The GYTTE program promotes development through the sharing of the integrated Gospel; a Gospel that introduces the one who changes and transforms lives and a church that equips people to serve their family and community to strengthen their capabilities to meet their basic needs.

The community-based health workers, trained by the GYTTE staff, have served 12,000 people in the past 12 months.   Thousands have received first aid assistance and/or instruction on health issues.   The 100 women trained through “More Than A Bandage,” GYTTE’s Community and Family Health program, serve their family and share their knowledge with their village neighbors to address health and sanitation needs in their respective villages as well as in other communities. *See the photo of the newest graduates on the MTAB link.

 

Between July 2003 and June 2004, more than seven hundred people toured GYTTE’s “Tree of Life” Training Center in Tlancualpican, Mexico. Peasant families, students and teachers visited the Center to learn low-tech ideas to improve their living conditions, sanitation and agricultural production.  In order to acquire new skills and gain a better understanding of these technologies villagers and school groups are invited to enroll in classes and workshops offered by the GYTTE staff at the Center.

 

Since last summer, six work/study teams, representing churches in ten states, and sixteen individual volunteers, from UMC’s in four states, offered their services in advancing the construction of the “Tree of Life” Training Center. Through this cross-cultural experience these Americans shared their skills and faith while becoming acquainted with Mexicans who shared their skills, lives and faith with them as they worked and worshipped together.

 

Fifty-two weeks a year the GYTTE program staff is focused on rural families - encouraging, teaching and training so that the Gospel and Person of Jesus Christ might transform people, churches and communities.  Through Church and Faith Development we seek to affect positive spiritual change. Village children   experience Christ through GYTTE’s Vacation Bible School curriculum and caring instructors.   Congregations celebrate traditions and seasons of the Christian year with the help from materials produced by the program staff.  Staff members are involved in evangelistic activities at the Training Center as well as on the local church, district and conference levels.  And this summer two GYTTE scholarship students graduate from the John Wesley Seminary in Monterrey, Mexico.  Raquel Balbuena and Maria Calixto will receive pastoral appointments with the Methodist Church of Mexico.

Mexico is not the poorest country in the world yet more than 50% of the Mexican population live in poverty.  In the rural areas half the residents live in extreme poverty.   This is rather incredible considering Mexico is a neighbor nation to the most powerful country in the world, the United States of America.  This situation and suffering encourage people to cross national borders in search of employment and a more secure future.  Obviously Mexico’s government and leadership must take measures to bring about more economic and agricultural development in the country.  There is also much that the church can do to bring about change, development and transformation within the context of Mexican rural reality.

July 2004, the “Give Ye Them To Eat” program celebrates 27 years of ministry serving marginalized families in the rural sector of south central Mexico.  The years pass rapidly but each twelve-month period holds it’s own special blessing for those who serve as staff and those who participate in the various aspects of the GYTTE program.  We trust the blessings also extend out to the churches and people who support this outreach ministry with their prayers, volunteer service and financial gifts.

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A Challenge and Invitation to participate in Mission Outreach:

MORE THAN A BANDAGE:  Funds are needed for 22 scholarships at $300 Dollars each to train village women as community-based health workers to teach and serve their neighbors and communities in addressing health, sanitation and first aid issues. The   Basic Health Course, the first of the three-part series of training courses, is scheduled for September 2004.

PUEBLO PARTNER PROGRAM:  Funds are needed for 20 scholarships at $300 Dollars each to train villagers as community-based resource persons for community, agricultural and livestock development.  The Community Development Course, the first of the three-part series of training courses, is scheduled for fall 2004.

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