Missionaries Get Spring Break Too!

This week, after the pastors’ conference, we ALL had a break. Not only from work at Global, but also from extra activities at church. I took advantage of the week off, and caught up on sleep the first two days.

Wednesday, I took a day trip by myself to Guanajuato to go to a few museums that I hadn’t been to during language classes, to hang out with the few people from school that I know who were still there, and to have lunch with my GTO family. It was quite fun!

The next days, I hung out in Querétaro with the ladies from my team and we also did a major cleaning job at Global. It was loooong overdue.

Saturday, I got to go to an aquatic park with the Kreveres, Jenn, Checo, and Alan. There wasn’t a lot to do at the park, but sitting around a pool snacking was great for me!!

Me, Micaiah, and Jenn at the water park

Checo, Micaiah, and Jenn in the wave pool

Emil came to QRO on Saturday night, and we went to church and to explore QRO on Sunday.

The arches of the Queretaro aquaduct

Me with Benito Juarez. If you look at a picture of him and of my great-grandpa, you know my family is indiginous of North America!

And that concludes my spring break! It was fun, and I am really ready to jump back into activities at Global and Horizonte! (We planned a few special activities for Global yesterday, and one that I am really excited about is the ‘70’s night. We are renting black lights and a disco ball, and I have a really wretched brown and orange dress to wear… more to come about that in May!)

Three Months, Twenty Days of Good Intestinal Health

I can no longer say that I’ve never been “stomach sick” in Mexico. From the day I came here (Jan. 5) until Sunday, I had perfect intestinal health here, even the times I came for a week in high school! Alas, my record is broken. I ate a HUUUUUUGE meal on Sunday after church, and it was really greasy too, and then Emil and I were walking around QRO, and I started to not feel so good. So we decided to go home. But I knew I wouldn’t have made it… I’m so glad there are lots of public restrooms in QRO Centro! That’s the first time I’ve puked in a public bathroom that I can remember too. Thankfully, I was only sick that evening, and only for a couple hours!

Easter

After the long week/weekend at church, we met again at 6am on Easter Sunday for sunrise service. I actually had to crack out a winter coat, it was cold that early! I think I am just getting used to hot weather though…

I went to Julian and Whitney’s for dinner. There were several other people from church there too…

The girls - Micaiah, Nadia, Gaby, Lluvia, Jenn, Whitney, and me

The guys - Justin, Julian, Adiel, and Gerardo

Now I am ready for a bit of relaxing. Wednesday I am planning to go to either Guanajuato, Tequisquiapan, or San Luis Potosi for a little one-day trip out of QRO. The café is still closed this week as well, but we need to do some major cleaning. I think this should be a less eventful week than last – good before jumping into café life again!

Church Camp for Adults

It should be mandatory!!

This past weekend, we had a pastors conference at my church for all the pastors and staff members of Calvary Chapel churches in Mexico and the Hispanic churches in the States. It started on Thursday evening, and ended Saturday afternoon. It was a great time of hearing reports from the various churches represented, singing, meeting new people, and eating free meals. Hehe! Gaby and I had two girls my age from Merida Yucatan stay at our home those days. They were cool. I met a lady from Vancouver Washington who now lives in Cuernavaca Mexico, as well as many people from Ensenada, Tijuana, Merida, Mexico City, and lots of other places. The people from Baja Norte (right south of California) and Merida (somewhat close to Central America) traveled 30 hours by BUS to get to QRO. Wow. Anyone who wanted to was welcome to stay free of charge in QRO church members’ homes. All the food was provided by our church members – almost everyone pitched in to buy something, making the cost of food and lodging FREE for all. Next year the conference will be in Aguascalientes, a city about 3 hours north of here. I totally plan on going – we only have to pay for the cost of transportation!!

Noemi, me, and Lupita from Merida qho stayed at our house

The band from Merida (minus two members who left early, plus one queretano)

And, not that many people if anyone who reads this blog will know what I am talking about, but, FERMIN CUARTO was at out conference!!!!! I had no idea, but he is the pastor of Semilla de Mostaza Church in Mexico City – yes, the Semilla de Mostaza that has several CDs, it’s like the Willow Creek or Saddleback Church of Latin America. For those of you who don’t know, Fermin IV is a musician who is pretty famous in Latin America – I’d guess 80% of Christians between the ages of 14 and 35 know of him, and lots of non-christians too. It was cool to meet him!

