My 28th Birthday Party

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my birthday, but I finally got the pictures from the event. So, I wanted to post them. Sandy and Mili's mom made a birthday dinner for me again this year. We ate birria with rice, and their aunt Pola made me a chocolate cake. It was seriously the best cake I've tasted in longer than I can remember! It was a really fun time. Then that weekend, Mili and Sandy spent the night. To make it a special night (rather than all the other times they spend the night), we went and ate tacos in the town square and bought churros for dessert. Then we came back, opened presents, and watched a movie while eating churros. It was a very special birthday, that is for sure, and God has been so good to me through it all. Enjoy the pics!

The party area in their yard just outside the kitchen. The house is to the left outside of the picture.

The party in full swing. There's eating at the table, and visiting here in front. A good time was had by all!

The cake arriving. Boy was it yummy! Thanks, Pola!

Flavia (blue shirt) and Pola (black shirt) cutting the cake and giving it to me to serve.

La Mordida. The typical tradition is the birthday person takes a big bite out of the cake, and with little kids, they will push their head into the cake as they take the bite! No worries...Mili is faking it here!

Opening presents in my recently-flooded apartment. That's why things are so out of place!

This was giving to me by Faith's mom, Leeann, who was visiting during my birthday. It's hand-made by an indigenous group here in Mexico. Beautiful! Thanks, Leeann!!

Some cute magnets given to me by Aide, Mili and Sandy's little sister. I LOVE them and was in desperate need of magnets, so I really appreciated this gift!

Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

New Link

Just to let everyone know, I have added a slide show of Sandy's photography on the right under my profile. It feeds from the albums I've created of her stuff on my Flickr site. Under the slide show is a section for links related to her photography. Currently, there is only one. It is for the website we have created to sell her stuff (there is nothing for sale quite yet). As we continue to get our acts together concerning her photography, we'll post updates here so you will know where to see her stuff and how to buy prints and other merchandise if you so choose. But in the meantime, enjoy the slide show!

Revolution Day Parade

So, since today is Mexican Revolution Day, there were no classes. However, all the kids have to dress in their uniforms and are part of a parade. Each school has its own color guard (carries the flag), and they all have their own ways of dressing up in traditional costumes and celebrating the day. I don't know if I have mentioned yet, but Mili is now living with me while Steve and Gena are in the states. She started high school this year (even though she's turning 18 in March), so she needs to stay here in Cofradia during the week. Anyway, Mili was chosen to be Sargent of the High School Color Guard! She was in color guard in middle school as well, so she knew what she was doing, but it was my first time seeing her in one of these parades. So, i took the opportunity to head to the center of town for the ceremonies that kick off the parade and to take pictures of her and of other kids parading and having a good time. There's also some video, so enjoy!

Here's a video of the elementary school color guard presenting the flag for the pledge to start off the festive events. Enjoy!

The Cofradia Parade. All four schools are represented plus many others! The event is put on by the elementary school, so they are in front.

They dress up in traditional costumes.

The high school color guard. Mili is in the front row all the way to the Left. That is the Sargent position.

The preschool color guard.

The rest of the preschool in uniform and formation.

Sandy took some pictures in Arrayanes as well. The two towns have their own schools, so they both had parades simultaneously. So, here are some of Sandy's pics.

The babies dressed up as soldiers.

This is Coco. He just turned 2 and is Brenda's sons. She is one of Sandy and Mili's cousins.

This is the Arrayanes junior high color guard. Aide, Sandy and Mili's little sister, is also Sargent. She's front row left.

Diego, Sandy and Mili's little brother is here marching with the elementary school. He's the second to the left with the red ball.

Day of the Mexican Revolution

Today, November 20, which is called "Day of the Mexican Revolution." There are several key dates in Mexican history that most foreigners consider to be sort of like Independence Days: May 5 (Cinco de Mayo), September 15-16 (El Grito), and November 20 (Mexican Revolution Day). I often confuse them, so I figured there are others who do as well. So, I'm posting articles that explain each of these three important patriotic days. Enjoy and please continue to pray for peace and growth in this country!

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article taken from: http://www.inside-mexico.com/revolucion.htm

November 20: Commemoration of the
Mexican Revolution

On November 20, Mexico celebrates the anniversary of its Revolution. On this date, in the year 1910 the war to overthrow the dictator Porfirio Díaz, began.

General Porfirio Díaz had been an important military figure during the wars against the foreign invaders, and had tried to overthrow President Benito Juarez in 1872. Then again, he rebelled against President Lerdo de Tejada in 1876 and won.

