15JUN2009

The response of Mexico to the H1N1 virus was really amazing. The country mobilized in a way that few would have thought possible. Closing schools, movie theaters, churches and canceling most mass gatherings apparently did help in turning the corner on the spread of the virus.

While the threat hit Pachuca suddenly, the Hidalgo state government quickly made decisions similar to other parts of Mexico. To step out of the house and hear the silent city was eerie. Usually in the evening normal traffic and life noises were heard around the city, but the city seemed silent during several days.

Through the more than two weeks of the medical alert in Pachuca it was common to see face masks in many public areas. Even the local soccer team got into the spirit of the medical alert printing thousands of face masks with the beloved team logo for the TUZOS of Pachuca. The soccer games continued around Mexico but with empty stadiums and fans watching only on television.

These two weeks were a challenge for the church leaders around the city. Information was at times confusing. Often the directives from the government for cancelations came late on Friday or Saturday. We were very pleased, however, to see that our cell group/small group system serviced Jubilee well. The cell pastors were able to communicate effectively with members of their cell groups as decisions were made about church activities. The first Sunday only one person showed up not knowing that worship had been canceled. On the second Sunday during the 3 ½ hours the church building was open, about 70 people walked through for the prayer and communion time.

Though the H1N1 virus seems to have quickly disappeared, the virus left us with some interesting questions. How can we be the church in a crisis situation? When the church is not able to meet in worship, how does the ministry of the church continue? The cell system did help us to keep in contact with the Jubilee congregation, and although we were able to make sure all were fine, we still felt frustrated and isolated. We are grateful this is over. We are also thankful for the many notes of encouragement during this time. We also received several donations to help with the rent at Jubilee. What a blessing! These donations will help the church family as the situation continues to stabilize in Pachuca and jobs and business return to normal.

Thank you!

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18MAY2009

Dear praying friends and family,

We want to thank you again for praying for us over the past couple of weeks. Thanks for reading these emails and sharing them with your friends and Sunday school classes. And thank you for your encouraging notes and phone calls. Hopefully this will be the last prayer update with the word “swine” in the title.

The government here has said that cases of swine flu have been stabilizing, and Monday the 18th everything moves back into full swing as schools and businesses reopen. This Sunday was our first to get together normally in two weeks, and everyone was excited to be see each other again. It was a big Sunday for us: we launched a second celebration at the Jubilee church, and our good friends Greg and Vicki Syverson held their first celebration in the new church plant, New Life.

Please be in continued prayer about the flu outbreak, that it would totally subside and disappear. And also please pray for Jubilee as it grows and for the New Life church as it begins. These are big steps for the congregations here in Pachuca, and we “wait in eager expectation” (Psalm 5) for all that God is going to do.

–Pachuca Project Team, IMPACTO Latino

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11MAY2009

We want to thank you for your prayers for us and for Mexico over the last couple of weeks and we are grateful for the many notes of encouragement. We know that Swine Flu coverage has been fading from the headlines, but we want to ask you to please continue to lift us up in prayer. Cases have actually been on the rise here in the state of Hidalgo, and the government has announced another week of shutting down schools and other gatherings, including churches.

Yesterday, we canceled our normal church service, but opened the building so that people could trickle in for prayer and communion. It felt strange, a little sad, and a little happy all at the same time. People are tired of the extended “quarantine” and are ready to get back to normal life. Also, many asked for prayer about their finances. The closings of schools and businesses has hurt families financially, and many are struggling to make ends meet. Please be in prayer for the people here, and pray too for our young church. With two weeks of canceled services, our offerings are down and we’re not sure how we’ll make rent for this month.

On the bright side, our family and our team are doing well; everyone is healthy. We are encouraged and hopeful, but trying to figure out the best way to be the church in a time when gatherings are prohibited.

Thanks for your prayers! May God bless you greatly.

The Pachuca Project Team, IMPACTO Latino

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5 May 2009

Greetings in Christ Name.

We wanted to update you on what is happening in the ministry here in Pachuca and the affect that the H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) has had here in Pachuca.

Most of Mexico is moving toward standing down from the health advisory and will begin moving toward normalcy on Wednesday, May 6. However, in Pachuca and the State of Hidalgo, the government is asking that its population continue the health advisory until May 11. That means that the Jubilee church will again put our cell (small group) ministry on hold until next week. We are planning to hold Sunday worship on May 10.

