It all began eight years ago when Donna Moore responded to a need of the "Dios con Nosotros" Baptist Seminary of Mexicali.Donna, a retired social worker and member of Fifth Avenue Baptist Church of Huntington, West Virginia, felt led to serve as a volunteer in mission and applied through International Ministries' volunteer program.The Mexicali Seminary was looking for someone to help organize their small but growing library.Donna's knowledge of library science was quite limited, but she had a sister, Bernice Lemley, who could help.Consequently, Donna made her first trip to Mexicali in the autumn of 1998 and stayed for three months, making an inventory of the library collection with all the pertinent information so that a filing and cataloging system could be developed.

The work that Donna began is now coming to fruition with Bernice's fourth and final trip to the Seminary.It will be a five week stay for Bernice as she works with Alma, the Seminary librarian, giving her final instructions and turning over to her all the classifying and filing work.

Much has changed in these eight years.The library started with less than 1000 books; today there are over 3,000.There is a new building that houses the Seminary library.Students now have access to a library with books classified using the Library of Congress system and a corresponding card catalogue.All classification is done on computers and that, too, will be available to the students.

Donna made two trips to Mexicali before passing away unexpectedly in the spring of 2000.At the time of her death she was in the process of arranging for Seminary students to attend the World Mission Conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin that summer.Her sister, Bernice, was more than happy to continue where Donna left off.As a result a total of 22 students and faculty of the Seminary attended the Conference over a five year period.Bernice also set up the Donna Moore Foundation (through the American Baptist Foundation) which will now provide annual funds so that the Seminary library can be maintained and improved.

How thankful we are for Donna and Bernice's selfless devotion to serve, doing so through many tears, translation problems and the innumerable difficulties encountered in beginning and adapting a library system to a Seminary in a unique setting!Bernice was first commissioned as a ‘home missionary' over 45 years ago when she served for two years at the Wierton Christian Center, Wierton, West Virginia.Now a member of the Vienna Baptist Church of Vienna, West Virginia, she again has been commissioned a missionary.On May 14, 2006, the Vienna church sent Bernice off on her last trip to Mexicali with special prayers and support from the church family.

In grateful appreciation,

Tim and Patti Long