Don Porfirio , as he was called, had been in power for more than 30 years (1876-191). Under his rule, Mexico had political stability and grew in many areas, creating new industries, railroads, kilometers of railroad tracks as well as the increase of foreign capital. Non-the less, this progress was not translated into the peoples’ well being. Soon there was political unrest. The unhappiest sectors of the Mexican society were the peasants and labor workers. To defend these two popular sectors, Ricardo Flores Magón founded the Mexican Liberal Party. Flores Magón was obviously persecuted by the Porfirist regime, and died in an American prison. In 1906 the army brutally repressed a strike of miners in the Cananea mine in Sonora. As you can see, Díaz did every thing in his power to crush any uprisings. The Cananea massacre is historically considered the spark that finally ignited Mexico’s Revolution.

Porfirio Díaz wasn’t oblivious to all this pressure, so in 1908 in an interview given to an American journalist, James Creelman, he stated:

"I have waited patiently for the day when the people of the Mexican Republic would be prepared to choose and change their. Government at every election without danger of armed revolutions and without injury to the national credit or interference with national progress. I believe that day has come."I welcome an opposition party in the Mexican Republic," he said. "If it appears, I will regard it as a blessing, not as an evil.”

In early 1909 Francisco I. Madero founded the Anti Reelectionist Party.

Madero came from a wealthy family from Coahuila. He had studied business in France as well as in the U.S. He vigorously fought against reelection and for democracy and liberty in Mexico through his political newspaper articles.

The Anti Reelectionist party designated him to run for President in the elections of 1910.

Díaz was now under constant pressure, and on June 6^th he ordered the imprisonment of Madero, augmenting that he was “inciting rebellion and offending the authorities”. Francisco I. Madero was taken to a prison in San Luis Potosí, where he awaited the results of the elections. There he learned that through an electoral fraud Díaz declared himself President of Mexico one more time!

Then and there Madero, who had always been a pacifist, decided to flee from prison and call for a National Insurrection on November 20 1910. He declared the electoral process invalid and appointed provisional Governors. Immediately, uprising broke out in several Mexican states. The first were Puebla, Coahuila, Chihuahua, and Sonora.

Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, was taken by the insurrectors: Pascual Orozco and Francisco “Pancho” Villa. When the city surrendered Madero set up his provisional government there. Díaz was then forced to resign and had to abandon the country.

Some of the most important Revolutionaries were Pascual Orozco, Francisco Villa in the northern states, and Emiliano Zapata in the south.

New elections took place in 1911, and Madero was elected President of Mexico. Unfortunately, peace was not to come to this country for a while. Several Revolutionary leaders couldn’t settle their differences. Madero wanted to work steadily and patiently towards bettering the economic and social situation. But many revolutionary commanders wanted immediate change, which was impossible to accomplish. Pascual Orozco, for example, led and lost a revolt against Madero.

Three Porfirist generals also attacked President Madero, who in turn, appointed Victoriano Huerta to repress the offensive. A fatal decision…. In time history would prove that Victoriano Huerta was the utmost traitor of the Revolution. Francisco I. Madero was captured and assassinated by Huerta’s accomplices. The vice-president and a brother of Madero were also killed.

Huerta’s victory would be short-lived. A new Revolutionary movement emerged with unprecedented force; it was called the Constitutionalist Movement. Huerta had to flee the country in 1914. In 1917 the Constitution was reformed. Fighting among revolutionary groups did not end until 1920.

The Revolution had at last triumphed!

Mexican Independence Day

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article taken from: http://www.inside-mexico.com/featureindep.htm

Mexican Independence Day

September 16: El Grito de Independencia

El Grito every 16^th of September is the Mexican Fiesta par excellence! On this day Mexicans all over the world celebrate Mexico’s independence from Spanish rule.

As you know, indigenous peoples were the first to inhabit what is now known as Mexico. They created great civilizations such as the Olmec, the Teotihuacan, Maya, Toltec, and of course the most powerful of all, the Aztec Empire.

After Christopher Columbus “discovered” America, the Spaniards carried out expeditions to find gold and riches from these faraway lands. In 1521, about 500 Spanish soldiers arrived in Mexico, headed by an ambitious man: Hernán Cortés. At this time, the Aztecs had built a great empire that ruled over all Mesoamérica. So the Spaniards decided to direct their attacks towards them.

The indigenous nations that were under the Aztec rule were tired of the physical and economic hardships imposed upon them by this empire. This circumstance made them think that by helping the Conquerors defeat the Aztecs, they would be better of. So they decided to aid the Spaniards. This is how the Conquest of what is now Mexico began.

