Coming home.

Last night the sun set on our time in Mexico. As we return home weary, but knowing that we have been your the hands and feet of God in some lives in Mexico, and knowing that he has been working in us all; those that went and those that sent.

We thank you for all your prayers, for our mentors that worked so hard to get letters to us, those who wrote those letters and cards, for our financial supporters. All of us together were El Gran Viaje 2009.

We hope and pray for you that you have been enriched by your involvement. Continue to pray for those of us that went, that we would carry forward from what we have learned.

We'll have memories, we'll have stories and we'll encourage all of you to find your place to go and to serve.

God Bless.

The Lord's Day - day 9

I really should update you all on our time in Zopoco. After we left we learned that only the church and the house where we were to eat had water problems. The church leaders beleive that the water was cut off by those wishing to undermine our ministry and get us to leave. Thank God we didn't fail him or the church. Thanks for your prayers and that this was the worst they could do to us.

Today we brought our ministry home to the church Larry and Marbi are planting. They gave us the whole service, several shared their testimonies, we did kids' specials in the service and Mike preached. Following the service Brien and Laura met and chatted with a lovely couple who offered to take them around Mexico.

Laura showing off her heart, free from the burden of sin.
Sherry leading kids choruses in Spanish Kendra and Karissa getting the actions right! The puppets at work. Thanks to those who voiced and produced the puppet show. It really worked great.

Cathy sharing her testimony.
Mike preaching on the story of life or in Spanish " La Vida "

Farewell to Casa Hogar - Day 8

Today we started by bringing supplies to the orphanage to complete our ministry there. We brought mattresses, cleaning supplies, soccer balls and lots of friendship.

Elise getting a little help from Fernando.
Fernando getting a crash course on keeping accounts from Brien with Larry translating. We know we leave Fernando in good hands as he shares so much love with his neighbour, he is confident that the internet cafe owner next door will help him over the rough patches.

One form of appreciation! FEEL the love!

Boys with footballs ( as Peter would say)

Another form of appreciation! Fernando was so delighted to receive our service and gifts. We video taped part of his story that we want to share with you. This is a man who truly lives day by day trusting God to supply his needs and the needs of those in the neighbourhood he lives in.

Then Fernando prayed a heartfelt blessing on the team. Even though only Sherry and Larry understood, we all new he was talking closely with God and thanking God for his mercy and provision and finally asking for God's hand on the team as we leave.

Day Off - Day 7

I should update you on yesterday, day 6 first. But before I do that I'll let you know why the blogs have not been updated in two days. The internet at Larry's house only works in the morning, so we got back day6 late and had no internet. Then day7 internet worked, so I thought good, I can blog tonight. Well we get back from our day off and the internet is down. Now its morning and back. That's their way of dealing with late bill payments! :-)

Day 6. The night before we prayed for deafness to the trucks and the town PA operator affectionately known as Miss Saigon ( strikingly similar tonality). In the morning we woke to find that the night was eerily quiet. Someone checked in the night and there were still as many trucks so clearly God answered our prayers.

We went to a remote church start to set up our program. Unfortuneately no kids showed up, but we did help the doctors start their clinic. After that we packed up our stuff in Zopoco and headed for a look at Paracho and then back home.

We got a little late start leaving from lunch as we listened to the amazing story of a missionary couple in the Michoacan. Lydia, a grandmother here, told us of her call to minister with her husband. She spoke of the years since 1948 where she and her husband trekked through the mountains year after year, enduring persecution, beatings, poisonings and the loss of one of her babies as she held him during a beating. Yet she was able to recount with joy what God has done among the indigenous people as they brought Christ to them and laboured to overcome their ancient traditions. We video taped that to bring back to you at CBC Aurora.

Day 7. A day off. We went to a hot springs for relaxation and BBQ. The water in the pool and water slides was 39C.

Pictures from Zopoco to go with days 4 and 5

Our fine dining. Note the cooking over a real fire
The dining room
Ministry with lots of children
Dr. Dave and his translator Karen. He's a real character. He married only 7 months ago a doctor from Guadalajara whom he met as he and she traveled on medical missions around the world.

The medical clinic set up in a remote church.

Out in the field day 4 and 5

Tuesday and Wednesday have been completely different experiences. This area makes Guadalajara poor look luxurious. We arrived Tuesday afternoon, after an extra excursion because Larry stopped for directions too late! but we got to see more mountains... Anyway when we arrived in Zopoco, Mich, MX, they had lunch ready for us, just after we ate our packed comfort food. Lunch was good, but many of the team were not prepared to eat local food. :-) Actually those with adventurous taste buds, and those without who tried it, were in for a treat.

Then we got down to ministry. First we were missing an audio cable, so we had to make a new program on the fly. While we were trying to resolve tech problems, we jumped in to face painting, balloons and crafts. Then the team started singing and telling the gospel to the kids in Spanish. This was a first for Larry and Sherry. They had never before been in ministry together. They loved it. Then, it was time for dinner. Marbi cooked and we all ate up and headed for a late night sleep. Have you ever slept 15 feet from the highway, right where trucks, with and without mufflers use their engine brakes to slow down dramaticly and then immediately accelerate? The road has a huge speed bump right outside our windows. Traffic ran all night, we checked!

Well, after getting the gas heater hooked up, the water tank went dry. We can´t smell each other cuz we´re all the same. We took a quick drive to Zamora after breakfast to restock supplies and returned to do our program at two different locations. Brian, Peter and Mike tried some up-to-code electrical wiring. That´s code for tying wires together with tape and throwing them across the ceiling beams. Not much protocol here.

The kids in both groups enjoyed the program. The first was held in a courtyard of four or five families. The second back at the church. The grown ups are very generous when we serve and therefore serve refreshments. Hope they really used purified water. Cathy will let you know tomorrow! The refreshments consisted of fresh tamarind seeds ground and mixed with sugar and water. tasty.

Cathy and Laura spent much time organising Dr. Dave´s kit of medicines and laughing with him and the other doctor and nurse, while they saw patients. Dr. Dave married a Mexican and moved to Guadalajara 7 months ago. He´s quite a hoot.

We´ve had some changes in plans. The remote location we were to travel to asked us not to come as the son of the pastor was severly beaten for not paying money to ´ the Virgin of Guadalajara´ because he was a Christian. The pastor´s son in Paracho went for surgery, so we´ll be heading back to Guadalajara without ministering in those two places - the reason we were here for two full days.

Well its off to more authentic food, then a night of truck engine choruses.

Today we took the VBS on the road Day3

Well, we packed up the VBS setup and our tools and headed for the orphanage! It was a great day. The men, and Nathaniel, buckled down on construction and managed to get the gas water heater hooked up,

set up the laptop that was donated for Fernando,

finish 3 bunk beds, and modify an office partition for Fernando.

I guess sometimes sitting around is ministry too. We needed a reliable vise!

The kids at the orphanage really enjoyed the day out at a facility that was loaned to run the VBS. They seemed to be experiencing a lot of things for the first time. Bouncy castles, sticker books.

Our kids, big and small, got to try traditional transportation

Pray as we head into the mountains around Paracho for the next three days. I will try to keep blogging but am not sure of access. If you don't hear from us pray for the team as they work in a third language and sleep on the floor of a small church, all sharing one toilet and shower! We're scheduled to be back on Thursday night.

Thanks for your prayers and your notes.