June 2020 Newsletter

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View this email in your browser As we continue to navigate through this difficult season, we want you to stay informed on how COVID-19 is affecting the people of Chiapas. Below you will read about this, along with how you can continue praying for Chiapas, the growing need for churches in Chiapas, an update on Dr. Paco and his family, and how the members of Torre Fuerte continue to make shields for medical workers.  What You Should Know About COVID-19 In Chiapas Day-to-day life in Chiapas has changed for many people, just as it has in the United States. If you were in Chiapas today, you would not see the many buses driving down the street, you would notice that schools, malls and other large gathering places are closed, and a new temporary hospital has been put in place to treat patients with COVID-19. To date, there are less than 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Chiapas. As essential personnel continue to work, many others have lost their jobs and are struggling to meet their day-to-day needs. Chiapas is the poorest state in Mexico and the pandemic has made life harder for many people. Chiapas is beginning to enter its most extreme weeks of COVID-19 and are expecting the number of confirmed cases to increase.  Although large places of gatherings, including churches, are closed, many people continue to leave their homes, putting them more at risk to contracting COVID-19. Last week, the entrances to Chenalhó and surrounding areas were closed as they have begun to see confirmed cases rise. By closing the border, they hope to stop the spread within the indigenous community and protect those that don’t have access to education and medical treatment. Please continue to pray with us for the people of Chiapas and many others around the world whose lives have been completely turned around by this pandemic.                      Pastor Victorio's Church                                       Paul Pogue and Pastor Victorio inside the church.  The Church Continues to Grow In July of 2019 we dedicated Pastor Victorio’s church in Tzabalho, Chenalhó, Chiapas. This church has grown a lot since 1992 when they first started and is now in it’s third building! Pastor Victorio’s church, like many others, is making a lasting impact and has become a focal point in their community. Many other communities, like that in Tzabalho, are in need of a church building. Whether it be the third building or first, there is a need for more churches as The Church continues to grow globally.  Although we have not been able to be in Mexico over the past few months, churches continue to be built! Below you will see our newest church in Cruxnac, Chiapas that was completed just a few weeks ago. We are so thankful for partners like you that help us build churches and help these pastors spread the love of Jesus. We look forward to being back in Mexico soon to continue fulfilling the need for churches in these communities!  Prayers for Chiapas Please continue to pray for the people of Chiapas and others around the world that may not have easy access to medical assistance and hygiene products during these unprecedented times. Pray that the Lord would protect them, provide resources when needed and use the church to bring people together. One thing we love about the people of Chiapas is their trust and confidence in the Lord, no matter the situation. They demonstrate unwavering faith and show us what it means to fully trust in the Lord.  During this time, we will continue to build churches in Chiapas without groups from the United States. In addition, we are continuing to send money for medical needs and needs of the church in Tuxtla and our clinics and other ministries will continue to run throughout the duration of the pandemic. We are believing Romans 8:28 over our ministries during this time and trust that the Lord has everything under control! We know that He will meet the needs of the people of Chiapas as well as the ministries working there. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 NIV "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 NIV Update: Dr. Paco and Family Last week, we came to you asking for prayers for Dr. Paco, the doctor who works in our clinic in Tuxtla, because he tested positive for COVID-19. He and his family have been quarantined at home during this time and Dr. Paco is continuing to fight the virus. Over the past few day, Dr. Paco’s wife and their 13-year old daughter have begun to show symptoms of COVID-19, but have not been tested. Please continue to pray for healing for Dr. Paco as he continues to battle the virus and for his wife and daughter as they may have also contracted COVID-19.  Shields for Medical Workers  Pastor Carlos and his wife Barbara are continuing to bless hundreds of medical workers with shields made by their 3-D printer. They have been able to connect with many people during this time and provide a practical tool for them. Please pray for Pastor Carlos and Barbara as they continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus by meeting needs in their community.  Thank you for your continued support of Pogue Family Missions and for being a part of sharing the love of Christ in Mexico. We believe that God will continue to change lives and are so excited to play a part in bringing glory to His Kingdom.  Click to Give Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*