Sergio - sheer Grace and virtuosity

Sergio has a story which deserves to be heard all over. The sounds of an old busted clarinet, a boy with a lot of hutzpah, and an intervention from Christians in the USA with the arrival of a heavy package just in the nick of time... read all about it in our last newsletter. To be sent your own copy in future (January, April, July, October) please Email us! giving us your name and address.

To view our newsletter on-line click here

SPRING UPDATE

Please click here to see the latest SPRING 2009 update from Armonia Mexico

SWINE FLU - RISK LEVEL NOW ZERO

Armonía friends-

We are very glad to inform you that the flu epidemic level has gone back to zero here in Mexico. A week ago, both the World Health Organization and Mexican National Health secretary officially declared that Mexico is no longer under any level of alert. Therefore, we are glad to see that tourists, and even the cruise ships, can come back to all the wonderful Mexican destinations. Mexico is struggling to recover from the financial effects of this problem, to which Armonía responded by providing food, once a week for a month, for 120 of the poorest families in Armonía’s Transformation Centers.

With the flu scare behind us, Armonía is open, ready, and willing to welcome all group and visitors for the summer. We look forward to the ways that we will partner together with you in the coming months!

Blessings-

Saul and Pilar Cruz

Pilar Cruz health scare

Pilar - Director of Armonia (Saul's wife)- has had a shocking viral attack which has part paralyzed her face. Please do pray for them as it requires day and night care to irrigate her eye and she is suffering quite severe pain from behind her ear to her forehead. Last night she was able to speak to me on the phone and was grateful to God that there had been signs of improvement. Today and tomorrow they have appointments with doctors and neurologists.

This is a virus which has been in Pilar's body since childhood chicken pox.

It has nothing to do with the swine flu and is not contagious.

Click here and again here for more information

UPDATE 4 - SWINE FLU

click here for the latest news

LATEST On FLU

CLICK HERE for a link to an update on the swine flu situation, from Armonia.

SWINE FLU

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the level of alert regarding the swine flu to level 5 out of 6. Ever since the level was raised to 4, Mexico has seen significant adjustments in its way of life, such as the closing of centers of education, places of public meeting, restaurants, and of course, a definite decrease in the economy as tourism and production has slowed down. Millions of students are in their homes, and many thousands of parents, especially those who have humble jobs--waiters, street vendors, and people in charge of small businesses--are without income. At this point, transportation will continue throughout the country: bus stations and airports will be open and functioning. But we would not be surpirsed if they would decide to close down public transportation centers and vehicles in order to disinfect them.

In addition, this virus is not very well known. It’s process of maturation and infection are still not clearly identified, and making decisions that are difficult for experts in terms of recommendations and predictions, are certainly very difficult for us. As a result of this, we have decided that our actions will be twofold:

1. Regarding our Visitors and Planned Activities for the Summer

Visitors in May. We have decided to ask our visitors and people who will be involved in any type of activity regarding the ministry of Armonía in May, to postpone their visit or work for the whole month, since all official activities in Armonía have been canceled or postponed for this month. If this applies to you, we will communicate with you very soon, asking you about any other possible dates you could be with us.

Visitors in June. For those who are planning to come by June, and for everything planned in our calendars, these activities will be on standby based on the progress of the flu in the following weeks.

Visitors in July and Afterwards. Regarding any other activity planned by Armonía from July onwards, we will wait until the end of May to make final decisions. We cannot anticipate now if the virus will be totally under control or if there will be a new outbreak before it disappears, or if will be only seasonal.

In sum, we appreciate your prayers and ask you to please bear with as we wait to see how this situation develops. We will understand if you need to decide to cancel your trip, but please email us if this is what you are thinking and we can discuss the situation further.

2. Actions to Meet the Needs of Armonía and its Beneficiaries

Let me praise God first, sharing with you the fact that there is not yet a single case of infection within the Armonía communities: staff, volunteers, students, etc! We pray that this will continue! But please consider the following:
Prayer. Please keep interceding for us! I have received precious and encouraging messages from some of you. This means a lot to us and feel free to continue sending any notes.

Prevention.

We are basically semi-quarantined in our homes and residences, but we need masks and respirators for the time when we do have to go out, which are not very cheap. Since there are not many in the market, and I was only able to bring a few back from my recently interrupted trip to the US, and tomorrow we are going to try to make some that will be versatile and washable, made out of appropriate material. We are anticipating to need around US$2000.00 for supplies for five weeks.

People in need.

