THE ANGEL OF PROGRESO

Mabel Proudley is sitting with Elizabeth Davis behind her.

She dedicated her life to helping the less fortunate and she lived to be about 100 years old. Her age didn't stop her dream of a free medical clinic in Nuevo Progreso. And although she became very fragile and could no longer walk, her age didn't stop her activities among the poor. Mabel Proudley was known as The Angel of Progreso.

Mabel and her sister Elizabeth Davis didn't give up when they couldn't get the United States government to help them during a disaster in Mexico. She became the voice of the people, bringing attention to the extreme needs and conditions. Her hard work and perserverence paid off and in 1998 construction began on a new clinic in Nuevo Progreso. Mabel's Free Clinic now treats hundreds of people each week and Mabel's work continues with free medical exams at the schools, a dental and eye clinic and much more.

Mabel passed away several years ago, but everyone in Nuevo Progreso knows her name and now there is even a colonia named in her honor.

We met Mabel in the late 1990's when she visited a small outreach clinic in Colonia Jardin near our church. Children were being given free polio vaccines and the people in the colonia presented her with a beautiful certificate of appreciation. Mabel had been bitten on the leg by a brown recluse spider and her leg had become infected. She was unable to walk.

DiAnna Olsen from Minnesota arranged for volunteers from Mabel's Clinic to meet us at the church Tuesday May 29th in Nuevo Progreso. She envisions the church and Mabel's Clinic working together in ways to better help the people. We are honored to work alongside Mabel's Clinic in projects as they treat the physical needs of the people. And the Spirit of the Lord will use our church to add spiritual healing as well.

Dick Turner and Bob Drasner from Mabel's Clinic visited the church Tuesday.  The young woman between them is a new volunteer from McAllen, Texas.