Our Quarterly Newsletter Online
January/February 2008 Newsletter
Thank you for your generous financial and in-kind donations during
the Christmas season and throughout 2007! Thanks to your support and
your prayers, MAM celebrates another year of doing “Christ’s
work in the world,” building on the foundation lain by faithful
pastors and lay people in 1974.
We passed another major milestone as well, with the opening of the United
Methodist Dental Clinic on December 10. Currently the clinic is staffed
by a part-time dentist and a dental hygienist. A full-time dentist has
been hired and will arrive later in the year, and the clinic will also
relocate part of its services into a larger facility. We are grateful
to United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, Sunflower Foundation, Delta
Dental Foundation, Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved,
and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for making it possible
for us to provide dental care and treatment.
By the time you read this, I will have retired after nearly 22 years
as Executive Director of United Methodist Mexican-American Ministries.
My last day was February 4. It was a day I’ll always remember because
the Board surprised me with a Board/Staff reception. Even though I’m
no longer on staff, I am contracting with MAM to do some grant writing
and consultation. My husband Don and I are looking forward to some travel
as well as more time to spend with family and friends.
Marcie Strine began as Interim Executive Director on February 5. Marcie
has been on the MAM staff as Financial Officer for 15 years. She lives
in Scott City with her husband Duane and four children: Brayden, Baron,
Brooke, and Brody. Marcie will do an excellent job as Director and will
professionally and competently carry out each task and meet each challenge.
I hope you will give her the same trust and support you’ve given
me, and that you will keep her and MAM in your prayers.
With gratitude and love,
Penney Schwab,
Executive Director
Care Center Updates
Garden City
Happy New Year!!!
A big thanks goes out to all of the fabulous donors who helped us have
a glorious Christmas. Because of your generosity, we distributed over
250 gifts. We were also able to provide a few extra things such as
assistance with utility bills, giving out coats, gloves, blankets and
food. What a great ending to a year full of need and uncertainty for
our families.
As I look forward to another year of helping those who are most vulnerable
in our society, it is with a mixed sense of sadness, joy and awe. As
many of you know our Executive Director Penney Schwab retired in February.
I have known Penney since 1990 and worked under her direction and vision
since 1997 and will miss her greatly. As a faithful Christian steward,
she has advocated for the poor, hungry, and sick without regard (judgment)
of their unattractive or politically incorrect “differences.”
SADNESS: As a leader she has always been fair and just. She has not only
been a mentor, but an example of leading through kindness. She has taught
me so much…gently correcting me the many times I used a word out
of context (and I am sure holding back laughter). Pointing out mistakes
but not throwing them back in my face (unless repeated). Teaching me
how to say no, when I didn’t know any better (making me think it
was my idea). Showing me the importance of being thankful for what is
given to us (always remember to thank our wonderful donors).
AWE: As a visionary she built UMMAM from a wonderful faith-based agency (not
at full potential) to a powerful Christian ministry that became a pivotal service
hub. Innumerable lives have been touched as we have offered services for case
management for numerous programs, diabetes education, home visiting, reading
programs, citizenship counseling, food, clothing and utility assistance, immunizations,
Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Programs, dental education and prevention,
a full scale dental clinic, and the Federal Qualified Community Health Center.
Most of these started and continue under her direction (fabulous grant writer!!!!!!)
JOY: Finally, I am also thrilled she can spend the time she deserves with her
family. She is still young, but time flies and her grandkids are growing quickly.
She realizes that what was built here at UMMAM is not a testament to her doings
but GOD working through HER. HER faith, intelligence, diligence, love of GOD,
love of family, love for all people and love of self. She heeds the call to retire
once again because of her unconditional trust in God. In the words of one of
my favorite authors who at one time (1983) doubted the future of her own path:
“This isn’t the beginning of the end at all, is it? Rather it is
the end
of the beginning.” There’s a new part of life ahead for UMMAM, too. “ Dear
Lord, let it be a good part! Let us walk into it with confidence, with our eyes
fixed firmly on you.”
She leaves as she entered with grace….
Best wishes and God bless you and your family, Penney.