We need to help people who have no income and whose children or themselves attend our community centers. They have already been without work for one week, and the government has decreed an additional closing of all the public administration buildings and activities. The few who still supported themselves by selling food to the millions of bureaucrats and business people in Mexico will suffer even harder from this new situation. However, helping these people with one box of supplies per family per week in all the Armonía centers would be a great assistance for them. This means an extra expense of US$2000 week, which is only a limited amount of help, providing limited supplies to the 30 poorest families in each center and the 45 families at Hornos community (a total of 135 families). But we firmly believe that we should try to find resources to help them.

Armonía’s lack of resources.

Finally, facing this situation and considering that several groups already canceled their trips to Mexico because they were concerned about safety issues, we need to speak frankly to you about our own viability for the future. As you may know, a lot of what we do in terms of construction, advancement of the ministry, payments for building fees and maintenance, salaries, and even scholarships depends on what we receive from the services we offer to our visitors and also from the offerings they bring to us when they visit. So far, the equivalent to 8 one-week groups have canceled their visit to our ministry, and that will have big consequences for us. We not only do we lack extra resources to help ourselves, but we are also very short in resources to help the families with no income. In addition to the $10,000 that Armonía is praying for to provide assistance to these families ($2500/week for 4 weeks), we are also praying for the sufficient funds to finish the students residence in Oaxaca (about $9000) in time to welcome the new students in the AIMS program. So far, a wonderful group of beloved friends from a supporting Church in the Uk have offered three thousand dollars.

Praying for assistance.

Please consider us in your prayers. We would like you to consider helping us as God tells you to in your hearts. And for those who will have to cancel their trips to Mexico this summer, we are wondering if you could consider doing some project of your choice, but if you save money in terms of travel costs, could you consider donating that money Armonía in order to provide assistance for our needs as explained above? Please let us know what comes to your hearts and minds in this regard.

I had a wonderful time in Baltimore. I was so well hosted by the Jacksons, the Dutras , the Simmons and many other. Thank you for your prayers! I shortened my trip so that I could come back sooner to help Pilar to keep organizing, assisting, and cheering up those in the Armonía community. Everyone, especially the students and volunteers, have been working hard every day, and they seem to be in good spirits. Please feel to contact us if you have any feedback regarding this email.

In Christ,

Saul & Pilar Cruz

VOLUNTEERING

Armonia has been visited by hundreds of people over the last two decades - either as individual trippers or in organised teams.

Most donors and regular supporters in the UK have been "hooked in" to Armonia through making a personal visit or hearing first-hand accounts from people who have. Not many projects or charities are quite so well set up to receive individuals or groups, as Armonia.

Armonia Mexico has recently rewritten its dossier of information for those thinking of heading to Mexico.

If you are about to form a group or simply want to enquire about the possibilities and are unsure about what help you could be, then please Email Wes Vander Lugt (volunteer) in Mexico City, and he can send you all the necessary information. If you are thinking that sending a donation would be better than spending that sort of money on flight tickets to get you there, think again. Armonia believes that putting yourself in relationship with some of the world's poorest is part of the transformation which the Gospel brings about.

UPDATE

Armonia Mexico has put some news and pictures on a website for people to see. Please click here for an update.

LATEST NEWSLETTER - SPRING 09

Is available online here

If you didn't receive a copy through the post, or would like more then please Email us! and give us your postal address in case we don't have it.

2009 APPEAL for FUNDS

We have just launched a new Fundraising Appeal for 2009.

Leaflets are available online - two separate leaflets for two linked Appeals.

We are asking for funds to build a STUDENT RESIDENCE for 48 students in Oaxaca, southern Mexico.

Rapid progress has been made on the first student residence (see photo above) in readiness for students moving in at the end of the summer 2009. This building work has been funded through USA donors and others.

In total four residences are planned, each housing 48 students. Armonia UK Trust wants to raise sufficient funds from its donors (you!) to cover the costs of one of these.

£50K is needed....Urgently!

click here to see a copy of this leaflet

We are also asking for funds to support individual ARMONIA SCHOLARS. They get financial support for their university studies, in return for three years commitment to working with Armonia children and young people. £1440 per year is needed per student to see them through their studies.

click here to see a copy of this leaflet

We hope to put up stories and photos over the next few weeks - stories of the students able to benefit from these two appeals and those who have already received help.

