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Mexico
 Mission delegations from the United States come to the border every year to learn about border issues and Presbyterianism in Mexico. Liz Toland is a former mission volunteer based in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Mexico. She writes about an encounter with a United States customs agent on the border.
“Why can’t you keep it in America?” the agent asked me. I had just waited an hour to cross into the United States from Mexico and perhaps I was too tired to fully comprehend the question. He had asked me this after I had explained what Compañeros en Misión is and how I serve this ministry.
I wanted to ask him what “it” was. Was “it” money? Time? Love? Was “it” Christianity? Compassion? Was he really asking me why I couldn’t keep any of these things strictly in the United States? Before I could ask him to explain he said, “There are plenty of people in Louisiana without homes, why can’t you help over there?” Ah, I got it then. We were indeed talking about all of those things — money, time, love, Christianity, and compassion. He thought all of those things should be directed toward Louisiana. Not Mexico.
I could have mentioned the many organizations that have been hard at work at the disaster site since August 2005, but I didn’t. He had already made up his mind about where he thinks ministries should be working — in the United States. After his ranting about the government not doing enough, I was allowed to answer his original question. “Sir, I think there are enough people and resources in our country to be helping in all parts of the world.”
PC(USA) People in Mission
National Presbyterian Church in Mexico (INPM)
Presbyterian Border Ministry (PBM)
The Rev. Mark Adams, U.S. coordinator
Chris McReynolds, U.S. coordinator, Amistad site
The Rev. David Diercksen, mission volunteer
Puentes de Cristo, U.S. coordinator
Susanne Frerichs, Christian education, partnership facilitator
Amy Robinson, mission volunteer, U.S. coordinator
Pasos de Fe, The Rev. William Soldwisch, U.S. coordinator
The Rev. Donald Wehmeyer, professor of continuing education for pastors
Dr. Martha Wehmeyer, team ministry
World Mission (WM): David Thomas, regional liaison for Mexico
Susan Thomas, team ministry
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Elder Craig Reynolds, GAMC
Laverne Rhodes, GAMC
God of justice and mercy, let us humbly walk with you, following the example given to us by Jesus Christ. Amen.
Ps. 12, 146 Ps. 36, 7
2 Chron. 29:1–3, 30:1 (2–9) 10–27
1 Cor. 7:32–40; Matt. 7:1–12
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