Greetings friends! As some of you already know, our ministry in Belize, Central America, has come to an end. The doors closed to us in Belize Friday, May 30th and we are now back in the United States. During the first two weeks of June, we drove the motorhome (towing the Jeep) completely across Mexico and up through the U.S. to Minnesota. The motorhome sustained damage in two separate incidents in Mexico, but brought us safely home. We have been stunned and our hearts have remained broken for most of the seven weeks we have been home. We have been able to repair the damage to the motorhome during this time and it is ready to serve again as a travelling home and ministry center for our work as missionaries. Early in our grieving about Belize – with tears in our eyes and trembling voices, we asked, “Why, Lord?” But now, as we have processed the loss and begun to heal that grief, we ask: “What now, Lord?” God has been so good to us – as have all of you who support us and our work with prayer and finance. Both of us being “doers,” we have had in mind that people who love us are sending hard-earned dollars and that we are responsible to use those gifts appropriately. We are grateful that you have not withdrawn financial support while we have healed and sought new direction from God. Thank you. After three years in Belize, we find ourselves out of the loop regarding the News in the larger world and discussing world events has been a bit difficult for us. The humanitarian crisis at the border of Mexico and the United States caught our attention, though – having lived so much of the most recent three years in Latin America. We heard about the mass migration of children into Texas from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala and were drawn into conversation about the practical (political, financial, legal and ethical) aspects of the crisis, but it wasn’t until the Holy Spirit nudged us that we began to discern the humanitarian and spiritual dimensions. Questions, questions and more questions! Arguments are raging over those practical implications of the border crisis and, admittedly, there are questions we need to answer. But are they the first questions to be answered? In a discussion on Facebook, one person posted that, “Once over the fence, these children are illegals.” I wrote, “Once over the fence, these kids are defenseless and desperate.” And the original poster replied, “Once over the fence, these maggots should be used for target practice!” Question: These are God’s kids, yes? So who will care for and protect them while “We the people of the United States of America” debate politics, finance, legality and ethics? From a Christian perspective, that seems to be the first question to be answered. We find it interesting, the ways God leads and guides. Two months before our ministry ended so abruptly in Belize, we felt led to register to Train with a Christian organization named Crisis Response International (CRI) – please see criout on the web. Our intention was to prepare to help out in future natural and terroristic disasters as they would occur in Central America. The training was scheduled for August 3-9, 2014 in Bloomington, Minnesota. CRI has also expressed an interest in becoming involved with the migrant children, but has indicated they, too, struggle to find a way into the government detention centers where the children are being held – they are in a wait and see mode. Most recently, due to “low attendance and unforeseen other problems,” CRI cancelled the training in Minnesota, but will be offering it again in Tallahassee, Florida during October, 2014 – our intentions are to attend the training there. Still, regarding the question of who will care for and protect the migrant children (45,000 to date and slated to be 90,000 by year’s end), we have come to ask ourselves, “If not me, then who?” And as we share with people that we are headed down to the border to help out with the kids, many cite the fact that these children are all in the custody of the United States Government, many or most reportedly living in the barracks on military bases. That is a formidable obstacle and we do not expect that we can overcome it from where we stand today, but because Mexico granted us a ten-year visa for the motorhome, we will be able to work on either side of the border as God leads and opportunities present. We trust in the truths of that old song, though: “God will make a way where there seems to be no way.” We trust God to make a way for us to help His kids; He trusts us to go and serve! We have begun building relationships with individuals, churches and other charitable organizations along the border. We are set to leave Minnesota for Texas in five short weeks (mid-September). We realize that not everyone is called to travel to Texas to put their hands and hearts to the tasks of caring for migrant kids. If you are not, though, please seek God to discern whether you are called to help us go. Again, we thank all of you who have so faithfully partnered with us in the work that God calls us to and we implore, please continue in both prayer and financial support. Please contact Linda to arrange for ongoing support or send your one-time gift to our P.O. Box (Contact information follows). Peacemakers Ron and Linda Pitzen Ron Email: [email protected] Phone: 651-214-8007 Linda Email: [email protected] Phone: 651-214-0550 To find us on online, search Facebook for Peacemakers International Missions Postal: Peacemakers International Missions P.O. Box 25172 Woodbury, MN 55125
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 21:02:18 +0000
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