Update from Caleb & Aimee Dunn, MTW-Monterrey, MX

Dear Ministry Partners,

We are coming to the end of a full and exciting semester, as the Theological Institute continues to develop its "discipleship style" of ministerial training, with its focus on the power of the gospel of Christ to radically transform lives. 

We are seeing amazing growth through trial and suffering in Northern Mexico. The economic and security situation here, while improving, is revealing the profound need of an anchor and strength that can only come from outside of the person. The foundations of our society are being shown to be faulty, and the gospel is being shown to be the solid ground that Mexico so desperately needs.

Our family continues to grow, and little Samuel (almost 5 months) is nice and chunky. It has been fun to see his personality begin to emerge as he laughs at his older siblings. Abigail has just finished her first violin book, and Andrew is now using the bow on his cello.

Please pray for us in this very busy time, as I wrap up the Seminary semester, and begin planing for next year. I am very thankful for my Mexican ministry partners. God has blessed our MTW team with unity of purpose.

Please pray for Andrés Garza, Jorge Alemán, Rafael Rodriguez, and me, as we plan for training and church planting this next academic year. Please also pray for Aimee in this intense time, as she home-schools and cares for three kids and one husband. And, please continue to pray for our church planters, who are constantly bombarded, not only with their own needs, but also with the almost overwhelming needs of our churches.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support. 

Your co-labourer for Christ,

Caleb Dunn

Instituto Teológico Ministerial

Theological Institute of Ministry

of Mission to the World

Monterrey, México

(904) 322-8746 (Office from U.S.)

caleb@mtwmex.net

May, 2009 Report of MTW Missionaries from North Texas Presbyery

Note: this report has been redacted to take out information from our missionaries in sensitive ministries.

MTW MISSIONARIES

FROM NORTH TEXAS PRESBYTERY

Rick & Pam Box #010519 Bogotá, Colombia

Christ Presbyterian, Flower Mound

Rick is working with the Colombian leaders in churches and church plants in four major cities of Colombia. He and his wife, Pam, are working with the growing reformed Presbyterian Church in Colombia, South America. While the primary task is church-based training of Presbyterian pastors and elders (through church planting), ministry opportunities extend far beyond to other evangelical churches and leaders who are hungry for the Word of God.

Andrew & Rebecca Bronson #010731 Thailand

Park Cities, Dallas

Andrew and Becky are in their first year of seminary work at Covenant in St Louis. Andrew is working part-time for MTW while in school, continuing to support the work of MTW Thailand from the States assisting in fund-raising and administration. They plan to spend two months this summer in Thailand.

Ruth Dinkins #011718 Brazil

Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa

The new school year began March 2nd. They have 28 in the 3rd year (graduating class), 28 in the 2nd year and 26 in the 1st year. Ruth has added to her full schedule a music class (flute) and an elective English class (translation) for the guys that plan to go on to seminary. So many of the books in the libraries at the seminaries are in English and they need to know the content of these books. Of course, the girls are allowed to take the English class too.

Peter Dishman #011731 RUF-UNAM, Mexico City MTW/RUM

Town North, Richardson

"We are past the midway point of the semester, and God is at work in the lives of UNAM students. Pray for the group to continue to grow in Christ as I preach through the 10 commandments, small groups knit students together around the word, and we work through individual issues daily. Praise the Lord for a fun and transformative Holy Week retreat in Guanajuato on "a precious faith, a promised future" taught by TE Marc Schiebe - pray especially for the many seekers who heard the gospel clearly there. Praise the Lord for our first RUF couple, whose wedding I co-officiated this weekend! Pray that their marriage will be firmly established in Christ as they finish their majors and move into the work force. Please continue to pray diligently for a ministry location and for the ministry team for next semester."

Caleb & Aimee Dunn #011783 Mexico Church Planter Training

Park Cities, Dallas

In Monterrey where he grew up, Caleb continues ministering as the Director of the Theological Institute of Ministry in partnership with RTS Charlotte. The institute currently supports church planters and lay leaders with a B.A. in Theology, and also offers continuing education for presbyteries. He also continues to work toward his D.Min in Pastoral Counseling at WTS Philadelphia.

Ben Graber #012803 East Germany

Fort Worth PCA

Well into his second year, Ben is starting up a third round of English courses and preparing for summer English camp. His support is now enough to last through the summer, and he is exploring the possibility of continuing his work with the church plant through the end of the year.

