Here is the letter that I wrote for my supporters:
Dear Family and Friends,
Thank you so much for praying for me while I was in Reynosa, Mexico! It was an awesome trip. The toughest part was coming home - it always is. For days all I wanted to do was go back, and I was constantly thinking about Mexico - reliving conversations and experiences in my mind. I still am, often.
I think I gained a clearer understanding and appreciation of Isaiah 55's mission while in Reynosa this year. In past years we had almost no contact with the deaf students. This year we gathered one evening in the park by the school for a cookout with the deaf students, their families, and the community. It was very moving to see the deaf children use the language they had been given in the last year. I also had the exciting opportunity during the week to talk via the sign alphabet with a deaf man, Robert Morgret, who is raising support to come down and teach at the deaf school. It is wonderful to think that some day those deaf Mexican children may have the skill in communicating that he has, and Lord willing, a love for Christ and His kingdom as well.
The Lord is abundantly blessing the Isaiah 55 ministry. Last year when I was in Mexico, one of the work teams was building the deaf school for classes beginning in September.
This year twenty-six children are signed up for classes, and they will be very grateful for the second story with classrooms and office space that we built this summer! In addition, just a few weeks ago the Reynosa city council voted to donate the land that the school is on to Isaiah 55! This is more than they could have asked for or imagined!
I wish I could communicate through this letter the joy that I have working in Reynosa with Isaiah 55. I am back home in New Jersey but I miss the people I met there, the unity we felt because of the bond of Christ, the interesting conversations, the strong sense of purpose to our work, the satisfaction of having worked very hard physically, and the spiritual fervor that we all felt. There is a special work happening in Reynosa. Most of us volunteers worked the hardest we ever have in our life, and all of us want to come back!
At the end of the week, John Clow, the missionary who leads the construction teams, invited me to join them as summer staff next year. I don't know what the Lord has planned for me next summer but I am thrilled by this opportunity!
Thanks again for your support!
In Christ,
Carol Miner
Robert made a short video about the work of Isaiah 55 which is on youtube. I tried to figure out how to upload it onto this blog but wasn't successful. But I encourage you to visit the Isaiah 55 blog at www.isaiah55.typepad.com and use the link called "Robert's Video" to watch it.
4 comments:
did other people pay for your trip to mexico or did you earn the money yourself and pay your own way?
The past couple years when I went with a team from my church we raised support. This year I went alone. We had raised so much extra the past couple years that there was enough money in the account to pay my way.
what does "raised support" mean?
I guess I was using jargon without realizing it. By raising support, I mean we sent letters to friends and family telling about what we hoped to do on the missions trip and asking for money (I'm trying to think of a nice way to put it and can't!) so that we could actually go on the trip. When I ask for financial support I feel like I'm asking for more than money - I'm asking that people support the ministry I want to help. I feel like my supporters have been a part of the work in Reynosa by sending me there. And that's part of why I think it's important to send a letter about the trip - so they know what they have contributed to, the impact it has had, etc.
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