Looking back at the past year is similar to viewing life in a rear view mirror—it’s hard to believe we went down that road. There were many new limitations to our ministry and yet an equal amount of opportunities.
As I often remember, during his last year of serving on the board of directors, our late founder Loran Long was asked what he considered to be the key mission of Mexican Medical Ministries. He responded, “It is all-encompassing.” He would be pleased with the vast amount of food that was distributed in Jesus’ name this year and that so many families received free face masks.
Even with a diminished staff, Hospital El Buen Pastor still performed 576 surgeries by August. And, one of my favorite highlights is that, after countless delays, a whole shipping container (filled with nonperishable food, hygiene items, adult diapers, vitamins, and more) finally made it to Havana, Cuba. With the increasingly extreme shortages the Cuban people have been facing, these items are valued like gold.
There was not just one mission accomplished in 2021; there were numerous. We heard many testimonies of one-on-one divine appointments where our missionaries were able to provide folks with the items they needed just as the need arose. In a migrant camp, a whole new church was birthed because diapers, despensas (food aid), and the gospel were shared in love. Over the past few weeks, many baptisms took place (and were viewed on social media—another new paradigm for our ministry).
1922-2021
Lastly, 2021 was also a year of great loss. One of our founders passed away, a beloved missionary went home to be with Jesus, one missionary family saw the passing of an adult daughter, and many of those we minister to had losses of their own, as well.
So, though we grieve with extreme sorrow over our losses, we praise the Lord that we will see many at the great feast of the Lamb when Jesus returns for us all. We rejoice in how we have seen God move in 2021 and look forward to all He will do in 2022.