Saul and Pilar UK Events

Saul and Pilar are in the UK from March 6th - 17th

More details of their schedule involving trips to Kent, Gloucester, Nottingham, Manchester, Oxford, London - are found in an older post.
Email us! for further information or to ask if they can make a trip to your own church or venue..

If you miss them this time - they are back from October 10th until November 3rd 2009...so.....please

The Vision of Armonia

Many false impressions about Armonía exist.  It is not just a charity, though part of it is.  It is not just the Cruzes’ ministry, though that would be true too.  It is actually not just a community of Christians, though this is closer. 

So what is it?  It is so difficult to define because Armonía has a vision that constantly reacts to its context.  The best written description is nothing compared to a visit, where ‘armonía’ can be seen, touched, smelt and even tasted.  However, despite being so intangible, so difficult to define neatly, so messy and dynamic, it rests on some simple and radical Christian principles:  in short, Armonía seeks to express amongst the poor:

1~ Jesus’ compassion for the needy.  Years ago, Jesus started His ministry in the darkest place: Galilee, the land of the Gentiles – known for being a dark and unspiritual place where people were either too poor to partake fully in Jewish religious rituals or too spiritually dead to care.  Jesus did not begin in Jerusalem but instead He went “teaching … preaching … and healing every disease and sickness” (Mt 4:23).  He turned the preconceptions of the day upside down (much to the disgust of the religious experts) as he reached out in compassion.  Now that he is no longer physically present, his disciples (Christians) are called to be his feet, his hands and his face in this needy world (Matt 9:35-10:1).  In response to this call, Armonía seeks to express Jesus’ compassion for the needy.

2~ The responsible, transforming power of the Integral Mission.  Jesus’ compassion was not just spiritual, nor was it restricted to the physical realm.  He taught God-fearers, he preached to those who did not know God and he healed those who came to him.  As our perfectly balanced example of mission, we see in him the need for a combination of physical and spiritual restoration.  Saúl Cruz often teaches from Lausanne Covenant, which urges Christians to consider Evangelization; “the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world”.  Tim Chester summarises the concept eloquently in his book Good News to the Poor: “though evangelism and social action are distinct activities they inseparable in always supporting the central aim of proclamation”.  This ‘Integral Mission’ is a transforming power in people’s lives.

3~ Lives lived as disciples of Christ whilst also making disciples.  The commitment to the responsible, transforming power of the Integral Mission requires dedicated, sacrificial disciples of Christ.  People seeking Christian transformation must bear many burdens gladly as they fight to live out their faith publicly and distinctively.  It is one of the most obvious things to those who visit and makes an immeasurable impact on those who live alongside it – just read Veronica’s story in the Thanksgiving 2008 newsletter.

4~ The life of a balanced Christian ministry.  All the above is rolled into a ministry.  Sr. Saúl and Sra. Pilar have been given a great vision and they do a considerable volume of the work required to achieve it.  But it is not fully contingent on them.  Instead, community members become actively involved in the ministry as they are taught to read the Bible for themselves and together discover and live the balanced vision of Armonía in their own lives.

Maybe the fact that the surface seems untidy, complex, or sometimes confusing has led to so many misunderstandings about the Armonía’s work.  But look closely enough and the transforming, compassionate power of the Integral Mission cannot be missed and should not be ignored.  Together, we can transform poverty into life.

Saul and Pilar in UK in March

Another visit is planned for March - here is the line up so far. Please Email us! for further information or to ask if they can make a trip to your own church or venue...

March 6th   Ditton, Kent

March 7th Armonia Development Grp 11am-3.30pm (London)

March 7th (evening) & March 8th - Gloucester – Hillview Church

March 10th World’s End Estate, London (HTB Pastorates) 7pm

March 12th St John’s College, Nottingham 12-1pm

March 14th & 15th St Mary’s Ashton, Sale, Cheshire

March 17th Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union

Grandmother of Armonia

The winter 2008 newsletter which was sent out in October is now archived on-line. To read about Socorrito "grandmother to us all" click on this link


WHERE WAS MY COPY?
If you would like to be included in future mailings (and didn't receive your own copy of the last newsletter) then Email us! giving us your up-to-date postal address. You can also request multiple copies if you have a place to display them.

