Juarez - Reto a la Juventud, a Teen Challenge affiliated, women's rehabilitation center, received a solar hot water heating system delivered and installed by S.O.M. We also launched an ongoing vocational sewing program as part of the curriculum. We are committed to $200 a month in support of the staff, and hope to raise that amount to $400 month. Reto a la Juventud has a very high success rate in transforming women's lives, but the vocational programs need to be strengthened so that graduates will have the ability to build a better future. With a more fully developed set of employable skills they won't be as likely to be able to be enticed to return to "the streets" upon graduation from this wonderfully Spirit-lead program.

Guerrero - About 400 kilometers south of Juarez is Guerrero, site of the Rotary-sponsored Guerrero Surgery and Education Center. Three surgery clinics are held each year, providing eye surgery, plastic surgeries such as cleft palate repair, dental abnormality, and other deformity or debilitating conditions; services are provided free of charge for the generally impoverished citizens of this predominantly rural region. We have had some volunteers assisting with some of the thousand procedures undertaken during some of the rececent clinics. We helped to deliver some equipment to the Guerrero center including replacement of a much needed dental x-ray machine.

Creel - Some 100 kilometers south of Guerrero, in the high Sierra Madre region is a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base with plenty of construction projects for teams of almost any size; they are also directly connected with a Wycliffe translation program working on the Raramuri Bible. When this work of Bible translation is completed, we could help with the procuring of audio Bibles with the appropriate dialect to distribute to the pastors and other leaders and missionaries in the region. Many are iliterate in this remote region, even some of the Tarahumara pastors don't have a good handle on their own written language. We would like to participate with YWAM on some projects utilizing greenhouses and and other basic but modern technologies as means of connecting in practicle ways with more evangelism opportunities. Also in the region we have helped provide some school supplies for a Christian school for Raramuri children who, without this school, would receive no formal education.

Samachique - About 40 kilometers south of Creel (by way of a winding mountain road). In the heart of the Copper Canyon region, Samachique has several projects of great interest to us. Due to many of their beliefs and traditions, the Tarahumara suffer greatly from accidents, abuse, neglect, poor hygiene, and poor native birthing and child rearing practices. We desire to assist the local ministries with reaching out to the Raramuri in the surrounding region. This mountain village is in the heart of the rugged Tarahumara region and boasts a modern Bible school facility. Many churches in Mexico lack pastors who have much if any significant training for ministry. We especially desire to help support the work of the Bible School as they proceed with the work to seek out, equip, raise up, and encourage local pastors and teachers. The Bible School is also responsible for two albergues where there are over 230 children who's lives are being transformed by the Gospel!

Madera - Over 150 kilometers to the north (and slightly west) of Creel are a number of farming communities where S.O.M. first began its mission work. S.O.M. has shared in building Iglesia Biblica - "Lugar de Gracia" in Madera, and has teamed with pastor Juan Carlos and his wife Yanira on many projects. Also in Madera, is Casa Hogar de Ninos children's home which we have helped with several things. We have been working with the local pastors to hold tent revival meetings in the summers. There are several other ministries working in the region which we would like to partner with in developing various ministry centers. But, one of the most exciting things we have seen during our involvment in the community is the development of the Evangelical Ministerial Alliance of Madera - an interdenominational association of many of the local congregations. They are pulling together and working in unity on the common goal of reaching their community for Christ! Another opportunity which is opening up in the community is that the mayor has agreed to try to help facilitate importation of equipment for startup of some new business ventures with which the pastors would like our assistance.