Chris & Julie Koiner #14017 Monterrey, Mexico

Heritage, Oklahoma City

Chris and Julie (and 5 children) are in the support-raising phase of the MTW process. They plan to join the church planting team in Monterrey and assist in the areas of finance/administration, evangelism and mercy ministries, short-term team support, training church leaders on financial stewardship, and women’s ministry.

Scott & Mary Ann Nelson #015418 MTW/Wycliffe SIL Support

Trinity Presbyterian, Plano

Based in North Carolina serving translation teams around the world, Scott provides computer support for Bible translators working in Africa, Europe, South America and parts of Asia. He maintains the servers and services to provide email, language/scripture text version control, remote collaboration and other tools used by translators and support staff. Mary Ann serves as a counselor for missionaries and their families with the stresses and issues they face.

Howard and Deidre Shelden #016816 MTW/Wycliffe

New Covenant Presbyterian, Dallas

Deidre directs personnel administrators in the Dallas office of Wycliffe USA, helping with the difficult decisions needed to care for and deploy Wycliffe missionaries. Howard writes promotional and publicity materials about Wycliffe missionaries' achievements and milestones to enhance credibility in academic circles and in foreign government relations.

Doug & Masha Shepherd #016819 Ukraine

Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa

Doug and Masha are continuing to make contacts in L’viv in the hopes of planting a church in this influential western Ukrainian city. The Shepherds are active ministering to university students, working with families, orphans, teammates and interns. “We have recently returned to L’viv after visiting churches in the States and are busy meeting with many young families and students. Please pray for conversions and a core group of believers.”

Dawn Brady Sparks #010572 Ukraine

Fifth Street Presbyterian, Tyler

Dawn and her husband, Steve, are living in Austin. Dawn is continuing her financial and administrative duties from the U.S. supporting the Ukraine team from here, freeing the resident team members for other duties. Steve has almost completed his first distance course from Covenant Seminary and is feeling more confirmed in his desire to pursue his degree there.. You can keep up with them on their ministry blog www.sparksministry.org.

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NEWS FROM BEAMM

Border Evangelism and Mercy Ministries

• Steve Milvain, Village Seven PCA, is the Chairman of BEAMM Partnership.

Next Partnership Meeting – May 14-16 at Catalina Foothills Church (PCA), Tucson, Arizona. The meeting will be preceded by and followed by Vision Trips to Nogales, Sonora (May 15) and El Centro/Mexicali and Tijuana (May 17-18).

Contact Gene Bowman, (915) 838-3747 or glbowman@BEAMM.org, for details.

BEAMM Partners NTP Are: 5^th St., Tyler, Ft. Worth PCA, Redeemer, McKinney, and Westminster, Gainesville. steve@milvain.com

• GREAT NEWS!! The land purchase for a community center in Juarez was completed last Friday, April 24. The Community Center in the city of Ciudad Juarez will become home to Gracia y Paz Church, the San Pablo Seminary, a place to house the short-term teams, and a place of outreach to the nearly two million people in the city.

• Dan Young chosen as Eastern Region Director (Rio Grande Valley border area).

• The donated 14,000 sq. foot building for Dios Soberano (Sovereign God) Mission, Mexicali, Western Region has been dismantled and is being stored at El Centro, CA, in preparation for being exported to Mexicali.

• Missionary Units or Church Planters now headed for the border: Charles & Bonita Davidson have arrived and are settling in to life in El Paso; Ray & Michelle Call are in language school in Edinburg, Texas; Rick & Sharon Marooney, Julio & Arlette Navarro, Gary & Kay Whiting are in various stages of support raising.

• Personnel Needs: English Language Trainers: Intern, Two-Year, Career:

Seminary Instructors: Two-week, Two Year, Career:

Contact Gene Bowman, 915-838-3747, glbowman@BEAMM.org

Summer Interns to host Summer Mission Trips – 2009,

Contact LuAnn Bowman, luannbowman@BEAMM.org

• Special Note to Summer teams – don’t finalize any plans until you have communicated with LuAnn luannbowman@BEAMM.org Circumstances are different this year.

• Check in at www.BEAMM.org to keep abreast of events on the border.

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AROUND THE PRESBYTERY

Planning a vision trip? Other plans to develop mission work in your church?