On the 13^th of August 1521,Cuauhtémo, the last Aztec emperor was captured. The indigenous allies of the Spaniards raided Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire. They didn’t know it at the time, but they had been liberated from one oppressor and fallen in the hands of a much more powerful authoritarian. This was the beginning of three centuries of Spanish rule. The new colony was named Nueva España, New Spain.

The years that followed were devastating. The conquerors brought with them diseases unknown to the natives. The epidemics that broke out as well as the merciless workload imposed upon the natives dramatically diminished the Indian population. There were approximately 20 million Indians inhabiting this territory before the Conquest, and after just one century of Spanish rule there were only 1 million left!

Colonial society was highly stratified. Spaniards born in Spain, occupied the higher echelons, followed by Criollos, those born in Mexico from Spanish parents; Mestizos, the mix- blood offspring of Spaniards and Natives; Indios, Native Indians; Negros, African slaves.

Each socio-ethnic group had different rights and duties. The privileged were the peninsular Spaniards. Discontent steadily grew, especially amongst the Criollo, who were always treated as second-class subjects of the Spanish Crown. It is no surprise then, that Criollos were the spark that ignited the Independence movement.

In 1808, Napoleon invaded Spain, and decided to impose his brother José Bonaparte, as king of Spain (1808-1810). The Criollos found in this circumstance the opportunity to seek their independence form Spain. Influenced by the concepts of liberty, equality and democracy proposed by the French philosophers Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and by the war of Independence of the United States, they decided to start a revolt. It was 1810, and their plan was to start the war on the 2^nd of October. Unfortunately, their plans were discovered in early September. The movement was in trouble. They had two alternatives; either abandon their plans, or move faster and start the revolt immediately. Fortunately for our country they decided upon the second alternative.

In the early hours of September 16, 1810, father Hidalgo, accompanied by several conspirators –Iganacio Allende, Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez- rang the bell of his little church, calling everyone to fight for liberty. This was the beginning of the Independence War, which lasted 10 years.

Celebrating!

(see my post from El Grito 2006)

And this is the moment that every 16^th of September is re enacted in every plaza o zócalo of Mexico, and commemorated by Mexicans all over the world.

Streets, houses, buildings and cars are decorated everywhere in the country. On every street corner there are vendors selling flags, balloons, sombreros and rehiletes -shuttlecock, all with the green, white and red, our National Colors. Flags wave from practically every house and building. Lighted decorations are set up in every city, the most spectacular being those of the Zócalo, main plaz, in Mexico City. This main plaza of every town and city is the place where the great 16 De Septiembre celebrations take place. People of all ages come to this fiesta, to take part in the collective gaiety!

Food is always a very important part of these festivities. Literally hundreds of stands are set up several days before and offer the traditional antojitos, most aptly described as a variety of finger foods, Mexican candies, and punch. Punch. ponche, is a drink made of fruits that are in season: guayabas, sugarcane, raisins and apples, and such a delicious aroma!

During September, Mes de la Patria, the month of our nation as it is called in Mexico, restaurants serve traditional Mexican dishes, such as Mole Poblano, Chiles en Nogada, Guacamole and chips.

During the evening of September 15, people start gathering in the zócalo. Many people walk around dressed in typical Mexican dress: men as Charros and women as China Poblanas, or indigenous dresses. Those who don't own a typical outfit, at least dress find something to wear in the colors of the flag.

Live Mariachi Music bands play to the delight of all present. There are also photography stands where one can have a picture taken, attired with a sombrero and atop a wooden horse!

The euphoria is collective and all are prepared to shout, yell and make as much noise as possible with fake trumpets, noisemakers and whistles! As the evening advances, the plaza gradually fills with more and more people; suddenly there is practically no room to move. Excitement and euphoria reach a crescendo at the culminating moment when a government official arrives in the zócalo, at 11:00 P.M. to give the grito or cry of Independence. This ritual recreates the moment in which Father Hidalgo, gathered his followers in Dolores Guanajuato.

It is customary for our President to deliver the grito in Mexico City’s zócalo. It is in this plaza, atop Palacio Nacional, the National Palace -a beautiful colonial building where the President’s offices are located-, that the original bell rung by Hidalgo is placed. And this is the bell that is rung every 16^th of September.

The ceremony reaches the high point when the crowd joins in proudly shouting out the names of the heroes of our Independence, to end with the exciting VIVA MÉXICO!

When the grito ceremony ends, the sky lights up with multicolored rockets that shower our hearts with the pride of knowing that we are a free and independent nation.

