This year we decided to have some different events to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour. We started off December with an all-church decorating party to get our little building looking spiffy for the activities. "All church" turned into the pastor and his wife, Felipe and his wife and a bunch of kids. We were pleased that one of the families that had stopped coming showed up to help decorate and hasn't missed a church service yet!
The next activity was a piano and violin concert on a Sunday night. Our neighborhood is mostly made up of working class people who don't take too much interest in "cultural" events so it was good to see the church was full and even a new family came. Those doing the concert explained to the people about the different composers and compositions, turning it into a learning experience as well.
Our last event was a traditional Christmas service with plays and poems from the children and a brief Scripture meditation on John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son..." Indeed the true meaning of Christmas! The kids did a great job and we had a full house.
So now I'm in Florida enjoying a couple weeks of sun and fun with my family. Soon I'll be back with my Mexican family to continue into 2009 "attempting great things FOR God and expecting great things FROM God." I'll finish with a fun picture of my parent's neighbor's...Christmas pig!
KIKOMAR AND INDEPENDENCE DAY
Here we are nearing the end of October already and I've been meaning to write about the activities of mid-September. Oh well, as the Mexicans say, "mas tiempo que vida" (more time than life). Mexican Independence Day is on September 16th. It fell on Tuesday this year meaning the kids didn't have classes until Wednesday of that week. I decided to take the week off and visit my dear friends who are developing a camp, "Kikomar", on the coast of Veracruz. The camp property is right on the beach and although the weather was cloudy and the sea rough most of the week, I enjoyed being with my friends, reading on the beach and getting to know the Castellano family better.
The Castellanos are the caretakers at the camp. A family with five children they eke out a living catching fish, selling coconuts and working odd jobs. However,their love for the Lord is evident and their faith that He will provide all their needs. Sicne the sea was a bit rough, it was good for cathcing fish and I had a great time going along with them and seeing the work in action. They have a large net which Carlos, the oldest, grabs one end and walks way out into the sea, up to his chest. The rest of hte family (since they don;t know how to swim) stay on the beach holding the oteh end of the net. After Carlos has walked a ways he begins to circle back, trapping fish in the net as he walks. The otehrs begin to pull on the net and bring it into shore. They then take out the fish and drop them into a wheelbarrow or bucket. They repeat this operation several times until they have a good number of fish.
I even got into the action and pulled out a few slimy fish of my own! The best part came later that afternoon when Carlos cleaned the fish and cooked them up in tin foil over the kitchen fire complete with garlic and onion. Delicious!
While I was there we took the children to school in the "Zorro" (fox), my friends black pick up truck. Normally Pablo, the father, takes them on his motorbike or they have to walk. I was surprised to learn that this school exists of only two rooms and three teachers. Two elementary school teachers and one junior high teacher. The teachers spend a month with each family as a way for the school board to pay for room and board.
It was a great week and just what I needed after the hectic time that preceded it. I'll close with a couple pictures of my friends dogs, Pimienta (Pepper) and Mostasa (Mustard) as well as a few pictures of Independence Day here in Chalco Valley. Thanks for your prayers.
Drop me a line when you can and "Viva Mexico! Long live Mexico!)
The library officially opened the 1st of September (although we had opened the two Fridays previously) and we're off to a running start! Some days I feel like kids are coming out of the wood-work (or cement-work in my house). Last Friday was one of those days. Fridays are a favorite day to come to the library because it's "game day". Instead of doing worksheets we do an art activity and pull out the board games. Last Friday, besides the usual crew that came for game day, I had 6 or 8 girls doing a school project in my garage. They had to make a background scene for a play they're going to do at school next week.
I am especially thankful that Maru has joined me this year. She is a pastor's wife who lives in the area and is doing a wonderful job of getting the library in shape and putting all the information about the books and registering the chidlren in the computer. A few days her husband, Pastor Danny, has even come to help!
Not only has the library been full of children, but since we are enlarging our church (next door to the library) the church met in my house last week for Thrusday and Sunday services. After a couple weeks of low attendence, I was surprised to have a "full house" on Sunday. We used the library for the worship service and my living room and garage for children classes. Praise the Lord that my home is being used to honr and glorify Him. So, come visit when you come and be part of the fun. There's plenty to do and even though it's a "full house", ther's always room for one more!
SUMMER FRIENDS
Summer Friends" was the title of one of the children's programs I participated in this summer. It also aptly describes my time spend in the States this summer. Although I was anxious to return to my home in Mexico, I return with wonderful memories of time spent with new friends and old. I praise God for these precious experiences and will warmly remember each precious person (big and little) who made this summer so special.
The picture above was taken at Grace Fellowship church in Unionville Pennsylvania during their Vacation Bible School. I had my own Mexico corner and the diffferent groups viisted me there each night to learn Spanish songs and phrases and about my work in Mexico. "Pato, pato, ganso" (duck, duck, goose) I discovered, is a favorite game among children everywhere!
SUMMER FRIENDS
"Summer Friends" was the title of one of the chidlrnr's programs I participated in this summer. It also aptly describes my time spend in the States this summer. Although I was anxious to return to my home in Mexico, I return with wonderful memories of time spent with new friends and old. I prasie God for these precious experiences and will warmly remember each precious person (big and little) who made this summer so special.
The picture above was taken at Grace Fellowhip church in Unionville Pennsylvania during their Vacation Bilble Shcool. I had my own Mexico corner and the differnet groups viiste dme there each night to learn Spanish songs and phrases and about my work in Mexico. "Pato, pato, ganso" (duck, duck, goose) I discovered, is a favorite game among chidlren everywhere!