Needless to say, it had been a long week. Before the conference, we spent weeks (ok, so I spent just days) painting, remodeling, and cleaning Horizante. It was great to get to know more people from my church and form lots of other churches in the Republic.*

* Republic = the country of Mexico. When people here say “Mexico” they are most likely referring to Mexico City.

CLoWn$

A scary clown weasling his way into a picture of me and Gaby in downtown QRO. We were laughing so hard - hence the weird looks on our faces!

This Week In QRO...

Well, I seem to be unable to load photos onto this right now, so I'll have to save that for another day.

This week has been busy, but extremely good. Monday, Jennifer from Atlanta came to QRO - she is a college student who will be working with us for 2 months. I have been taking her around QRO so she can get orientated a bit. It's kind of hard to get to know where you're going here! We have also been working at Horizante church a lot this week, as today starts a 3 day pastors conference for all the Calvary Chapel Chruches in Mexico and the Hispanic USA churches. The conference was a good motivation to get people together to remodel, paint, and clean the church.

So today thru saturday is the conference. We're excited to be the hosting church, and we belive that it will be a time of blessing for Horizante and those who attend from all over!

¡Queretaro-o, E-es Mejor!

"Queretaro is the best", we hear on the radio/TV ever 5 minutes... exept in April-June when the temperatures reach 500 degrees and you live by a stagnant pond that is a breeding ground for the biggest mosquitoes EVER. Bug repelent works to fend of boil-sized bites, but it doen's make the mosquito-buzzing noise disappear. Yesterday we bought screen-fabric to hot-glue on the outside of our windows. Screens are expensive, and we are hoping to move this summer, so we're taking the "do-it-yourself" route. I'll be happily hanging screens this evening!

But really, I do like living here! There's lots to do, the people are friendly, I LOVE my job, my family is awesome, and the city is clean and beautiful!

Monday there's a girl named Jennifer coming to work with our team for 2 months. She's from Georgia. We are closing the Cafe for two weeks for Spring Break, so I'll be showing Jennifer around and stuff, and we'll also be helping prepare for the Pastor's conference next weekend.

We'll have at least one girl (besides me) from USA working with our ministry from now until the end of August! I'm pretty excited about that! We also have two short-term teams coming this summer - one small team of adults will be coming from North Point Community Church (our partner church in the U.S.) to help advise on a small group program for Horizante (my QRO church). A second team of 40 yes, FORTY! teenagers will be coming to spend time with the Horizante youth group and re-do our futbol field. So, I think we'll have PLENTY going on this summer, I'm looking forward to it!

A Pirate's Life for Me

Or, life with my Mexican family...

Gaby, my little sister had a school play on friday, and it was just about one of the funniest and cutest things ever! She goes to a bilingual school, and the play was in english. Each grade (1st -6th, Gaby is in 6th) did a short rendition of a Disney movie - Lion King, Jungle Book, Mary Poppins, Pirates of the Carribean...

Here are some fotos of the Pirates show - the one that Gaby was in:

Gaby and her good friend Cinderella.

I love living with foregin families!

Speaking of foreign families, my catracho family had 2 birthdays recently, Papi and Ronald. Delmer turned 52, and Ronald 20. I called them both on their birthdays, which is pleasantly not any more expensive to do here than from the States. Ronald is in seminary in Siguatapeque, and seems to be loving it! And, going home every weekend to see the family and special friend Ingrid! I also got to talk to Suyapa and Franklin on Delmer's birthday, that was wonderful! Suyapa is looking into how much it would cost to come to Mexico, and how easy/difficult it is to get a visa for here!!

So, this lovely picture of me is for the birthday boys!

No More Aussy Aussy Aussy Oi Oi Oi

Our Australian friend Phil left us this week to travel Mexico and return to the land down under.
Here is a bunch of friends in Global Grounds for Phil's going away party

Here we are in San Miguel. (Phil, me, Brisa, Lluvia, Justin, and Sergio)

And we are crazy too!

