Wednesday, March 9 - Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your participation on the short-term team this year and for your contributions of effort, cooperation, donations, gifts, wheelchairs, etc?  Wayne and I are grateful that we had such a good team and such an experienced team.  It made the week go along well.

We were able to pay all of our outstanding expenses and to send some money to Lisa and Norberto  to use as they deem best.

Thanks to Jean Pagel Hoyer for her attention to all of our donations, and then sorting it, inventorying it, and distributing it to the right places.  We thought you would enjoy, as we do, seeing the final list of donations.  This always impresses me and gives me a smile as I see the variety of gifts.  I think you could make some intriguing book titles by combining some of these categories:  e.g.  Salmon, Peanut Butter and 22 Wheelchairs , or Wedding Decorations, a Parachute and 10 lbs of Soap .  The number of wheelchairs and ?strollers? is truly impressive.

Child and adult vitamins--31  
Tylenol,IBP,aspirin,etc.--35  
Medical products (al types)--102 
Medical books--2  
Umbrella strollers--2  
Wheelchairs--22  
Crutches 1  
Walkers and canes 12  
Spanish new testaments --52  
Air pumps--10  
girls clothing--96 
Craft items--67  
Stuffed toys--95  
glasses--15  
toothpaste--115  
deodorant--26  
shorts--17  
women's swim wear--9 
swim toys--3 
socks--111 pair  
men's underwear--4  
T-shirts--26  
soccer balls--9  
typewriter--1  
men's shirts--12  
Antibacterial liquid--36  
Hat and glove sets--6  
baby clothing--72  
Scotch tape--1 pg. of 4  
jeans--7  
Kid's and adult shoes --20  
Tennis racquet--5  
Tennis balls--111  
Sewing supplies--3 large bags  
school glue--20  
cameras(all types)--10  
Work gloves--17  
School supplies--1 large box  
Sheets--4 sets  
Towels(all types)--26 
Toothbrushes--150  
Scouring pads and dish soap--4  
Staple gun--1
Small tape recorder--1  
Womens clothing--41  
Ping-pong balls--1pg.  

This does not include items brought by Doctor's and items left by the group when they left.  

1 med. box of shampoo and soap (all sizes)
4 jars of peanut butter
4 cans of salmon.

1Therapy parachute---
60 yards of threrabond---
several bags of rubber bands---
Wedding decorations---
10lb. of bars and soap for soap making. 

While this list will mystify those who were not there, we can see the blessing in each gift and the people who will use them.  Thanks for buying it, lugging it down, making sure it got there.

While Wayne and I will not be leading the next team, there will very likely be a camp next year.  We encourage you to contact Lisa and let her know of your willingness to participate; she can help with the logistics of getting to the Hacienda.  Your experience will be a blessing to the Mission Mazahua staff.  The provisional design of next year?s camp is a camp for younger campers and for campers with more far ranging handicaps.  It is hoped that some of the sports camp participants will be present as helpers, mentors, counselors.  Please let Lisa know if you have an interest so she can formulate her plans.

We would like to remind you and encourage each of you to send us a copy of your journal or a report or a copy of what you shared with your church, any pictures or other items that we can use for promotion in the future would also be welcome.

In the works right now is an issue of the Congregationalist magazine, July issue, dedicated to missions.  I have been asked to submit articles pertaining to our trip(s), journals, pictures and I have done so.  I sent Larry Bing?s journal, a couple of preparation pieces by Sharon Evans and my son Micah, and a sort of autobiography of my evolution into short-term missions as well as several pictures by Connie McComb Brown and a few other things.  If this comes to fruition check it out at your church (if you attend a NACCC church) or let me know and I will see if I can get any extras or give you an address where you can get a copy.

Final note, Wayne's wife Elinore had successful back surgery and has just begun therapy.  God has blessed her with a relief from pain.  She reports some leg pain at night only.  Wayne has been a good nurse. 

God bless you for your work and we hope you will go next year, and that we might work together in a future year.  If anyone is inspired to lead a team we would be pleased to consult (and you can have electronic copies of all of our material).

Remember to send us your report.

With you in Christ?s service, your friends, Jack and Wayne

Wayne Olson
olsongtmi@myfam.com       
595 Judi Anne Lane, Holly, MI 48442
(248) 627-6802

Jack Brown
pilgrim_pastor@hotmail.com
Pilgrim Congregational Church, 3061 N. Adams Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Church:  (248) 642-2290    Fax:  (248) 642- 9244    home:  (248) 649-1049