Cinco de Mayo

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article taken from: http://www.mexonline.com/cinco-de-mayo.htm

The History of Cinco de Mayo

Introduction
The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th Of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico's Independence Day, which is actually September 16

Setting The Stage
The battle at Puebla in 1862 happened at a violent and chaotic time in Mexico's history. Mexico had finally gained independence from Spain in 1821 after a difficult and bloody struggle, and a number of internal political takeovers and wars, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the Mexican Civil War of 1858, had ruined the national economy.

During this period of struggle Mexico had accumulated heavy debts to several nations, including Spain, England and France, who were demanding repayment. Similar debt to the U.S. was previously settled after the Mexican-American War. France was eager to expand its empire at that time, and used the debt issue to move forward with goals of establishing its own leadership in Mexico. Realizing France's intent of empire expansion, Spain and England withdrew their support. When Mexico finally stopped making any loan payments, France took action on its own to install Napoleon III's relative, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, as ruler of Mexico.

Mexico Confronts The Invasion
France invaded at the gulf coast of Mexico along the state of Veracruz (see map) and began to march toward Mexico City, a distance today of less than 600 miles. Although American President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico's cause, and for which he is honored in Mexico, the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to provide any direct assistance.

Marching on toward Mexico City, the French army encountered strong resistance near Puebla at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. Lead by Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin, a smaller, poorly armed militia estimated at 4,500 men were able to stop and defeat a well outfitted French army of 6,500 soldiers, which stopped the invasion of the country. The victory was a glorious moment for Mexican patriots, which at the time helped to develop a needed sense of national unity, and is the cause for the historical date's celebration.

Unfortunately, the victory was short lived. Upon hearing the bad news, Napoleon III had found an excuse to send more troops overseas to try and invade Mexico again, even against the wishes of the French populace. 30,000 more troops and a full year later, the French were eventually able to depose the Mexican army, take over Mexico City and install Maximilian as the ruler of Mexico.

Maximilian's rule of Mexico was also short lived, from 1864 to 1867. With the American Civil War now over, the U.S. began to provide more political and military assistance to Mexico to expel the French, after which Maximilian was executed by the Mexicans - his bullet riddled shirt is kept at the museum at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. So despite the eventual French invasion of Mexico City, Cinco de Mayo honors the bravery and victory of General Zaragoza's smaller, outnumbered militia at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Today's Celebration
For the most part, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo is more of a regional holiday in Mexico, celebrated most vigorously in the state of Puebla. There is some limited recognition of the holiday throughout the country with different levels of enthusiasm, but it's nothing like that found in Puebla.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo has become increasingly popular along the U.S.-Mexico border and in parts of the U.S. that have a high population of people with a Mexican heritage. In these areas the holiday is a celebration of Mexican culture, of food, music, beverage and customs unique to Mexico.

Commercial interests in the United States and Mexico have also had a hand in promoting the holiday, with products and services focused on Mexican food, beverages and festivities, with music playing a more visible role as well. Several cities throughout the U.S. hold parades and concerts during the week following up to May 5th, so that Cinco de Mayo has become a bigger holiday north of the border than it is to the south, and being adopted into the holiday calendar of more and more people every year.

Our Youth...

I was supposed to sing with the worship team this morning, but it didn't happen because I've come down with some sort of throat/chest cold. But since I had to pick up Mili at 7 am for practice, I sat in on practice anyway. I found myself thanking the Lord that we have such amazing kids in our youth group. He's done some wonderful works in the hearts of SO MANY young people.

Then as I sat there watching this worship band, composed primarily of youth and led by a 17 year old (Mili), my eye happened to catch that one of the police men walked out into the middle of the street and was just standing there listening to them practice (the police station is right next to the the base). In that moment it struck me: so many of the young people around here are running off with their boyfriends/girlfriends because they can't control their passions, or they are getting involved with drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc., or they're staying out late and sleeping in. To those kids, Sunday is just another day. It doesn't mean anything. Those policemen deal with fights and crimes, and from time to time those issues involve youth. And what are our kids doing at 7 am on a Sunday morning? They show up WILLINGING to set up all the instruments and speakers and sound, then they practice the entire worship set for the second time this week. They aren't sleeping in, and they don't complain about it. Not only that, they ENJOY worshiping the Lord with their voices, instruments, hearts, and lives...even at 7 am in the morning!!! I watched that policeman out in the street and thought about what amazement might have been passing through his mind at that moment, about what kind of a testimony these kids are to the changing and life-giving power of Christ, and I prayed for them and thanked the Lord that the future of this area, this state, and this nation will be eternally different because he changed a few kids here and now. How incredible is that?!

