|
May 27, 2002
Puentes de Cristo
Hidalgo, Texas
Dear Friends at Home,
The balmy days of "almost summer" are upon us, with
temperatures in the nineties during the day, but cooling off to
the mid- to upper-seventies at night—very enjoyable! If you
have been reading your newspapers lately, you have probably read
about the concerns for lack of water here in the Valley. The whole
area is heavily dependent upon agriculture, with vast fields of
cotton, sorghum, sugarcane, citrus orchards, melons, and vegetables
being grown intensively. But this year there has been no rain,
and the irrigation canals that bring water from the Rio Grande
have been able to bring less and less water, mostly because the
Mexican federal government is not able to control the governments
of Mexican states who use the water from the streams and rivers
that flow into the Rio Grande and its two large dams. In spite
of a treaty dating all the way back to 1944 it is difficult to
come to an understanding about the use of the water. Of course
the farmers on both sides of the river need the water desperately,
and they staged a blockade of one of the main bridges between
the two countries last Thursday, but not much seems to have been
accomplished.
Our duties with the Puentes de Cristo work have continued apace.
Jack has built numerous pieces of cabinetry and has been repainting
the sign at the front of the office in Hidalgo, Texas. One of
the highlights of the year is the visit, each April, of two dentists,
one from New Jersey and one from upper New York. They bring a
group of adults one year and a group of teenagers the next. Most
of the group work in house construction, but two or three are
selected to act as dental technicians! They have had no training
at all, but you should see these recruits take over the suction,
water hose, and various tools and equipment. They are amazing
as they with compassion and fortitude watch extractions, bonding,
cleaning, and whatever else the dentists deem necessary in the
150 to 175 people they see in the five days of their visit.
Our part in such a visit is to stand beside the dental chair
to translate for the children and adults as the dentist finds
out what is needed and sets about to accomplish it. Fears and
pain are lessened as we hold hands and calm anxieties. Many times
the patients are so proud of the results (such as the closing
of a gap between front teeth and the rebuilding of worn tooth
structure) that they declare that they will walk all the way home
with their mouths fixed in a toothy grin so that all the neighbors
can see what the dentist has accomplished for them!
Jack was especially proud to greet the dentists this year because
he had built a large kitchen-type cabinet with double sink, drawers
and doors to go on one wall of the newly painted and floored dental
clinic at the Lucio Blanco site! Now they have somewhere to store
all of their supplies for the next year. They leave two compressors
and quantities of dental supplies that come in handy the next
time the dentists visit.
Jack has also built a large cabinet to house schoolbooks, notebooks,
and group toys brought by visiting groups. This cabinet occupies
one wall in the schoolroom, and is a secure place to store supplies
for the girls in the program. He is also keeping track of the
mechanical problems of the Puentes vehicles, and putting in locks,
hinges, etc. as the need arises.
Juliette keeps busy singing with the girls, teaching Bible studies,
and playing for services at the churches associated with Puentes.
What a joy is ours to contribute whatever we can that the Kingdom
of God may be advanced. We are grateful for your support and for
your prayers. Thank you for being our lifeline!
Yours in Christ,
Juliette and Jack McClendon
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 250
|
