As I write this article for the newsletter, John Newell and I have just returned from two wonderful weeks of service at the Las Manos de Cristo medical clinic in Chiapas, Mexico where a dedicated team of folks saw over 1300 patients with a wide range of problems.

For over 20 years, members of First Pres Boone have traveled to serve and been heavily involved with both the initial funding, construction, and ongoing support of the clinic, as well as construction trips to remote villages, and the Alpha and Omega Bible School.  We have done this in partnership with other churches from Salem Presbytery and across the US, joining with the Presbyterian church in Chiapas in doing the Lord’s work. A new construction project involving the building of a mission church in Ocosingo will offer additional opportunities for our members to work there this year.

You will hear more during this Lenten season about the clinic, the water filter distribution project, lay pastor education, the Radio Ministry, and other parts of the ministry led by Pastor Pablo and his wife Jan.  We are thankful for your continued prayers and financial support. We look forward to the opportunity to keep you informed about the important work being done there.

Bill Herring

Hebron Board Member

 Medical caravans are scheduled to the Clinica Tzeltal Manos de Cristo clinic in Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico, in February 2019. Week one will be 2 February 2019 through 10 February; Week two will be  9 February through 17 February 2019. 

Cost will be $500/week plus airline cost. Medical care provided will be Primary Care. Participants needed are physicians, nurses willing to evaluate patients, PAs, Nurse Practitioners,  and Spanish translators.

    Deadline For February – 15 December with fees paid.

    Contact Bill Herring,MD

     Home#828-297-4604

     Cell#828-265-8441

Salem Presbytery is collecting applications for the trip. Fill one out here.

The Hebron USA summer mission season is just around the corner. We are excited to be hosting six summer mission teams in Chiapas in 2018 to work and among the Tzeltal-speaking Presbyterians of the Tzeltal Synod. We partner with Hebrón de Desarrollo Tzeltal to identify projects that are proposed by the Synod or village churches and to provide a rich and spiritual mission experience.

The summer kicks off with a medical mission team from Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, Illinois, which will provide primary medical care at Manos de Cristo in Ocosingo, the medical clinic constructed with funding from American Christians and with volunteer labor from the Tzeltal Synod and the United States. Our first construction group will be a combined team from two churches in Pennsylvania, John McMillan Presbyterian Church and Warren Presbyterian Church, the latter church working for the first time in Chiapas.  This team will be working on the manse/education building in the village of Jol Sacjun. A team from Salem Presbytery in North Carolina will follow to work in Chaban, a new village for Hebron USA. This group will also be working on an education building for the church.

July begins with a team from First Presbyterian Church Virginia Beach, Virginia that returns to Ch’ixtontic, where Hebron has spent five weeks working during prior summers, as the church continues construction on its sanctuary/church plant expansion. We will welcome another new church to Chiapas when First Presbyterian Church Charleston, West Virginia sends a team of Christian Educators to conduct education seminars for Tzeltal Christian Educators in several villages. Our final group is from First Presbyterian Church Boone, North Carolina. The Boone team will work in Yaxoquintela where construction of a Maya Presbytery Youth Retreat and Conference Center is ongoing.

Once again this summer, Board of Directors member Randy DuVall, former president of Hebron USA, will serve as mission coordinator and work with all of the mission groups. This will be his tenth year serving in that capacity during the summer months.

Hebron USA encourages churches to seriously consider sending a mission team to Chiapas in 2019. To discuss doing so, contact Randy duvallchiapas@gmail.com beginning in September.

Meet Dr. Gustavo! He’s the new doctor at the clinic, Manos de Cristo, in Ocosingo!

The 2017 mission season kicks off with the arrival of three groups in March!

On March 11th a group of American physicians, nurses and lay people organized by First Presbyterian of Hickory arrive in Ocosingo to conduct a week long medical clinic. The following Saturday a second group of physicians, nurses and lay people arrive in Ocosingo for a second week of primary medical care under the auspices of Salem Presbytery. Board of Directors’ members Dr. William Herring, Penny Musson, Dennis Stamper, Carolyn Vogel and President Randy DuVall will participate on these medical trips. The groups will work at Dispensario Tzeltal Manos de Cristo in Ocosingo (pictured above).

On March 25th a group of Christian Educators sponsored by Second Presbyterian of Bloomington will begin a week of Christian Education instruction for Tzeltal Sunday School and Compassion International teachers. The seminars will be conducted in Ocosingo and two outlying villages. The provision of primary medical care and the education of Tzeltal church leaders are continuing core ministries of Hebron USA.

The summer mission season begins on June 24th when a team from Salem Presbytery begins work. A week later a group from First Presbyterian of Virginia Beach will be down. Later in July, two teams from the Pittsburgh area will work in Chiapas. Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community returns to Chiapas and is followed a week later by a group from John McMillan Presbyterian Church.  All summer groups will work in and live in a Tzeltal village where they will engage in construction with the men of the church, conduct Bible School and live with the members of the village Presbyterian church. Finally, in late August Second Presbyterian Church of Bloomington, Illinois will conduct a one-week medical clinic providing primary medical care from Dispensario Tzeltal Manos de Cristo. Hebron USA has been organizing and facilitating cross-cultural mission trips to Chiapas for many years in conjunction with the Tzeltal Synod and our sister organization Hebrón de Desarrollo Tzeltal.

We still have an available mission group week running from July 22-30. If your church is interested in discussing sending a team to Chiapas during this week, please contact President Randy DuVall at 757-672- 1797.