So, I thought I'd post a video from Sunday's worship service. Mili is now taking voice lessons with Faye, one of our new staff members. She has come a long way as a worship leader and as a vocalist since I first started listening to her almost two years ago. She used to have a very hard time staying on pitch, but she has learned to hear the music and adjust herself. She really does have a beautiful, strong voice. Well, now she's taking voice lessons from Faye, and we're in the process of changing the songs into keys that she can actually sing (many of them are simply too high for her since Steve is usually the one leading). The rest of the band isn't too thrilled about having to learn all new chords, but they'll get it quickly enough. This was the first time she sang after her first voice lesson, in which she learned about supporting from her diaphragm. I was stunned in practice at the voice that came out of her when she sang the way she was supposed to...and she did a pretty great job staying on pitch even when her backup vocalist rarely did!

I'm just so proud I could bust!! Enjoy!

Youth-led Youth Ministry

So, Steve and Gena are in the states getting a much-deserved rest and time with their family. This means that they aren't here to lead youth meetings and worship, etc. So, who's in charge then?

THE YOUTH!!!

Or more specifically, the student leaders (and myself as their support and resource). Last night was our weekly youth group meeting. Julio led worship, I did announcements, and the plan had already been in place for Chuy to do the study. He shared from the first chapter of Stomping out the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson and Dave Park. He did a really great job, and everything I hear is that the small group discussions afterward went very well. I know in the one group of girls, which was led by Sandy, the girls were all very open and participatory. They were all 12-15 years old plus Mili who is 17, so it was good that they were all answering questions, etc. I was especially impressed when one of them gave a very personal admission that even though Scripture tells us we're no longer sinners (but rather saints who from time to time sin), she still feels like a sinner. Talk about honesty and vulnerability! And she's 12!! It was very encouraging to me that she felt comfortable enough to share something like that in our small group time. The Lord is working in them, that's for sure!

Julio leading worship at youth group.

Bible study time. We had almost 30 kids there that night!

Chuy leading the study from Stomping Out the Darkness.

Julio's small group praying at the end of their discussion time.

Then this afternoon, the student leaders had a planning meeting that they put together! All I did was help them set a time to start! They met here at the church and discussed the status of plans and the schedule for this week's youth rally, LIFE NIGHT. They also discussed issues pertaining to the youth gift exchange for Christmas, the youth Christmas sketch, and weekly youth group studies for the next two months (while Steve and Gena are gone).

The other issue that was discussed was the re-starting of our Navigators 2:7 discipleship course. We want to start it from the beginning for those who have never started the class before. All of our student leaders have completed this course and continued on with mentors who are either staff or church leaders, and now they themselves are leaders. We want to continue to reproduce this growth and leadership. So, the student leaders are excited about having the opportunity to participate in the teaching of this discipleship course this time around! I think it will be really cool!! So, Steve....they are all onboard!

God is just so great!

Ana

Ana is my newest mentoree. She turns 15 on Nov. 25 (which is a big deal here in Mexico, by the way), and she's handful sometimes. But she's really sweet, and she has a good heart.

Last week we had our second meeting, and I told her to start thinking and praying about whether she wanted to study a book of the Bible or if she wanted to do the book Stomping Out the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson and Dave Park. And of course, if she chose to study the Bible first, then what book she wanted to study. On Sunday, she dropped the bomb...

"Amber! I know what book I want to study!!! REVELATION!!!" she said with all the excitement in the world.

And I started back-pedaling in my head. Of all the books in the Bible, she HAD to choose Revelation. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great book. Lots of meat to chew on. Lots to learn. Interesting read. And I'm sure it's even more than that. But there's also a lot there that remains cryptic to us because we're not SUPPOSED to know how it ALL is going to work out...not until it happens.

But how can I crush her enthusiasm for Scripture. I want to encourage that! I don't know many 15-year-olds (and especially in our youth group) who are excited to study one of the most difficult books of the Bible. But just thinking about it really revved her up.

"Oh Lord, fan that flame in Ana, and please give me wisdom to rightly divide your Word of truth."

Birthday Musings..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!

I love birthdays, especially mine. I love the concept of celebrating our lives, especially when Christ is involved in those lives. It's a gift to get to live this life, it's a gift to be able to know others and share in their lives. I love the idea of celebrating the blessing of others and the fact that all those years ago God set those blessings in motion when we had no clue they were even on their way. How amazing!

