We are working with the Triqui because we believe they need Jesus. We know that they need help with their physical needs and education as well. There are two partners to our mission work, that of Evangelism and Church Planting and social assistance. Our Evangelistic and Church Planting efforts are the senior partner of this work and we would love it if you would consider coming to Miguel Aleman to help the Triquis.

We are assisting the Triqui by teaching English, Computer, family health care and sewing clothes by machines. Though our primary focus is Biblical training, we must help them help themselves. They must be helped to reach out and take the very best the world has to offer before they become overrun by the efforts of those who have no good intentions toward them.

This is Sunrise at Bahia Kino I do wish you could come and visit a while. Kino is a great place for avacation (especially in winter for you Yankees) and it can be quite comfortable. We are not talking about Bosnia or Vietnam or even some remote jungle of Africa, we are talking about right next door. We are talking about Lazerus, the guy sleeping at your door post.

We have also tried to help the Triquis with their arts. We provide them with loans to buy materials to make dresses, serapes, belts, shoulder bags and so forth. Small business loans are often the key to infusing the poor with the ability to do something with their talents and provide them with a way out of their misery and confusion.

Ourt suggestion was to make the same products but not just for people. Make them for Barbies. The ceremonial dresses, belts, shoulder bags, serapes etc might do well in the barbie market where tiny clothes and accessories for 11 inch dolls often cost more than those for people. I gave them six barbie dolls and asked them to make samples that I could carry to the specialty stores. In late May, Brigido gave me the first Barbie dress. I took it to Tucson and sold it for $30.00. I gave the money to the group and they were very happy ... especially the women. I anticipate a more clothing and accessories in the near future.

A ceremonial dress requires three months of labor (not eight hours a day ... but free time for a housewife) and sells for about one hundred dollars... 33 dollars a month is not reasonable for the effort. In the same time, with the same material, they could probably make many more Barbie dresses which might sell for thirty dollars each.

Of course, we do other, more typical things for the Triquis. We take them used clothing and toys whenever we can. We take visiting groups to the Triqui homes to donate clothing and buy Triqui handcrafts. I have arranged for doctors from the city health department to visit the group once a month. But what I really would like to see happen is as follows:

1. Help them build their own school to prepare their children for a better future and preserve their own culture and traditions. No adult Triqui has finished elementary school. Several of the younger Triquis have, but to my knowledge, only one has completed some juniot high level work. If one of the group could finish junior high, he or she could take a short training course offered by the stae department for the indigenous, and be certified as teacher and director of the Triquis own school. Then they need a a small building to house the school. The school building could almost surely be obtained by donation from the city and the state would also provide some funds for operating the school. The need is to identify a young Triqui man or women and support them while they are finishing the junior high. This would take about a year and the cost would be about $3000 U.S. dollars.

2. Obtain medicine and medical services for the group. The women and children are not in very good shape. Right now, we are trying to obtain a motor home or large RV type trailer for the city health department to convert into MOBILE MEDICAL CLINIC to visit groups like the Triquis. The local landowners have agreed to pay for converting the trailer to a mobile clinic. The health department will staff the trailer and pay for gas and maintenence. What is needed is the trailer itself ... hopefully a donation of the vehicle or the money to purchase used vehicle.

3. Legally incorporate the group and form their own special business manufacturing handmade products that can be sold at a reasonable price. Incorporation costs about $300 dollars U.S. The rest is ideas and suggestions as to what they can make, a small amount of money for training the women to make the product, a loan or donation for startup materials, and a market. Incorporation will also get them rights to their homes, ceremonial lands and school.

If you want to know more about theTriquis or think you can help us help them, or if you want to order some special, one of a kind Barbie clothes and accessories, call us at 001-62-662-279-6803 (from the USA) or send us an email message. We will furnish whatever additional information we have or can obtain and, of course, we will help you or your group help the Triquis in any way we can.

This is Bahia Kino The beaches are empty. Can you hear God calling you to come down and reach the hidden people? It is 80 every day here and coool at night. Think about it! And, you get 10 Mexico dollars for every American one. My, my.......