December 29, 2008

Love the Lord Your God with all your mind, with all your heart, and with all your strength and love your neighbor as yourselves.
- Mark 12:30

Gracias a Uds. por ser un mensaje de amor. (“Thank you for being a message of love..”)
- Trini Carlos, a man recovering from addiction in CRREDA

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The Advent/Christmas season on the border is a rich celebration of the coming of the Light of the World. With news of increasing drug violence on the border, of economic turmoil that crosses borders, of addiction, and of a baby boy being born to a mother in the desert north of Douglas because there was no room for them in the inn, the church on the border has the audacity to celebrate the reality that God has entered fully into a world full of fear, conflict, division, and death to bring hope, peace, love, and life.

Carmina and Dafne leading worship on one of the "Noches Navideñas."

During the ten nights before Christmas, the Lily of the Valley Presbyterian Church of Agua Prieta has “Noches Navideñas,” which are hosted in different homes of members of the congregation with singing, reflections on the coming of Christ, and fellowship. In the home of the Gastelum Sanchez family on the outskirts of Agua Prieta, where electricity still has not arrived, Carmina, the mother, led the reflection. She began by saying that she was not “muy preparada” (very trained) to lead a reflection, was a bit nervous and therefore had written her reflection.

“En Jesus, nacio el verdadero amor,” (In Jesus, true love was born) Carmina said. “Cada dia sea Naviadad o cualquier otro dia, Dios nos da la oportunidad a dejar nacer el verdadero amor en nuestras vidas para compartir con nuestras familias, nuestra iglesia y nuestra comunidad.” (Each day, whether it be Christmas or whatever other day, God gives us the opportunity to allow that true love to be born in our lives to share with our families, with our church, and with our community).

On another night, the Cifuentes Hernandez family asked CRREDA, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center we work with, to host a Noche Navideña. There was some concern not as many people from the church would go into the drug rehabilitation center because of fear of being uncomfortable, of not knowing how to relate or even because of prejudice against a group of people often rejected. But over 30 persons went including children, youth, and adults!

Anai and Cindy enjoying the Noche Navideña.

Following the reflection based on the angel’s announcing to the shepherds (an unlikely bunch) the good news of the birth of Christ and peace on earth, Pastor Rodolfo asked folks if they had any prayer requests. There were many: “Pray for my son who is turning 1 year old today and pray that I can recover from my addiction and be the mother he needs”; “pray for me and my family, I have AIDS and my family has rejected me”; “pray for all of us who know we need to be healed from addictions and for all those who don’t know or don’t admit they have addictions,” and “I give thanks to God for y’all. Thank you for being a message of love.”

Trini Carlos, in his prayer of gratitude, also gave us a charge that reflected Carmina’s brief, heartfelt, simple and profound reflections—you have received God’s message of love in Jesus Christ, now be a message of love to the world.

When we visited Walter Danforth (a former three-year mission volunteer with Frontera De Cristo) in hospice two days before he died,  he gave us this charge: “Now get out there and show the world you have God and you love your neighbors, and we will see you on the other side!”

We thank you for your prayers and support that allow us to be a message of love here on our border and beyond through our six areas of ministry: new church development, health ministry, family ministry, the New Hope Community Center, mission education and the Just Trade Center.  We cherish your partnership!

May God grant us eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to serve, feet to follow, and hearts to trust Emmanuel, God with us, the true love born into the world, today and each day to come.

Peace,

Miriam, Mark, Cindy, Anna Flor, Nathan
Adams Maldonado Family

For more pictures of the Advent/Christmas celebrations on the border, go to the Frontera de Cristo Web site.

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 256