But I find that this year, my birthday holds a little less of the luster it usually has for me. I normally get so excited WEEKS before it arrives, and I plan activities and such just enjoy the day the best that I can. This year, I feel like it sneaked up on me and surprised me....that I wasn't quite ready for its arrival. I mean it's still a good day, don't get me wrong. And I'm enjoying it. But for the first time I can remember, it's not so exciting, and the most confounding part is that I'm not sure why!

Oh, well, regardless, I'm going to enjoy every moment of this day, and I'm going to enjoy prolonging it with sleep-overs in the week to come and packages that will arrive in a couple weeks, etc. I fully support the concept of celebrating a birthday for an entire month! And that's what I fully intend to do!

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

Evangelism Weekend

This weekend we had a guest pastor come and preach for an evangelism crusade weekend. His name is Rafael Gradilla. He's originally from Guadalajara (and therefore Mexican), but he and his family live in Seattle where he pastors a church. It was a total blessing to have him here.

Friday night he preached just for the church and encouraged them in leadership. He talked about the blessing of being a leader as well as the responsibility. He preached about Steven and Phillip and how they were faithful in the smallest thing, beginning their ministry as deacons feeding the widows at the table. And because they were faithful to the Lord in the smallest things, He placed them in greater and greater influences and ministry until Steven ended up a martyr for Christ and Phillip ended up preaching in Samaria, thus fulfilling Christ's word to the disciples when he said they would preach with power when the Spirit came upon them and would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judah, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world. It was an encouraging word in so many ways, and the ministry time was precious indeed!

On Saturday, we had the service in our new church facility. It's not anywhere close to be completed or ready for regular services. However, we did finally get electricity, and the sanctuary floor and platform have been completed since March. So, we moved all our sound equipment over there for the evening, rented 130 chairs, and set it all up. It was a great time, and what a precious moment to be witnesses to the realization of a HUGE dream -- that being this church facility and the unifying of our current church bodies and the harvesting of even more souls for the Lord! It was so incredible! The pastor spoke about the excellency and power of the name of Jesus Christ. What a blessing, and again, an encouragement! And of course, more amazing ministry time afterward!

The service in the new sanctuary...you're actually only looking at about half of it! You can't fit the whole thing in a picture this close!

The youth during worship

Pastor Rafael Gradilla preaching on Saturday

Then on Sunday morning he preached the Sunday service. He spoke about the blessing of living under the filling and influence/guidance of the Holy Spirit. He spoke from 1 Samuel when Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel and the results of living under the filling and influence/guidance of the Holy Spirit:
1. Filling of the Spirit and living out of the fruit of the Spirit in us, namely love.
2. Authority.
3. (oops...I forgot this one, but I'll fill it in when I get the audio sets..forgive me)
4. Divine provision.
5. Becoming a new person.
6. Power to do all that is put before us to do.

Again, the ministry time was powerful. The Lord was moving (of course) all weekend. Lives were changed. Lives were saved. Hearts were healed. Sins were repented of and forgiven. Lives were filled, etc!

Sunday morning service with Pastor Rafael

I found myself challenged at every step in my own personal devotion, in ministry, in attitudes and thought, etc. It was a time of renewing and challenge. Quite an answer to prayer, really. Now to make sure that I continue to daily seek to be faithful in the little things, to remember who's power lives in me always, and to keep in step with the Spirit first and foremost in all things! It sounds easier than it is, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

The Warning...

"Don't fail them," he said to me. "These young women are looking to you. In your personal life, your thoughts, your actions, don't fail them. Don't fail them."

Yikes...talk about pressure....talk about being scared to your knees. There's nothing like that warning to drive a woman to her knees in prayer, begging the Lord to not let her fail them....to not let me fail them.

"Lord, please don't let me fail them!"

Flooded...

So, today, in the middle of our evangelism weekend, my apartment flooded. Yes it did!

Here's the irony of the last few days. Thursday night and Friday night I was awakened in the middle of the night by mad itching on each of my arms (one on Thurs. and the other on Fri.) resulting from mosquito bites received while blissfully sleeping and even dreaming. However, even in my dreams the itching would start and would eventually wake me up. I would then find these huge welts and my whole arm itching from reaction. Each night I got up (this being about 2 am) and spent some time trying to ease the reaction with benedryl creme and after bite liquid. Then I spent time finding those blasted mosquitoes so that I would not be woken again for the same reasons. Thursday night I killed one. Friday night I killed three and was aware of a fourth but he flew out of my room before I could catch him. So, I just shut the door to keep him out, which worked.

So, last night I went to bed praying desperately for the Lord to reveal to me that fourth mosquito before I went to sleep so that I could sleep the whole night without being woken up in the middle of the night with more bug bites.