NEXT NEWSLETTER - February 2009

Global Reach

In January nineteen counsellors and care givers from eleven countries came together (funded by the Lausanne movement) at the Armonia centres in Santa Cruz, northern Mexico City, for a four day consultation facilitated by Brad Smith, Clinical Psychologist. Their theme was how to support Christians working with the most vulnerable and hurting people in society. Saul Cruz was very impressed with the ability to teamwork intensively and Armonia staff and volunteers were singled out for special commendation. Cross-cultural conversations were able to take place within a “live setting” where direct reference can be made to Armonia’s ministry in the Urban Transformation Centres. Eidi and Saul Cruz Jr were participants alongside their parents making their own observations on what it is like to be working in family therapy and counselling with very poor families from urban slums.



Saul will be travelling to USA and Korea as part of the advisory group (on Care and Counsel as Mission) for further planning before the Lausanne Congress meets in 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Lausanne Movement has been driving the cause of social action alongside evangelism in nearly forty years of work with evangelical churches across the world. For further information on the Lausanne Interest Group on Care and Counsel as Mission click here

Learning to serve as an Armonia Volunteer

In September 2007, I packed my bags, boarded a train and headed to Gatwick airport for the long flight out to Mexico to start as an Armonia volunteer.  Many questions filled my head; What was I going to do?  Would it be safe?  Could I learn Spanish quickly?  Most importantly, would I like the food?  To be honest, I had very little idea what I would be involving myself with.  I was going “to serve the Mexican poor”.  But what did that mean?

Armonia is not so much an organisation as a learning space.  A community of people who together try to learn to answer the question: ‘What would Jesus do if he ministered in Mexico City?’  Founded on The Bible and a strong belief in practical loving Christianity combined with concepts such as ‘walking alongside the poor’ and ‘reflection in action’ (all of which I am sure will be expanded in this blog), the people of Armonia seek to serve their neighbours in practical, self-sacrificing love.  Through community centres, kids’ homework clubs, subsidised medical care, education schemes, nutrition programs and saturated with prayer and Bible study, Armonia tries together to transform poverty into full life.

The volunteer fits awkwardly into this.  On the one hand, they have to learn what it means to be a true Christian engaged in the evangelization of Mexico.  On the other, they are expected to throw themselves whole-heartedly into Armonia’s activities and serve.  For this reason the best description of a volunteer’s time in Mexico would be ‘learning to serve’.

I say it’s an awkward fit because I now see that I didn’t know how to serve when I arrived, though that was what was required of me.  I had prayed earnestly that God would send me somewhere where I could serve Him, but he didn’t answer my prayer quite as I expected.  He first showed me that my concept of service was skewed.  Yes I had done lots of stuff in church in the UK but it soon became clear to me that white, middle-class Englishman do not know much of life in Mexican poverty.  I didn’t know the slightest thing about Mexican language, style, social expectations, history or culture.

Much is expected of Armonia Volunteers.  Professionalism.  Discretion.  Patience.  Humility.  Not substituting local leadership.  Servant-hearted love.  Cultural sensitivity.  And unsurprisingly I underwent a rapid cultural experience, trying hard to avoid feeling isolated and learning even the most basic tasks from scratch.  But through errors, misunderstandings and guidance, I soon learnt what it meant to serve.  Whether it was checking communications for the Directors late at night, cooking 6am breakfasts in the students’ residences, co-ordinating foreign group visits, teaching English in the community centres or taking traditional Mexican dance lessons, I realised that service is not about doing but an attitude.  An attitude that is willing to put others first.  Read Galatians 2 to see it manifested in Jesus.

Seeing this modelled day-in and day-out in Mexico opened my eyes.  When people who have nothing are served by people who have much, a special bond of love is forged, opening hearts to the gospel – ‘why are you doing this?’, they ask.

So now, a year on, I have returned safely.  God was very faithful in answering many prayers throughout the year, but I marvel at how he took me away to teach me about service.  Maybe you are like me a year ago.  You are thinking of a time of service, perhaps in Armonia.  Don’t assume you already know how to serve.  Go in humility and perhaps God will surprise you.  Perhaps you will come back, like me, with new friends and great memories.  And you will have learnt a little more about Christian service.

If you are interested in volunteering for Armonia, please contact the UK Trust.  The best way to start to get involved is to work in Mexico on a short-term placement.  But have a good look around this blog (I hope to write more about my experiences soon) and our website so you are well informed about who we are and what we do.