Consuelo Sandoval
Community Developer, Garden City
Dodge City
Many of our clients come to visit us for Immigration counseling. They
may need assistance with a Citizenship application or perhaps, a work
permit. Sylvia came to us for assistance with filing the forms needed
to apply for her husband’s Permanent Residency. She had begun the
process using an unscrupulous attorney. After spending thousands of dollars
in immigration fees and attorney’s fees, she was left with no money
and her husband’s legal paperwork was still not resolved.
We have been assisting Sylvia with this long process for over two years. I am
happy to report that her husband finally got his interview at the U.S. Consulate.
We helped Sylvia collect all the necessary documents that the Consulate requires
and sent Sylvia to Mexico to attend the interview with her husband. A few weeks
passed and then Sylvia and her husband stopped by the Care Center. Everything
went perfectly at his interview and his Legal Residency was approved. Now he
can live and work legally in the U.S. After being separated from her husband
for so many years they can now live as a family and live the American dream.
This is just one of the many families that we have been able to help. Immigration
law is very confusing and difficult to understand. Many of our families have
become victims of fraud and have no where to turn for accurate help and advice.
There are many unscrupulous attorneys that prey upon these people wishing to
pursue U.S. Citizenship. After the abuse of these individuals is complete, these
people are left with little or no money to continue their efforts toward citizenship.
When these people come to us for help we try our hardest to give them the best
legal advice and file the correct applications. All of our immigration applications
are reviewed by our immigration attorney who carefully reviews all of our work.
How grateful we are to have her do this for us. Because of her, Suzanne Gladney,
we are able to help people like Sylvia and her husband live the American Dream.
God Bless,
Elva Dominquez
Community Developer, Dodge City
Liberal
Happy New Year 2008, our best wishes for all of you.
Santa Claus visited our Care Center this Christmas. We saw all the happy
faces of the children when they got their gifts from Santa. This year
we worked together with First National Bank, the Knights of Columbus,
Mc Donald’s and because of your help we were able to offer a
Christmas gift and an item of warm clothing to 459 kids. God Bless
you!
We are starting a new year and, like every year, we set new goals. One
of our goals is to keep our Care Center serving and helping every individual
who comes
to request help. We hope to keep our food pantry full; last year we had problems
keeping our food bank filled with food for those requesting food support. I hope
this year we do not have the same problem.
We hear all the talk of our country
slipping into recession. We know that times may be difficult for many, but
please do not forget those in need.
Thank you for your gifts to MAM. We are so proud of our many selfless donors.
Whatever you give, is multiplied through the grace of God. May God bless and
keep each of you.
Dora Ponce
Community Developer, Liberal
Ulysses, Satanta & Johnson
I am so glad that UMMAM is available to all people in southwest Kansas.
We are able to help people with some immigration matters, food, clothing,
health needs, and inspirational materials such as Bibles, Upper Rooms,
and other tracts.
Recently we have all been getting many phone calls about immigration
concerns. We are able to help many people and give them some direction
by visiting with them about their individual needs. We can not always
help with paper work if they do not qualify, but at least we are honest
with them and tell them their options. Please continue to pray for us
in order that we might continue helping people to be prepared at every
point in their lives. Thank you for your constant prayers for Mexican
American Ministries.
Jose Olivas, Community Developer
Ulysses, Satanta, Johnson
For the Director of Development
United Methodist Mexican American Ministries begins a new phase of development
as Penney Schwab, the Executive Director begins her retirement. For those
of us who are long-time staff members, this is a bittersweet time.
We are happy for Penney, she has a wonderful family in Don and her children
and grandchildren. We all understand her desire to spend more time with
them and to travel more. But we will miss Penney’s friendship to
each of us, her many kindnesses to us, her model of servant leadership,
and her steady hand at the helm of United Methodist Mexican American
Ministries.
Many of us are thrilled that the Board of Directors has appointed Marcie
Strine as the interim Executive Director. Marcie is highly capable and
has been a wonderful asset to MAM for many years. Marcie was instrumental
in working to see that we received support to open our first dental clinic
and she has a firm grasp of the work of United Methodist Mexican American
Ministries.
We have set great goals for the future among them to increase all our
services to our clients and, with God’s blessings upon United Methodist
Mexican American Ministries, we think these goals are attainable.
Please keep the many clients who look to MAM for food, medical care,
and clothing in your prayers. We appreciate your on-going support of
our programs and hope you’ll also include MAM and its staff in
your prayers as our donors always remain in ours.
Mia S. Korbelik
Director of Development
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