Notify John Butler. okcalvin@gmail.com

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OUR FEATURED MISSIONARY THIS QUARTER

LUKE SMITH #17118 - CAMBODIA

NEW ST. PETER’S, DALLAS

Luke grew up on a farm in west central Illinois. He went to college planning to pursue a career in agriculture. Through a couple of short-term missions trips with a campus ministry while in college at Western Illinois University, he started thinking about missions. Toward the end of graduate school at the University of Missouri, he was impacted by the missionary biography Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot, and his burden to be a missionary continued to grow. After completing graduate school, Luke went to Dallas Theological Seminary to further prepare for the mission field. While in seminary, he began to have a vision to serve in an area that was unreached and poor. He has continued to prepare by working with refugees in Dallas and serving in his church, New St. Peter's Presbyterian. Luke has been called to work in rural Cambodia training pastors. The majority of the country's population of 13 million live in villages spread throughout rural areas. It is a country struggling to recover from years of famine and civil war. Currently, fewer than 1 percent of the people are considered Christian. He is at 46% in his support raising.

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Report from Peter Dishman, 2/27/09

Note: Peter is Reformed University Fellowship / Mission to the World Campus Minister to the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City.

http://www.rufmexico.org/

The fall semester of 2008 was a semester of change at the UNAM. While we continued our second semester of large group (I taught through the gospel of John), as well as small groups located in three of the "faculties" of the school, our student makeup shifted towards newer students (both new converts this semester and Christians who for the first time discovered a Christian group to support and encourage them at the university). These students are now owning the group and developing relationships with one another, which is making for some good movement forward as we we enter the end of the first month of the Spring semester of 2009.

This semester I am teaching on the 10 commandments, and how the law points us to our need for Christ and his grace and teaches us to respond to our salvation with love for God and others. We also have five small groups, including one new study that began this week among the "yearly calendar" students (in the schools of Medicine and Dentistry) and another in the national school of Social Work (spearheaded by a new Christian who wants a Bible study in her faculty). Pray that the new small groups will catch on (especially the experimental one with the "yearly students"), and that student leaders will continue to emerge to direct these small groups.

We continue to have our English conversation clubs on Wednesday and Thursday, where we make many non-Christian contacts during the semester who often show interest in finding out more about our main activities. Last semester several English club students made their way into the RUF group, and at the end of the semester, several others asked to meet with me personally to talk about struggles with depression and decisions. English club attendance started out small this semester, but has grown to around 20-30 students, which is good especially since we have half the native English speakers we did last semester. Pray that God will send us some Christian exchange students (perhaps even from the PCA as he has in the past) to help our with the clubs. Pray for students from the clubs to take an interest in their spiritual lives by connecting with RUF students and checking out different avenues for involvement where they will hear the gospel.

This semester we have added a Friday social time called "a moment with RUF" (it sounds much better in Spanish), where students lead a community building activity (get to know you, discussion, etc.) and then we eat and do something informal (last week we played soccer, other weeks we have checked out different cultural activities at the UNAM). We hope this will enable students that cannot come to our Tuesday large group to get integrated, and for the students to build relationships with each other (remember that no one lives on campus, so most students have 2 friends from the UNAM, 2 friends from high school, and two friends from Junior High). Pray for this space to grow and for students to bring their friends.

Not only has our student group shifted, but our staff group has changed as well. Interns Josh and Amy Oettle headed to Austin at the end of the year, and we will miss them and their gifts and service, especially in developing the organic feel of our group and our outreach through the English clubs. Intern Jared Weatherholtz is engaged to be married to a Mexican girl who was working on staff with another campus ministry in Puebla, and will finish up his service in August. In addition to meeting with students, especially in the English clubs, and leading a small group Bible study, we are also excited about a CD of RUF hymns in Spanish that Jared is producing as part of the RUF music project in Spanish. Pray for more connection with RUF in the US through visiting campus ministers and groups at Spring Break and during the summers.

We don't have our budgets met in terms of support here, and need to work on building and growing relationships with givers. The financial situation in the US makes this a lot more difficult. Pray for us to be diligent communicators of what God is doing in Mexico and relationships builders, and for the Lord to provide the support we need to keep working in the church and among the 178 thousand students here.

