Doug and Melody Corley Just another weblog 
We have mentioned very vaguely in previous prayer letters that we were going to be involved in a new ministry when we returned to Chihuahua. That new ministry is Community Development. We are still in the process of forming a purpose and strategy statement, but one of the primary goals is to organize and document projects that will benefit the communities where the missionaries of New Tribes Mission-Mexico work. Of course, our primary goal as a mission is to carry the gospel to unreached tribes and plant indigenous churches among those tribes. By definition an indigenous church is one that is self-governing, self-propagating and self-supporting. We have spent many years working on planting New Testament churches that are self-governing and self-propagating. Now the Community Development team is forming to help focus on self-supporting issues by helping poor families and communities improve their economic situation.
Currently the Community Development team consists of John and Linda Steinbacher and us. We are looking to the Lord for direction for another couple or two to join us in this endeavor. To begin with, we and the Steinbachers are brainstorming together in organizational meetings to lay the foundation for purpose and strategy for the Community Development team. So far we see two branches of Community Development. One is to document projects like dental clinics, micro-enterprise endeavors, engineering projects, soup kitchens, orphanage work, etc. that the missionaries have already accomplished. It is important to document those things and turn in paperwork to appropriate officials. The Mexican government loves it when we can show them that we are here helping their people in tangible ways. Another branch of Community Development will be to seek markets for the already existing micro-enterprises, as well as establish new enterprises for the people we are here to serve. Please join us in praying for wisdom and direction in laying the groundwork for the Community Development Ministry.
One thing Doug has been very active doing is gathering information from as many sources as possible on what kind of projects, etc. folks are wanting to have done. He’d really like to visit the mountain stations to talk face to face with missionaries and get their input. 
Last weekend he was privileged to make the first of many of those trips. He went with Cyrus Moffett, a missionary with Ameritribes, to deliver a Suburban/ambulance to Dr. Kenny VanKirk’s clinic out in the mountains. Dr. VanKirk is a medical missionary who has established a clinic in a remote area called for the purpose of ministering to Tarahumara Indians.
The name of the place the went means “the place of crying”. It was explained to Doug and Cyrus that for years the Apache harassed the Tarahumara, attacking them, murdering them, etc. Finally the Tarahumara decided it was time to put a stop to all that, and one night when the Apache were asleep in a cave, set fires above and below the cave of sleeping Apache and burned them alive. Hence the name, Place of Crying. Although the surrounding terrain is beautiful and majestic, Doug said it is probably the darkest, most depraved place he has ever known. Please pray for the Ameritribes team that is out there giving their all to carry the light of the gospel into that darkness.
An interesting side-note, on the way out to the clinic, the men passed a place where some folks were trying to get a recreational park going. The horseshoe entrance gate was quite an interesting site! Be sure and check out more photos in the Mountain Trip Gallery.
We’ve had another special opportunity lately in the area of hospitality. Erin Douglass came to Chihuahua as an intern for UIM, the mission that takes care of our aviation needs. As an intern Erin was visiting the mission field to find out more about missions and to see what the Lord might have for her in that area. We had the privilege of having her stay with us for a little over 2 weeks. She was SUCH a delight!
As you are praying for the ministry, please pray for our physical needs. Both of us have been experiencing quite a bit of physical distress lately. Doug has excruciating headaches and overall fatigue. It is very hard for him to think when his head hurts so badly. I’ve been having a lot of knee pain, and just this morning we found a painful lump in my back in my kidney area (I think). We don’t have a clue what it is, what kind of doctor to go to, or whether I should go to the doctor. Pray for wisdom.
Thank you SO much for joining us in prayer. You are so, so important to us and what happens here! Thanks for not forgetting us!
Blessings, in Jesus’ name