My Family in Mexico!

My parents came to visit me last week, they stayed for a week, and we travelled in Mexico CIty and Queretaro. Here are some pictures of our journeys.

Us in Teotihuacan

My parents in front of the Pyrimid del Sol

In front of the arches in QRO

Yes, this monkey in the Chapultapec zoo is posing for a picture

My dad and I in the Capitol Building

Me in front of the Chappultepec Castle

I enjoyed the time with my parents, and I think they did too! Now it´s back to the normal rutine, which I LOVE!

Family and Music!

I finally have a picture of my Mexican family! Here we are in our home. Gaby is the girl, she is 12. Gaby (yes two Gabys) is the mom. And Roberto is the boy, he is 15. They are great!!

Here are some pictures of our jam session night at Global Grounds:

Some of the staff brought their instruments, and anyone who wanted to could sing and/or play with them.

Here are all the people who participated in the musica nite!

Family Day At Church

Last Sunday we had a special day at church for “family day.” After the service, we had a potluck… and this is no normal potluck! There were VATS of pozole, my favorite Mexican soup that is meat broth with elote corn and meat, and you put lettuce, radishes, limon, and salsa in it. It’s eaten with tostadas with cream. The pozole that I tried was VERY traditional, it had chicharon de cara (skin from a pig face)! First time I had ever tried that! We also had pambazos (sandwiches of meat, lettuce, tomato, and mine had potato too, then the whole thing is dipped in hot sauce), and various meat dishes. Here would not be a good place to be a vegetarian! Haha! After the potluck, we had lots of crazy games, of which I have pictures below. It was really good, as I got to meet lots of people who I hadn’t met before!




I also started my first English class this week. I have three students so far, and possibly another three who will join next week. I have never taught an English class so far, so this will be an interesting experience!

G'Day Mate!

Yesterday, we had an "Australian Night" at Global Grounds, just as kind of a fun activity to meet people. Phil, from Australia, is working with us for 6 weeks, and so we thought of havinig Austrailia Night. Not a huge turnout, but there were about 8 people who we hadn't met before, and they had a good time and say they'll be coming back!

Here is our BBQ - a hot-plate outside the front of Global Grounds... which was funny to me as we are in a strip mall in the middle of the city, and there were were having a BBQ... hehehe! We "threw some shrimp on the barbie" along with sausages, as Phil said those are things they eat alot... (People in the picture: Justin, Phil, Lila, and Martin)

This is Phil with "VegiMite" a wretchedly salty vegetable and yeast spread that is like the national food of Australia.

Here we are playing a game

And here is our Australian football toss game.

It was great fun, and got to meet new people with whom we hope to build friendships!

Feliz Cumpleaños A Mi!!

So, last thursday was my 25th birthday!! I got phone calls from my mom and Apryl, and had a party at Global Grounds (the coffee shop we run here in Queretaro). The picture is of me taking my "mordida," it is traditional for the birthday person to take a bite out of the whole birthday cake before it is cut. It is also a tradition for people to shove you face into the cake as you take a bite! In the background is Lluvia trying to prevent her husband Justin from pushing my face into the cake. It didn't work! hahaha! I had a good birthday!!

More Photos of GTO...

Although I am now in Queretaro, I wanted to post my last pictures of my time in Guanajuato:

This is Pepe and Gloria, my Guanajuato parents

Here we have Toño and Alejandra (in the back), Claudia, Mariana, and Pepe. They are five of the six children who live in the house in GTO.

Here are most of the people who attended Don Quijote spanish school the last week I was there.

Here is a view down a mine shaft near GTO that I entered.

This is the street that I lived on in GTO, my window is on the right with the white bars on it. Notice the pizza delivery motorcycle, in front of my window... the building across the street from my home is a pizza place!!

This is Plaza Barratillo, where I passed through almost every day.

And, for those of you who don't speak spanish, this sign says "hell street." It is the street next to my house! hehe!

I Am Here!!