New Missionaries from NTP: The Koiners

By Chris Koiner

We are all familiar with the account in the Gospels where Jesus feeds the 5,000, but I would like to focus on the insignificance of the two fish and five loaves Jesus used in order to describe our call to the mission field. Many of you are aware that Julie and I were officially approved in September as missionaries with Mission to the World (MTW) and are just beginning the fund raising process in order to join the church-planting team in Monterrey, Mexico. It is our prayer that God would use our story to encourage others to get involved in missions and, maybe for some of you, to answer God’s call to the mission field.

Our journey began about three years ago when God sparked a small flame in me after hearing a missionary give their story during the Sunday school hour at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. Julie and I discussed the possibility of missions and agreed to contact MTW. Providentially, God brought several MTW missionary families that Heritage supports through town over the next few years. We had a wonderful opportunity to share a meal and discuss their experiences on the field and how they discerned their call to missions.

We decided to start the MTW “process” by completing the application paperwork and going through a phone interview. I refer to the steps required for an MTW missionary to get on to the field as a process, because it is designed to help you discern and confirm your call over a period of several years. One can move through this process as quickly as two and a half years, but for our family, it could take as long as five years from the time we completed our initial applications in 2006. Julie and I, and our immediate families, have come to appreciate the time and care MTW commits to their missionaries, from the application and selection process, to the readiness evaluation and pre-field training. MTW thinks and plans long-term so their missionaries have the best chance of success once they are on the field.

We have just begun the support-raising phase of the MTW process, which usually takes about a year and a half, but, in our situation, could take longer than two years. MTW requires their missionaries, by design, to raise their own support through partnering with churches and individuals. The amount we are required to raise in monthly and one-time support is daunting, but we know that God will use this process to build our faith and confirm our call to Monterrey.

Our family, God willing, will join the church planting team in Monterrey and assist in the areas of finance/administration, evangelism and mercy ministries, short-term team support, training church leaders on financial stewardship, and women’s ministry. We will also, through God’s grace, join the other families on the team in being a light in the darkness and an example of a Christ-centered covenant family.

What can an accountant, homemaker, and five children do to help build God’s kingdom in northern Mexico? How can two fish and five loaves feed well over 5,000 hungry people? Inadequate, hopeless, impossible, yes, all the words I would use to describe the two fish and five loaves in man’s hands, but in our Savior’s hands they become satisfying, an over abundance, and a testimony to His lordship over all things. Our family is nothing special, we have the same struggle with sin and doubt that all of you have, which is why His name will be all the more praised by using us to build His kingdom.

So, we are asking you to partner with us prayerfully and financially, but we also encourage you to consider getting directly involved with missions work, whether through a week long trip, a short-term commitment, or as a career missionary. If God can use us, then He, certainly, can use anybody!

November, 2008 Reports From Our NTP-MTW Missionaries

Note: we have not listed reports from NTP-MTW missionaries serving in sensitive areas of the world

OUR FEATURED MISSIONARY THIS QUARTER
Scott & Mary Ann Nelson #015418
MTW/Wycliffe Trinity Presbyterian, Plano

Scott and Mary Ann Nelson have been serving as missionaries with MTW and Wycliffe Bible Translators since their acceptance as members in 2000.Their first assignment was with the team in Nairobi, Kenya which provides the Scriptures in the heart language of unreached people groups in Africa.
Now based in North Carolina serving translation teams around the world, Scott provides computer support for Bible translators working in Africa, Europe, South America and parts of Asia. He maintains the servers and services to provide email, language/scripture text version control, remote collaboration and other tools used by translators and support staff. Mary Ann serves as a counselor for missionaries and their families with the stresses and issues they face.
With a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University, Scott worked for 12 years in computing before joining MTW. Mary Ann received her undergraduate degree from Wheaton College, an M.A. in Biblical Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary and an M.A. in Marriage and Family Counseling from Southwestern Seminary.
Together with MTW and Wycliffe, they seek to take God's Word-Life!-to those still waiting.
The Nelsons have three children: Leigh Ann, Drew, Peter
Scott_nelson@sil.org

Rick & Pam Box #010519 Bogotá, Colombia Christ Presbyterian, Flower Mound
In Colombia, Rick is working with the Colombian leaders in training and church planting. Rick pastors the only English speaking church in Colombia and assists in the development of three church plants. They are beginning training centers in English and Spanish in their church building this fall.
On a more personal note, Pam was able to be with her father when lung cancer took his life. Our condolences go to the family and praise for his Christ honoring life..
rbox@mtwsa.org / pamelajbox@yahoo.com

