to visit, please let us know.
   Peace and blessings,
   Ellen

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