I did sleep through the night....only to wake up in the morning to an inch of water covering all three rooms of my apartment! Everything was SOAKED! I vaguely remember hearing water running in my bathroom about 10 minutes before my alarm went off, but in my sleepy delerium, I thought someone was in the shower (even though no one else is currently sharing my bathroom). But when my alarm went off at 7, I got out of bed to go turn it off and stood up in a pool of water. That woke me up fast, and I raced to get Dave.

The irony: the two nights when there was no good reason to be awake in the middle of the night, I am awakened. But the one night it would have been good to have been awakened for some reason, I sleep quite contentedly and peacefully and then have to clean up a flood! Go Figure!!!

Turns out the hose that runs to the tank on my toilet broke off from the tank and was flooding my apartment for about an hour before I woke up. Dave and I spent an hour squeegeeing water out of my apartment. Then Cunda (a local woman who often works for us when we have teams) came and helped me clean up and dry off my floor and put all my WOOD furniture up on blocks. Yes, ALL my furniture is wood!

Then Sandy helped me dry off the bottom of all the furniture and get all the rest of the stuff dried off as much as possible. As it is, half my stuff is spending the night outside still drying out or waiting until the floor is dry enough to have something sitting on it without causing mold to grow underneath.

Mold is the biggest concern now. It's still pretty humid here and hot. It's not unbearably hot like it was this summer, but it's still in the 90s easy by 11 am. And the humidity is generally around 90% by the afternoon. So, all my windows and my door were open all day to dry stuff out today, and tonight I shut all the windows and doors and turned on the AC that is in my bedroom. Usually that is only for cooling my bedroom, and I only use it (usually) from about May through September/October. If it's really humid at night then I'll turn it on, but usually by this time of year it's not necessary because the nights are starting to get really cool. However, Dave said that in order to keep the humidity down in my apartment to prevent mold from setting in, I need to keep the AC on all day and night for the next several WEEKS! So, this will be an interesting change of atmosphere in my apartment. :)

Anyway, of course this happened in the middle of our evangelism weekend. We have a pastor visiting from Seattle (Rafael Gradilla). He's Mexican, but he lives and pastors in Seattle. He's been down here before, but it was before my time. I am really enjoying his preaching. Last night he did a service just for the church on leadership and the blessings and responsibilities that holds for us if we are faithful in the little.

Today we had an evangelistic service in the NEW CHURCH facility!!!! It is the first time we've had any events in that facility. It's not anywhere near to being finished. There isn't even a roof on the sanctuary yet. But we just got electricity this week, and the sanctuary floor and platform are completed (in Feb and March), so we had what we needed to do this. Tonight the sermon was on "Excellency of the name of Jesus Christ". It was GREAT! And the ministry time after both services was such a welcome time. The Lord is working! It's neat to hear stories, and it's neat to be ministered to for once in a great while!

Tomorrow morning at our Sunday service, the pastor will preach again, this time on "Living under the filling and guidance of the Holy Spirit." I'm excited to hear it. This is reviving type stuff. And there were a ton of people who came forward tonight to receive Christ or to receive prayer for their needs.

Keep us in prayer the rest of this weekend please, and especially going into the next weeks and months as that's when the spiritual high starts to where off and the rubber starts meeting the road!

And please pray AGAINST mold in my apartment because once that sets in, it's really difficult to really get rid of it!

It's Tough...

...watching your friends struggle and suffer and not being able to do anything for them to fix it and make it all better. I get that from my dad, I think...being a "fix-er". It's something the Lord has been working on me about for many years now: learning how to stop trying to do His job in the lives of others. But I'm not sure it ever gets easier. Sure, each time the Lord tries me in it, (hopefully) I come out the other side better able to step back and let Him be the sovereign, omniscient, perfectly Good God that He is in the lives of those I love. But nowhere in the equation have I yet to find that learning how to do that better makes it any easier to watch my loved one suffer and struggle. I KNOW they have to do it for themselves, but that doesn't mean that I have to like that it is that way......or maybe that's part of the lesson too. I'm not sure, but suffice it to say that it has been a roller coaster couple of weeks being back here in Cofradia.

My closest friend is hurting and struggling just to come up for air in so many ways. One moment the horizon is bright and she sees the light at the end of the tunnel, and then a split second later it's GONE and she's nothing but a ball of pain and confusion. She doesn't do much crying about it yet. I'm sure she will at some point. But I've done my fair share already just watching the whole process.

