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For many years, CUPS has been a volunteer
driven organization. While many people still think
of CUPS in this way, we now play a significant
role in serving our friends in Valle Hermoso, Rio
Bravo, and Matamoros in other ways that do not
involve mission teams. Now, churches collect
and send much-needed supplies and equipment for
education and health
needs.
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Mauricio receives donated
wheelchair. |
Life is really
difficult for our friends in Mexico. Jobs are
scarce. Fishermen face diminished catches.
School teachers work with dwindling resources
because of the inability of parents to now pay
what were modest fees to support the school where
their children attend. One contact tells me
that she has not ever seen such major hygiene
problems. Families renting homes are frequently
forced to move and may be unable to pay utilities
like water or electricity. People line up at 4:00
am for a Rio Bravo food distribution program run
by the La Sautena Lion's Club. I have visited at
least three schools with leaking roofs and little
ability on the part of the school community to
cover all the costs. Kids and supplies get wet
when it rains. At the same time, northeastern
Mexico suffers from the same drought conditions as
Texas.
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Books donated to La Capilla Kindergarten
Library |
CUPS friends who continue to help
provide resources for use in Mexico are making a
big difference, and are examples of faith and
service to our Mexican neighbors. The recent
annual DIF publication for Valle Hermoso both
acknowledged the contributions of CUPS and
included photos of our work and our presence in
their printed report. DIF is a total family
development program that acts as the social
service arm of the government at the city, state
and national level in Mexico. CUPS and DIF
work together to provide mobility and other health
equipment in the municipality. I recently saw a
lady of significant years, hanging on to her
walker with one hand while she racked her yard
with the other. This represents the dignity that
is offered by the mobility equipment being
provided to our friends in
Mexico.
Louise
The spring of 2013 has been
very busy and fulfilling for CUPS. Through you
continued generous donations, we have
been able to supply packets
to
the schools in the rural farming and
fishing communities, deliver
over
one hundred quilts made by the
LaGrange quilters to children in Mexico, provide
many adults with blankets from
Sergeant
Bluff Lutheran Church, Doris
Mathews, LaGrange and other CUPS friends, placed
donated Spanish language,
bilingual
and English books into the
schools, distributed nearly one hundred PETs in
Matamoros and
Valle
Hermoso and transported health
equipment
that continues to impact the lives
of those in need in the fishing villages and Valle
Hermoso. All of this work goes on even as we
strive to further streamline our operations under
our changing model.
 Woman of the
Year
Louise was nominated for Woman of
the Year in Matamoros by Cata Cantu in Las
Higuerillas. This nomination represents the
special place CUPS and Louise have in the hearts
of people we serve there.
CUPS on
Facebook
CUPS - Comunidades Unidas Pro Salud -
is on Facebook where we try to keep you up to date
on our activities. Click on the Facebook logo
below to see what's happening.
Books/Libros
CUPS friends have a long history of
donating books in Spanish, bi-lingual books, and
low-level books in English for basic English
language classes held in primary schools.
May is our month to encourage more book
donations. We also help nonprofit
organizations working in colonias in the U.S. with
books in English. It is a challenge, but the
McAllen Public Library, thanks to volunteer Bob
Ordway, sold CUPS books in Spanish for $.20 each.
The local Goodwill store, the Salvation Army
store, and the Habitat for Humanity Resale Store
are all good places to check once or twice a
month. You can also find discounted books in
Spanish at bookcloseouts.com. Both Amazon
and Barnes and Noble have used books in Spanish
available for purchase.
Of particular need are Bibles in
Spanish or collections of Bible stories in Spanish
for use by pastors and Sunday school teachers in
Mexico. Any book in Spanish is welcome for use in
the schools in Mexico. To view or print a complete
list of books in Spanish from on-line
sources, please click here.
Letters of thanks
continue to come in showing support for Louise and
CUPS efforts to support our neighbors in Mexico.
Here is one such letter from some winter Texans
that went into Mexico with
Louise.
Louise,
Just a note to let you know how
much we enjoyed spending the day with you. You are
truly God's hands in action.
Our friends here at the park
were really worried about our safety and were glad
when we were back in the park again. I told them
that we really felt at ease and thanked them for
their prayers.
You do a great work in Mexico.
God Bless You always.
Thanks again for taking
us.
Tom and Gloria
Mitchell |
