bajmission.com
“Everything comes from YOU,
and we have given only what comes
from YOUR hand.”
King David to the LORD,
1 Chronicles 29:14b
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CHRIS and LORI
BAJKIEWICZ
MISSION MEMOS
#47 winter 2006
Extending God’s hands of mercy to Mexico,
Latin America and the Developing world since 1991
Winter’s fading like a fine Narnian spring… here comes Easter! May the great joy of the
Risen One fill your hearts! He is risen! A rainstorm blew in today, making most of Tijuana
impassable… so I’m taking opportunity to write y’all our update...
This coming June ‘06, Lori and I will be celebrating 15 years in missions…!! In Mexico,
there’s the 15th birthday tradition, so we plan on celebrating this mission’s Quince Años in
the coming months with some special stuff... stay tuned!
So… what have we been doing? Well, El Refugio in Tijuana is still a big part of our on-
going weekly workload. Helping to meet the health-care needs of the 90+ elderly and the
20+ volunteer staff is a time-consuming challenge on multiple levels.
Check out a ‘taste’ of working at Refugio…
CLICK HERE FOR 'A RIDE TO REFUGIO'
In Mexico, Epiphany (the Feast of the Three Kings) is the holiday for gift-giving (different
than American Christmas traditions). Lori coordinated an Epiphany Blessing with our
ministry friends for Refugio where EVERY resident and volunteer received a care package
this holiday. Both Faith and LaPointe United Methodist Churches in Ohio blessed
the residents with gifts. Eastside Community in El Cajon, CA put together generous gifts
for the volunteers and their kids. Trinity Lutheran School of Monroe, MI funded warm
socks for everyone… thanks y’all! YES, there were SMILES! For most of the kids, these
were the ONLY gifts they received this year.
EL Refugio isn’t our only venue. We’re staffing the quarterly Brigadas Medicas in TJ, a
large event put on by our ‘Mex boss’ Dr Tamez, offering free medical/dental services and
kids’ activities in poor neighborhoods. Lori took on coordination of the kids’ outreach last
time, a huge task that was warmly received by those who braved the cold rain to come out.
This winter has been very cold in Baja. Lori’s given hundreds of those hand-made hats
away… Refugio, outreaches with our friends Iglesia San Pablo, the Brigadas in TJ and to
dozens of panhandlers at the border. Along with hats, socks from Trinity Lutheran have
brought a warm blessing to many in the blustery weather.
CLICK HERE FOR THE HAT PROJECT PAGE
FYI… Once again, we’ll be faculty and presenting workshops at the FULLER HEALTH
CARE MISSIONS CONFERENCE August 4-5, 2006 in Pasadena, CA. You’re invited…
c’mon out! Check out www.fullerhealthcaremissions.info
RIGHT
Lori and our
friend Quintin...
LEFT
Jose and Chris
celebrating
Epiphany
A peek into real missionary life? Well, these past few months have been tough for us. Like
David in the Psalms, we’ve had to daily ‘encourage ourselves in the Lord’, holding that
God is on the throne when circumstances don’t seem to agree…
December 05 came at us with a punch! Our 1995 Jeep-Mexico-ministry-vehicle required
weeks in the shop and $3100 in repairs. The winter flu hit us both HARD, becoming full-
on bronchitis with a week on the couch. Lori sustained a painful dogbite from a stray up at
Refugio. All this in the face of 2005 cost increases with sagging mission giving.
So… now? The Jeep’s back up and running, we’re still sipping herbal teas and fighting
coughs, Lori and dog are fine… and the finances are still on-the-line. We’re back in the
struggle called mission service. Here’s your cue: PLEASE pray!
( p.s… thanks to all the friends who ‘walked with us’ thru the hard months!)
Finally… the last Brigada in east TJ was more than a trial, given the driving rain and bitter
cold. Canceling was not an option; 6000 invites had gone out. As dawn was breaking, we
slushed out to the site and began working with the joint Mex-US team of 100. While Lori
was verrry busy leading kids ministry, I was the first health-care ‘examiner’ on-site, and my
first consult was a 28-week pregnant 15-yr-old for her first prenatal exam! Her Christian
girlfriend from TJ drove 5 hours to bring her from east Baja to the Brigada. This jovencita
lives on the street with a drug-drenched cult and barely gets one meal a day. As the consult
progressed, I was able to share about the Merciful God who loves her and has promises of
a better life for her and her baby. She wept as her baby’s heartbeat was heard for the first
time, expressing hope for a real way to birth and care for the little one. Her friend offered
to have her move to TJ, and over the next hour we connected a Mex clinic to deliver her
baby and a church that was willing to see her cared for! She left the consult area smiling,
arm-in-arm with her friend… and the promise of a future for her and her baby with Jesus
and His precious family called the Church.
Why do we ‘do what we do’? Well, there’s somebody else out there with needs who hasn’t
realized that the merciful and loving God is reaching out to them…
PLEASE PRAY WITH US…
^^Many ‘God-moments’ in our ministry work
^^Strength and protection in the on-going care of the folks at Refugio
^^Personal health, so we can help others
^^Guidance regarding ‘work’ offers and ministry trip invitations (Latin America, Africa)…
and extra $$ if we’re supposed to go…
^^Significant boost in regular financial provision for 2006
Until next time… your friend and brother, Chris Bajkiewicz
Lori and crew
distributing
hand-made hats
with our friends
from Iglesia
San Pablo in TJ
MISSIONARY SUPPORT
The majority of our financial support to work as missionaries comes from INDIVIDUALS and PEOPLE
LIKE YOU, partnering with us in this mission work… of which we are GRATEFUL !! (Philippians 1: 3-6)
CONTRIBUTIONS towards our support can be sent to us at:
POBox 120265 * Chula Vista, CA 91912
For tax-deductible receipt, make checks out to REDEEMER FELLOWSHIP OF MONROE, MI