Hi! I have arrived in Queretaro! I don't have internet at home yet though, and I have no idea when I will get it, so I may be a little bit unavailable for the next couple of weeks. But I will check my email a few times a week. While you're thinking about me, if you could remember to pray for my finances, that would be great. My financial support account is looking fine, but I am unable to access my bank account and credit card for the past few days, and those are my ONLY two forms of recieving money! So I'm a bit stressed about that!

Not Again...

December 12th, 2005 - try to fit everything I own in a suitcase.

December 13-Jan 15 - Store almost everything I own in a suitcase, leaving a few pieces of clothing out to wear in Central America and Mexico.

January 16th 2006 - UNPACK everything I own! What a relief!!

February 16th 2006 - Fit everything in own in a suitcase AGAIN.

Can you tell that I'm really looking forward to packing all my junk this evening?!

Another Weekend In Mexico!

Here are some pictures of my second venture to Mexico City!

This is the Palacio Nacional, or the Capitol Building of Mexico

This is inside the Capitol Building, in the room where the Dipultados (like the House of Representatives) meet.

Here is me in the courtyard area of the Capitol

This is some of the remains of Tenochitlan, Aztec civilization that was where Mexico City is today. The Spaniards took apart the Aztec buildings and used the stones to build their own buildings. These ruins are right in the middle of Mexico City, next to the Capitol building. Underneath the Capitol is the remains of the governmental building of the Aztecs. Underneath the National Cathedral are the remains of the Aztec religous center. There are a few visible remains of Aztec ruins in the Capitol, but none is left in the church. The structure behind me used to be the main temple of Tenochitlan.

Here is what Tenochitlan looks like today. The Capitol building is at the left of the picture. The plaza behind me is called the Zocalo - most large cities in Mexico have a plaza called the Zocalo, it is the main plaza of the city where cultural events take place.

This is the Fine Arts building in Mexico City.

Here are the Central Americans and I at Parque Hundido (the sunken park) in Mexico City. We are: Raul & Nury (Hondurans), Ronald & MariaLuisa (Costa Ricans), and me (not sure what nationality I am! haha!)

Me, Nury, and MaLuisa with the "Valentine flowers" given to us as propaganda to vote for Beatriz for Mayor of Mexico City. The joke's on the people giving out the flowers - none of us can vote! hehe!

Emil and Kania (from Dominican Republic) with their prized U2 concert tickets for the concert in Mexico City. It's amazing that they got tickets, as they sold out in 3 hours after they went on sale! Getting the ticktes may have been a stretch to call it legal, but hey, they get to go!

Seattle

Nice effort my friends...
Maybe there will be a next year...

Fun People and Dead People

Here is my class at the language school here in Guanajuato! We are (back row): Roman (from Leon MX, one of our teachers); Katarina (from Helsinki Finland); Alice (from Prague Czech Republic); me; Michael (from Nashville, TN); Rojelio (from Cuernavaca MX, our grammar teacher); and Alice (from Brasilia Brasil) I LOVE my class!! We are crazy!

This is the view from the roof of my home here in Guanajuato, the statue is called the Pìpila, it is the image of a man who helped further the independence of Mexico from Spain.

And here we have one of the 100 mummies that are in a museum here. Something strange, all the americans and europeans I talked to who had gone to the museum said it was gross or horrible to see all the mummies. The Mexicans and Central Americans who have gone said I must see the mummy museum. So I went. I'm not easily grossed out, but it was pretty intense, most of the mummies are not clothed. The non-latinos in the museum were gasping a commenting on how awful it is to see the mummies, while the Latinos were posing the children in front of the mummy cases to take pictures of them. Just one more cultural observation from me. :-)

Football Fans...

Yes, I will be watching the Super Bowl on TV in Mexico this weekend. People here tell me that they really are interested in American football, and that they especially like the Super Bowl. We've got a little ways to go with NFL in this country though...

A lot of restaurants here have signs advertizing that you should come watch the Super Bowl at their establishment. And what a game it will be! One ice cream shop will be showing the Super Bowl between the Pittsburg Steelers and the Seatle Falcons. Another restaruant wants football fans to come and cheer on Detroit as the win the Bowl. I suppose it would be the same if gringos in the States were advertizing Mexican Soccer... But it made me laguh!