Dawn Brady Sparks #010572 Ukraine Fifth Street Presbyterian, Tyler
Dawn is currently in the U.S. on HMA. She and her new husband, Steve, are living in Austin as they seek to determine whether God is sending them back to Ukraine in the near future.
Meanwhile, Dawn is continuing many of her country-wide financial and administrative duties from the U.S. as she supports the Ukraine team from this side of the ocean. Please pray for Dawn and Steve as they seek to follow where God is leading. You can keep up with them on their ministry blog.
dbrady@mtwukraine.org www.sparksministry.org.

Andrew & Rebecca Bronson #010731 Thailand Park Cities, Dallas
“We are well into our first year of seminary work at Covenant in St Louis. Classes are going well, and we've quickly realized we have so much to learn! Andrew is working part-time for MTW while in school, continuing to support the work of MTW Thailand from the States assisting in fund-raising and administration. We continue to pray about the specifics of God's plan for us after seminary, even though that's a few years away - and we plan to spend next summer in Bangkok supporting the team.”
bronsons@mtwthailand.org www.mtwthailand.org

Ruth Dinkins #011718 Brazil Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa
“I arrived back in Brazil the 16th of July and in Patrocínio the 19th. Classes began the 4th of August. I have 2 classes with the first year in their field work, and 2 classes of Christian Education Theory with the 1st year. The rest of my time is observing students in their field work, helping in our work shop, translating materials, producing materials, and informal counseling. I am sorry that I was not able to get to TX to get to know you folks. One of these times it will work out for me to get down your way.”
dinkinsmr@hotmail.com

Peter Dishman #011731 RUF-UNAM, Mexico City MTW/RUM Town North, Richardson
“We are past the midpoint of the semester and headed into the final stretch. The Lord has brought some new students to the group and some newer students to faith. Pray that our group might finish strong this semester, and in particular for interns Josh and Amy Oettle as they finish their term of service here and head back to the US.”
pwdishman@gmail.com http://www.rufmexico.org/ (English) http://www.curunam.org/ (Spanish)


Caleb & Aimee Dunn #011783 Mexico Church Planter Training Park Cities, Dallas
Back home in Monterrey (after HMA), where he grew up; Caleb continues ministering as the Director of the Theological Institute of Ministry in partnership with RTS Charlotte. The institute currently supports church planters and lay leaders with a B.A. in Theology, and also offers continuing education for presbyteries. He also continues to work toward his D.Min in Pastoral Counseling at WTS Philadelphia.
caleb@mtwmex.net / aimee@mtwmex.net

Ben Graber #012803 Eastern Germany Fort Worth PCA
At the end of his first year of two: “How do I talk about a year like this? We were a little church meeting in a cafe when I got here….. But we are a little church with a home, a team of missionaries who have Done Ministry In the Community…. So here we are, trying to grow into the bigness of what He seems to be doing.”
Ben.graber@gmail.com http://bengraber.blogspot.com

Josh & Amy Oettle #015711 UNAM, Mexico City Park Cities, Dallas
The fall semester is well under way for students at the UNAM. Josh and Amy and the team are working with Bible studies and English Clubs and getting in touch with old students and new students. Josh and Amy are soon to finish their short-term mission and return to the States. Pray that their decisions about their future be always glorifying to God.
Josh.oettle@gmail.com http://joshandamyoettle.wordpress.com

Howard and Deidre Shelden #016816 Wycliffe/Dallas New Covenant Presbyterian, Dallas
Deidre directs personnel administrators in the Dallas office of Wycliffe USA, helping with the difficult decisions needed to care for and deploy Wycliffe missionaries. Howard writes promotional and publicity materials about Wycliffe missionaries' achievements and milestones to enhance credibility in academic circles and in foreign government relations.

Doug & Masha Shepherd #016819 Ukraine Christ Presbyterian, Tulsa
Doug and Masha have finished a busy summer training 6 American two-month interns in L'viv. The team also hosted a one week English Camp in the Carpathian Mountains for 53 Ukrianian university students. The team is now busy following up these contacts and starting a few bible studies. The Shepherds are scheduled to visit the States (Home Assignment) for three months this winter. Continue to pray for converts. Free2travel98@yahoo.com

Beginning of the Year Wrap Up

From Peter Dishman, RUF @ UNAM

The best way that you can see the first few weeks of the year at the UNAM has to be via the updates from Josh and Amy Oettle on their blog. There you can see some pictures of our kickoff party, and if you scroll down far enough, of our pre-semester retreat as well.