It’s been a very strange two weeks, but we have taken the time to clean the office (including files) and to also clean closets and the team has taken some time to plan for the second worship service that will start on May 17. We are ready however, for things to return to a normal life.

We are grateful for you prayers and ask that you continue to pray for the Jubilee Church and us. The loss of one Sunday of giving is concerning us we look at having to pay the rent on the church facility by May 15. We are prayerful that the congregation will be able to respond this next Sunday with a sacrificial offering that will put us in reach of the rent amount.

Thanks again for the notes and the prayers. We are very thankful that the Lord is keeping everyone healthy.

Lord bless!
Eric & Dee Duggins and the rest of the Pachuca Project Team, IMPACTO Latino

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28April2009

Greetings in Christ Jesus.

Several have written or called about the situation in Mexico in relation to the Swine Flu outbreak in Mexico. We wanted to let you know that our IMPACTO Latino team is doing well and that we are trying to follow the precautions that the government of Mexico is giving to its people.

Mexico City has had the most cases of the flu, but it has spread to other areas. Yesterday, Mexico’s Health Secretary advised everyone in the country to avoid all public gatherings, and all schools nation-wide have been closed. Church meetings are included in the government’s advisory. We have canceled all of our church activities this week including our small groups and our Sunday morning celebration.

The affect of this announcement means that our all-church Family Retreat planned for this coming weekend has been canceled and the group from the Community Christian Church of Baltimore will not be traveling to Pachuca. We will be working with Jubilee and with Community Christian to reschedule this activity for later in the year.

This also means that the new sister church plant (led by CMF missionaries Greg and Vicki Syverson) that was scheduled to begin this coming will also have to postpone its launch date. It’s been a strange time. Our worship on Sunday was a blessing and though the number of participants was down, it was a good celebration. However, there was a noticeable tension — kind of like knowing a storm is coming, but it’s still sunny where you are.

We ask you to be active prayer warriors on our behalf, for all of the Christians here in Pachuca, for the people of Mexico, and for the world’s health professionals and governments as we face this strain of the flu virus.

As always, thank you for your prayers.

In Christ Jesus,
The Pachuca Project Team, IMPACTO Latino

Soon a new church will begin as part of the Pachuca Project. Over the last 8 years, CMF missionaries Greg and Vicki Syverson have been part of the Pachuca Project vision and were leading in the first Community Outreach Center in one of the poorest areas of the city. On May 3 the New Life Church will begin at the facility for the Community Outreach Center and actually will become the church building. Gerzahin and Reyna Zaragoza are joining Greg and Vicki in this new congregation. The Zaragoza family was part of the Southside Christian Church in Mexico City and moved to Pachuca along with Eric & Dee Duggins. The Duggins and the Zaragoza families began the New Hope Christian Church of Pachuca in 1996 with Gerzahin serving as an elder and and eventually as zone pastor at the New Hope church. The Jubilee Church will help in this new church plant as time and resources permit, and the IMPACTO Latino missionary team will help according to the requests of the New Life leadership team.

The original vision of the Pachuca Project was to plant five large dynamic cell churches in this metropolitan area of more than one million people. Though the focus of this new congregation will be on this urban poor area, we pray it will become a major influence in this part of Pachuca.

IMPACTO Latino Board Meeting
We want to thank the Avoca Christian Church of Bristol, Tennessee which hosted the recent IMPACTO board meeting. A special thanks to Linda Lahr who organized the meals and facilities. Eric & Dee Duggins participated in the meeting.

The next board meeting will be at the Tate’s Creek Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky on November 14, 2009.

Jubilee Attendance Record
On Sunday, April 21 the Jubilee Church saw the highest attendance at a normal Sunday worship with 166 people present. We will add a second celebration service on May 17. Worship services will be at 9:30 AM and at 11:30 AM. Children’s classes and adult leadership training will be held during each celebration.

Scott and Suzanne Greer Visit Pachuca
parents of Luke Greer, visited in Pachuca for the first time in April. Scott is the senior minister at New Hope Christian Church in Memphis, TN. New Hope Christian Church is also a new partner with the Pachuca Project through gifts to Luke and Lindsay.