It's that age-old battle between what we KNOW and what we FEEL. They don't always match, and in those instances, I know that I need to choose what I KNOW, but what I FEEL often seems so much more powerful and convincing. Of course, that's the exact same battle she faces moment by moment herself. If I'M struggling in that battle (and it's not even my struggle), then how am I supposed to help her? I know that it's only the Lord that makes that work somehow, but wow is it hard!

Just keep praying folks. Just keep praying.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ... My eyes and my heart will always be there." ~2 Chronicles 7:14-15, 16b

Creativity Keeps Going...

So, one of the cool features that Sandy's new camera offers is the ability to superimpose one picture on top of another inside the camera. This feature then allows you to control the level of transparency of both photos. It's a really cool feature. So, here are Sandy's first attempts at using this feature. They came out pretty cool, if you ask me!

The Day of the Dead

So, it is November 1. In the US, today isn't anything special, except for the fact that every child in the country is on a major sugar high that seems to stretch into oblivion for the amount of candy that awaits them still in bags, drawers, freezers, etc.

In Mexico, however, today and tomorrow, November 2, are holidays. There are no classes in school tomorrow, and there are customs and rituals that are followed these two days. Yahoo happened to link to an article today about the Day of the Dead. So, I thought I would post it here. This article can be found at the following link:

http://mujerdehoy.telemundo.yahoo.com/articulos/casayjardin/65/everythin

Enjoy the read!!

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Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know about the Day of the Dead...
...but Have Been too Afraid to Ask
By: Stephanie Ozaeta

Traditionally, Latinos are notoriously famous for being very involved with their close-knit families. It should come as no surprise then that in Mexico and several places throughout Latin America there is a special holiday set aside to honor the memories of the loved ones that have passed on.

The Day of the Dead. Hearing the name of this traditional Mexican holiday for the first time can cause chills to creep up anyone's spine. Upon closer examination of its origins and traditions, realization sinks in that it's actually quite a beautiful concept and only slightly creepy.

Why is it the Day of the Dead?

El día de los muertos is a time when families get together to honor the memories of the loved ones that are no longer with them. Rituals honoring the deaths of ancestors have been observed in civilizations around the globe since pre-Colombian times. Many cultures believe that death is a special occasion as a person's soul is passing into the afterlife. This is a happy time for some as they believe that their loved ones are moving on to a better place.

The Day of the Dead Isn't Really Just One Day

Traditionally, El día de los muertos is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November. Why these dates? They were chosen so that this pagan celebration could coincide with the Catholic holidays that fall on those days, All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Children are usually honored on November 1st, with grownups being honored on the 2nd. The holiday is celebrated in different ways throughout Mexico, so in some communities, the festivities begin as early as October 28th and last until November 3rd.

Symbols and offerings

The festivities of the Day of the Dead are planned throughout the year. Families gather goods to give in offering to their loved ones during the celebration. These ofrendas are taken to the cemetery and placed on the graves along with flowers and other decorations. The orange marigold flower is the most commonly-used symbol for this day. These flowers are thought to attract the souls of the dead to the offerings, causing them to be commonly known as Flor de Muerto, or "Flower of the Dead."

Traditionally, toys are brought to the cemeteries as offerings to deceased children. Bottles of Tequila, Mezcal and Pulque, traditional Mexican liquors, are common offerings left on the graves of adults. Pillows and blankets are also traditionally left out so that the spirits can rest their weary heads from their long journey.

Food offerings and altars

The cemetery isn't the only place where offerings are left. Most homes also erect altars where relatives can leave food offerings like sugar skulls, candied pumpkins and pan de muerto, a special seasonal bread. Why food offerings? Many believe that the spirits of the dead nourish themselves with the essence of the foods they receive as offerings. While the celebrators consume the food once the festivities are done, they believe that their loved ones have already taken all its sustenance, leaving the food devoid of nutritional value.

Getting back to the altars, they are commonly decorated with a cross and a statue or picture of the Virgin Mary to tie the celebration into the Catholic faith. Pictures of the deceased are other common decorations on an altar as well as a myriad of candles. Many families gather at the altar during the celebration to pray and share fond memories they have of their loved ones. Government entities and public schools throughout Mexico set up small altars in their facilities as well because El día de los muertos is one of the most culturally-significant holidays on the Mexican calendar.

Calaveritas

Another common tradition associated with the Day of the Dead is the creation of Calaveritas. People throughout Mexico show off their writing skills and create short poems commemorating their deceased loved ones. These poems are mock epitaphs that honor their memories and actions. National newspapers and magazines create their own calaveritas as well as cartoons making light of political figures.

So now that you've learned a bit more on the Day of the Dead, what are your thoughts on this holiday?