Chris Rimmer

Armonia Mexico Thanksgiving Message

Dear friends and family in Christ-

A successful visit to the UK and US:
Today (November 27th 2008) is Thanksgiving Day in the US. Maybe in the UK and in Mexico we can join them in expressing thankfulness to our dear God for his faithful love to us.  Along with that purpose Pilar and I want to express our immense gratitude for your care and concern for us during our visit. We had a wonderful time visiting with you, and we were able to celebrate the achievement of some long-awaited and cherished goals of Armonía: speaking in Conferences and Churches, making new friends, renewing old friendships, and sharing stories of Kingdom joys and sorrows. In the midst of these special times, we were confronted with many difficulties: getting sick, tooth problems and being robbed, to name a few. These are the times, however, when we need to bring to action the faith that brought us to this path of Kingdom work. We need to remember that in this world we will be afflicted, and we should not be fooled with the idea that if we are serving God, everything will go smoothly and perfectly, as we will not have to deal with any difficult situations. Furthermore, these times of affliction are when God multiplies his blessings and gives us amazing help and friendship with brothers and sisters like you, around the world.

Our health:
We thank God for your care, concern, readiness, and generosity, whether in giving us food, a place in your home, beds to sleep in, medicine, taking us to the doctor, and letting us use your computers and cars. Truly, we have been blessed by your generosity. After finishing our trip in the UK, we were blessed by the help of gastroenterologist Doctor Bill Rylander in Titusville, Florida, who looked after Pilar and discovered that the problems she is having are treatable. We praise God that the doctor did not find pre-cancer cells or any other affliction that could put significant limitation on our life and work. Pilar's problems are treatable, although she needs to take precautions on how she eats (especially the hours) and needs some good rest. We rejoice that her problems are not as serious as we thought, and we were incredibly privileged to have so many people praying for us and to have friends so that we will be safe.

Life in Mexico is difficult at the moment:
When we arrived back in Mexico, we had the joyful opportunity to meet up with all the members of Armonía's communities and to hear about their situations and listen to their stories. The financial situation of Mexico is terrible, unemployment is on the increase, and many former illegal migrants are back from the US with their hands and pockets empty and cannot find jobs. Theft is increasing and great despair is being lived among the poor and those who are jobless. Many are running into solutions that will destroy them or at least will complicate their lives even more. Many others are flocking into sects and looking for the ¨magical-spiritual fix¨.

Hope remains for those who have faith:
In our communities, among those who stay firm we have found faith and hope. A few days after arriving into Mexico City we travelled to Oaxaca City to visit the Students Residence (AIMS-Oaxaca). We arrived very early in the morning, and the students were very kind to let us sleep and rest, waiting for us so that we could have breakfast together. After we woke up, they cooked breakfast, and Veronica, who is one of the older sisters, volunteered to pray. In her prayer, she thanked God for reuniting the family that we have become in Jesus Christ. She also prayed for our health asking the Lord's mercies for Pilar, myself and Dani, and the health of her own relatives and the relatives of others. She prayed for those that help us to run the house, and all of the volunteers who contribute to the work of Armonía. When she finished, we were very moved, because a very short time ago, this girl did not know about God's love for her or for the world, and she didn't know about the power of prayer. Now, however, this 18-year-old girl is praying in a wonderful way in the name of Jesus.  Veronica is pictured below.
Once again, we thank you for your love expressed in practical ways for us, and please join us in praising God for old and new friendships, good health, and especially for the way in which God is working to transform people's lives into something unimaginable beautiful.
Yours in Christ-
Saul and Pilar Cruz

Saul & Pilar Cruz in UK October - November

Try to get to one of the venues where they will be speaking - check details about when and where -
Email us! for the full itinerary

Sunday 26th October
10.30am St Paul’s Hammersmith LONDON
7.00pm Taste, Youth Meeting, TADLEY Community Centre

Tuesday 28th October
7.30pm World’s End Estate LONDON

Thursday 30th October
evening - Welwyn Garden City, HERTS

Friday 31st October
7.30pm Crowded House, SHEFFIELD.

Sunday 2nd November
6.30pm Jesmond Parish Church, NEWCASTLE

Wednesday 5th November
Kingham Hill School, COTSWOLDS

Thursday 6th November
church cell group evening, MAIDENHEAD

Saturday 8th November
7.00pm St Mary’s High Crompton, near MANCHESTER

Sunday 9th November
11.00am St Mary’s High Crompton, near MANCHESTER
7.00pm St Mary Magdalene, Sale, MANCHESTER

Tues 11th November
6.45pm All Soul’s, Langham Place LONDON

LATEST NEWS summer 2008

We have a recent update from Mexico which contains a rich source of stories and information.
CLICK on this link:

http://web.me.com/stephvanderlugt/Armonia_Update:_Summer_2008/Summer_2008_%28main_page%29.html