Mission in Action - Mission Presbytery

Monday, September 30, 2013

Comunidades Unidas Pro Salud update


e-mail received on September 27, 2013

 

Kathleen,  

I did not know there would be no room for tables at the October Presbytery meeting. I think I will still plan to attend the meeting, especially with focus on Mission. Would be interested in hearing what people have to say. 

All I know is that what CUPS with the help of our friends can do in Mexico means a lot to folks and is a blessing to the children, parents and the teachers. I seem to hear more and more how teachers cannot ask parents for much financial help and the government provides little assistance. One primary school teacher was really challenged this year, and then CUPS stop by to ask her how many students she had. 18 was her answer. We were able to provide, thanks to our donors, school packets, soap for the school and clothing for the students which includes clothing for winter. Lorena, the teacher told me that most children arrive hungry and with the help coming from CUPS, parents dig into their very scarce resources to help with their school food program.  

 
The Valle Hermoso city social service department provides basic food but it is not sufficient so the 20 pesos per week ($1.65) and that hungry children are not able to learn. Pretty basic. On top of this, new city government with a new mayor and staff means that there is a suspension of DIF supplied food until the new staff gets into office. This happens on October 1. Lorena also shares her resources with another nearby kindergarten! CUPS volunteers built the kitchen dining area for this small school that serves a rural community just north of Valle Hermoso and has helped with school supplies, enrichment materials and clothing, particularly for winter for many years.

In 1998, our volunteers built an expansion for the Cerebral Palsy Center in Valle Hermoso. Last week, the director, Yolanda Ochoa, invited CUPS to attend the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Center. All through the celebratory program, it was so obvious that faith really kept the center open most especially in the recent difficult years.  

Nuff said. Is there anything I can do to help at the October meeting.
 
Am attaching a couple of photos from the Irene Martinez Kindergarten that I talked about.
 
Peace and serenity for the great work you are doing on with MOJC.  

Louise Flippin
Comunidades Unidas Pro Salud
613 North 8th Street, McAllen, TX 78501

Telphone 956 686 7456; Cell: 956 605 8159

Email: CUPS7456@sbcglobal.net

Thursday, September 19, 2013

2013 Peacemaking Offering


               September, 2013
 
Dear Friends,

 The annual Peacemaking Offering of the PC(USA) is most often collected on World Communion Sunday, which will be celebrated this year on October 6. On behalf of the Mission Outreach and Justice Committee of Mission Presbytery, I want to encourage your congregation to receive this important offering, which supports the peacemaking efforts of the church at every governing body level. Gifts given to the Peacemaking Offering through a congregation are divided in the following manner - twenty-five percent retained by congregations for support of their own peacemaking ministry; 25 percent used to support presbytery and synod peacemaking efforts; and 50 percent forwarded to the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program. 

 Mission Presbytery’s portion of the 2013 Peacemaking Offering has been designated for Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) micro loans for women in the West Bank.
 
Fair trade women's cooperatives have served as a vehicle for introducing many traditional Palestinian specialty products to the world market – couscous, za'atar and tahini among them. These products, typically made by hand, have given women an opportunity to earn income important to their families. Equally important, they have empowered women, through business enterprise, to gain experience and skill in management, problem-solving, and cooperative relationships. Economic success has led to greater self-confidence, greater civic participation, and greater influence for many women. Rural women with little formal training and limited access to any job market have joined in cooperatives to use the traditional skills valued by the natural and organic food movement. The micro-loan project is designed to enable small producers, and people with little or no resources, especially women, to take part in the production process and benefit from the fair trade returns.  Micro-loans are typically extended to women member of producing cooperatives in amounts that range between $500 to $1500 per individual participant. These funds are used to purchase supplies and begin producing according to fair trade guidelines. PFTA and its exporting member Canaan Fair Trade (www.canaanfairtrade.com) ensure the success of micro-loan recipients by providing specific production methods, quality specifications and proper training, then marketing the products produced.

 Your support for this project, as well as your prayers for peace and justice in the Middle East, are deeply appreciated.  For more information please contact Marilyn White, Peacemaking Advocate
512/450-2766, marwhite@igc.org
 

Peace,

 
Kathleen McCloskey, Chair,
Mission Outreach and Justice Committee
Mission Presbytery