Greetings from Mexico and the “Give Ye Them To Eat” program and staff.

Like many of you, we read The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide. In our reading of the June 16, 2005, message we, once again, reflected upon that favorite Biblical story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand from Mark 6:30-44.  In that reflection the author wrote:   “…the disciples have only five loaves and two fish to offer the hungry crowd.  The disciples say that it would require 200 silver coins to buy food for such a group. When Jesus asks his disciples, ‘How many loaves do you have?” he is asking about the resources they do have – the loaves and fish – not the resources they don’t have – the 200 coins. When Jesus receives the bread and the fish, he multiplies it into a grand feast for thousands, complete with twelve baskets of leftovers! Jesus turns a seemingly inadequate offering into abundance. “

This devotion message reminds us of how God has blessed those served through the ministry of the “Give Ye Them To Eat” program, which was named from the words of Jesus in that very same Bible Story, when he commanded his disciples to feed the hungry crowd.  The GYTTE project is an approved Advance Special of the Methodist Church of Mexico and the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.  And as so we have permission to raise $170,000. U.S. Dollars annually to be used in serving the needs of the rural sector of south-central Mexico through development opportunities that help them to live a sustainable lifestyle with dignity within their own culture and community.

But like the story, we cannot think about the resources we don’t have, since we have never been able to raise $170,000. Dollars annually.  Instead we must focus on the resources (your donations) we have been blessed with and strive to do the best ministry we can.  God has indeed blessed that effort, as every year thousands are reached in the name of Christ:  people receive specific training to address their agriculture, livestock and community needs, groups are guided around the “Tree of Life” Center where they are introduced to technologies that will improve their daily lives, students are given the opportunity to study through academic scholarships, women are trained as primary community-based health workers so that entire families can learn about disease prevention and health enhancing information, and, most importantly, the person of Jesus Christ is introduced to those who comes to learn and those who train to return to their local church and community to teach the Christian message.

We have not yet achieved the annual fund raising goal that have been set for the GYTTE program for this quadrennium, but God has multiplied the financial gifts that have been received and the efforts of the GYTTE staff so that thousands have been served.  We are grateful for that miracle and for the part you have played as a GYTTE supporter. As you, your church, the GYTTE staff and we offer the little we have, God multiplies it into abundance for the service to others and to God’s Glory.

 

 

Your Mission Partners,

Muriel and Terry Henderson