Water is such an important part of our lives. Weather it's for drinking, washing clothes and dishes or cooling off, we can't live without it! Most of us are used to turning on the pipes and having water flow into our houses. However in many parts of the world it's not that simple. I have a cistern in my garage and usually the water form the street pipes fill the cistern and I have a water pumps that pumps the water up into the tank "tinaco" on my roof and then through the pipes into my house. Since March there has been a problem in my neighborhood and the water isn't coming into the houses. I've heard different reasons (pipes are broke, wrong size pipes, water pumps aren't working) but no one seems to really know. Thankfully the water company has been sending around water trucks (pipas) to fill our cisterns, barrels or even buckets. How I praise God for the living water that is offered us in Jesus Christ. He is the well that never will run dry!
April 30 is children's day here in Mexico. It's a special day set aside to honor our youngsters and let them know that they are loved and appreciated. The schools hold parties, take the kids on trips and give gifts to the students. We in the church and as part of our ministry also held special events for the youngsters. We started the Friday before by making chocolate treats. We had bought chocolate fountains and then dipped fruit and marshmallows in the chocolate...yummy!
Those chocolate fountains came in handy!
On Saturday we had a special program in las America's neighborhood where we hold Saturday Bible club. The teens and kids from my church taught the Bible lesson, did a puppet show and Pastor Dave and his
cousin put on a clown show.
The afternoon culminated with water balloon fights and water all over the place. It's a good thing Margarita doesn't mind having her yard invaded by a bunch of rowdy, water-throwing kids!
he following Saturday, May 3rd, we closed off the street in front of the library and church and filled a few kiddie pools with water. How many kiddos can you get into a kiddie pool?
Never mind the kiddos...what about the teens who came to "help"?! When I went out to "put things in order"...
I ended up wet from head to toe! (by our helpful teens!)
All in all a good time was had by all. Gaby returned with her fiance, Israel, to do another clown show for the kids. After the program we handed out sandwiches (tortas) and the cholate treats again. It didn't take long for the food to
dissapear!
Continue to pray for this ministry, especially for the children and their families. Pray God's love will be evident in all the activities that we do!
RUTH AND URIEL
On April 5th my friend Ruth and Uriel finally got married. I say finally because they've been dating for over six years. This is a wedding I thought would never happen. In Mexico, the ceremony is done a bit differentlythan in the States. Of course there is special music, the homily, the rings and the vows. There are also "padrinos" (sponsors) for differnt items used in the service. Someone buys a special Bible, someone elses gives them the rings. In my case Ruth asked if I would buy the "cojines" (cushions) for the bride and groom to kneel on when they are prayed for. Ruth bought the cushions, I gave her the money (abut $20) and at a special moment in the service, I was asked to come forward and place the cushions on the kneeling stool. It was a small investment to make for my dear friend.
Since I was a ¨madrina¨, I borrowed a nice suit from a friend, had my hair done up nice and even wore high heels. That turned out to be a mistake as I tripped in the middle of the ceremony trying to take a picture!
Another unusual element of a Mexican wedding is a "lasso" (rope). Friends buy a fancy rope fixed into two big loops. The pastor drapes the lasso around the neck of bride and groom to show that they are now joied together. In this wedding the pastor requested Uriel to move with the lasso around his neck. He did so with great difficulty moving forward until the lasso broke! The pastor chided Ruth for not "helping" Uriel by moving with him. In a marriage both parners need to move together.
March 29th, 2008
Where has March gone?!
Easter "vacation" is about over as is the month of March. We had plenty going on this month and it may take me another month to recover! Let me share some pictures and special moments with you.
Easter morning we had an early (7:00 A.M..) church service followed by a yummy breakfast of chilaquiles (chicken with fried tortillas and green sauce) and jello. We're still waiting to hear when Eli's baby comes. Last word her mom was taking her walking every day to try and speed up delivery!
Our pastor and his wife also enjoyed the breakfast.
Thursday of Holy week we had a retreat to a nearby park. Conferences were held for all ages on the importance of learning to forgive. The kids planned a puppet skit on forgiving your friends.
The next activity was a five day Vacation Bible School in the Niños Héroes neighborhood. Pastor David is renting an apartment in this area and it worked out great to use his patio. I didn't expect too many kids so I was greatly surprised when we averaged around 40 each day! Some of the children came from my neighborhood to help and we also picked up kids from Las Americas neighborhood. Our theme was "The Kingdom of God." We sang songs about God as King of Kings and learned verses and stories from the Bible about King Jesus.
We all had fun and learned something along the way. Now it's time to start planning this summer's VBS...want to come join us?!
My last picture (for now) of March's activity include...Cookie's (my 16 month old puppy) new "look". Spring means "shave off all that matted hair!"
Thanks for reading my blog. I love to hear your comments. Coming up soon, "How many kids can you fit into a Nissan truck?!"
SPRING AND BENITO JUAREZ
The coming of spring is celebrated here in Mexico by remembering a special hero's birthday, Benito Juarez. He was of indigenous origins, born in a poor community in the mountains of Oaxaca. He was an orphaned at the age of three and at twelve left the mountain community to live with his sister in Mexico city. He taught himself to read and write and to speak Spanish. Eventually he made his way into government becoming a much loved and respected president who brought many reforms to Mexico. His motto was, "El respecto ajeno es el camino de la paz" (respect for others in the way of peace). The school children perform typical dances and give speeches about this amazing man.
In the library we had our own celebration of Spring, a puppet show for the whole neighborhood with life sized puppetts, music, games, food and of course, lots of fun!
The puppets sang and danced and talked to the kids about loving God and forgiving others. Even the littlest ones had fun!
About 90 children and adults attended. Pray for God's grace on all and that the message will bring godly fruit in their lives.
A puppet show about the rebellious sheep who wandered away from the flock taught us about the dangers of disobedience and the great love of our Shepherd (Jesus) who loves us and came to look for and save us.
