Mexico has been described as a land of contrasts. Natural beauty and urban blight and poverty and affluence exist very close to each other. Yet most Mexicans have little chance of attaining an economically prosperous lifestyle. Many impoverished Mexicans come to the United States in search of better incomes. Death from thirst and heat exhaustion are not uncommon as migrants make their northbound trek, and more than 1 million are arrested each year for working in the United States without proper documentation. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has been engaged in mission in Mexico since 1872.
The PC(USA)’s joint ministry with the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico along the border was a major focus of PC(USA) involvement in Mexico. That official relationship ended in 2011. Our work in the border area between Mexico and the U.S. has been predominantly carried out by Presbyterian Border Region Outreach (PBRO) in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.
Mark Adams and Miriam Maldonado are mission co-workers with the Presbyterian Border Region Outreach (PBRO). Mark has served there since 1998. As U.S. coordinator of the binational ministry, Frontera de Cristo, Mark is responsible for the coordination of the six ministry areas of Frontera de Cristo: church development, health, family counseling, the New Hope Community Center, mission education, and the Just Trade Center.
Miriam connects people and organizations across borders and serves as a liaison of Frontera de Cristo with the Center for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation and Recuperation (CRREDA in Spanish), DouglaPrieta Trabaja and the Lirio de los Valles Presbyterian Church. She works with DouglaPrieta to help the rehabilitation centers and families of the church, community and schools grow their own food, increasing their nutrition possibilities and connection to God’s creation and one another.