It has been a good semester so far - sadly, a bunch of our regular folk are starting to disappear as they move into their thesis and social service phases (in some cases, students in this fifth year phase have lots more time, but generally they have a lot less as they move towards post-UNAM life); at the same time, however, we have also seen a number of new faces at our group as people discover our group and begin to become part of it (one of the new things that we tried this year was having an information table set up outside of one the main entrances of the UNAM - we have never seen a Christian group do this before, but we have garnered a lot of confused looks and a good amount interest in “Christian community at the UNAM”).

This semester at our Tuesday large group, we are working through the gospel of John, and last week we talked about the mystery of the incarnation - how Jesus the divine missionary enters human history to redeem a people for himself. We are still learning what that missionary invasion means in our lives as well as what it means for our lives at the university. We also have student and intern led small groups going on Ephesians, the letters of John, and the Foundations of Christianity in Filosophy and Letters, Engineering, and Sciences.

English Club has been big this semester - a lot of new faces among the 40 or so that have been coming out on Wednesdays and Fridays to learn to talk like “real gringos”. Lots of relationships beginning to grow there, and you can pray that our group draws positive attention from the administration and from students alike.

Posted by Peter Dishman on Sunday, August 31st, 2008 at 3:10 pm.

Holy Week (2)

from MTW / RUF missionary Peter Dishman @ UNAM, Mexico City

We had a good time with the group from Trinity U in San Antonio last week, and I hope they enjoyed their time of learning and serving here as well! Because there were no classes (Spring Break = Holy Week in Mexico every year), our rhythm was a bit different than usual.

We started each morning early helping a community service/outreach program that our local church does every year called “extend your hand”. We probably helped serve about 1200 breakfasts over the course of the week, and got to know a lot of the neighbors. Some people came for the first time to the breakfasts, while others had been coming for more than a decade! I met people from the neighborhood behind the church, parents whose children were in the local hospital, and a whole lot of police officers toting their machine guns and shotguns. Each of these groups is part of our local demographic.

Next we headed to my apartment, where on Monday and Tuesday we had a “mini-retreat” for our RUF students on “relationships”. We had decent participation, and Justin’s talks and especially the question and answer times helped clarify a lot of questions, from what it means that marriage is a covenant to the difficulties of leaving and cleaving to the role of emotions in dating and tying the knot. On the other weekdays during this time, people rested and spent time meditating on Scripture and praying, and then we talked through the story of scripture from beginning to end.

In the afternoons, we did English Clubs, and in spite of their being no classes in session, we had a really good turnout - 50 the first day and 30-40 for the other days. We had good topics and good discussions (Amy Oettle really has become the queen of English Clubs), and afterward had long hang-out times playing soccer or capture the flag with those competitive gringos (myself included!), visiting at the Oettle and Dishman apartments, eating tacos, and going to the tourist market. Holy Week is nice (and exhausting!) because no one really has to go anywhere, so you can talk the hours away.

So, that was our week - long, a little intense, a few health issues, but a lot of learning and growing because God is at work, by and with his word among his people and beyond them. It would be great if any Trinity U folk wanted to comment on what they thought of the week since I have just scratched the surface here!

The Spies Are Sent Out!

from BEAMM News

Just as Moses sent the twelve spies into the land of Canaan to spy it out in preparation for entering, so BEAMM has sent its Nogales church planting team to Nogales, Sonora, to begin laying the foundation for a new ministry there. BEAMM Regional Directors Josue and Martha Mayo, church planters Miguel and Myrna Gonzalez, and church planters Obed and Brenda Uc, traveled to Nogales from Ciudad Juárez January 25-27, 2008, to meet with members of the Chihuahua Presbytery, members of Catalina Foothills Presbyterian Church, Tucson, and other residents of the city to familiarize themselves with the area. The Gozalez family is planiing to move to Nogales in July, 2008, followed by the Mayos in September, 2008. The Uc family will move to Nogales once a replacement pastor can be found for the Gracia y Paz Church in Juárez, where Obed is currently the pastor.