Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Adventure of the Flu
Click on over to my wordpress site to find out how our trip to the mountains for Christmas went and how we had a somewhat different adventure than the one we expected!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Life on Tochtli Street
We were recently offered another house to rent here in Puebla and we considered it, since our current house is a bit tight for our family of six (plus dog, turtle and snail). But as I began thinking about moving to a different neighborhood, I realized how much we've made a home here on Tochtli Street and how much I would really hate to leave!
Within one or two blocks from our house, we have at least three little neighborhood stores that sell anything from diapers to candy to onions and tomatoes. Prices are a little higher than at the bigger stores, but in a pinch, it's handy to have somewhere to buy a liter of milk or a half a kilo of eggs when we suddenly run out. We also have a papelería two streets over...I have not visited the papelería, but they sell things like paper products, pens, pencils, wrapping paper and they also make copies. Again, probably a little more expensive than a larger store, but nice to have in the neighborhood as well. Other businesses in the neighborhood include estéticas (beauty shops), at least one lavandería (laundromat), a little gift shop and several houses on our street cook and sell tacos and other yummy Mexican antojitos (cravings, literally) most evenings.
We're getting to know a lot of the neighbors (and their children!). The neighbors that live in the tall white house next door invited us to eat at their house a few weeks ago and we enjoyed spending some time with them. They have an amazing house! One thing that was really interesting was the large round window that separates their garage area from the living room area on the ground floor...I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before and it is really cool. That top floor is a laundry room and the second floor has a really amazing play room. They showed us how they installed glass stairs and hallways on the different floors so that the light comes down from the fourth floor all the way to the kitchen on the ground floor! It is very common for people to add on to their houses since the original houses are very small. This is an example of how a small house on a small lot can be turned into a very large house with a little creativity!
We don't see these particular neighbors a whole lot, we usually just greet them as we pass in the street. Their kids are very nice, but unfortunately don't play outside with the other kids very much so our kids haven't had much opportunity to make friends with them. The other day, however, this neighbor's truck wouldn't start, so Miguel helped him find the problem. We always like to look for ways to be good neighbors by helping out whenever we can.
Across the street from us there is a carpenter who has made a shop in his carport. This is very common, we've seen many 'home carpenter' shops around. He used to live a few houses down, but had to store all of his tools away every night since that house didn't have a front gate/fence. Now they live in this house a few doors down with a gate, which is much more convenient for them, I'm sure. The carpenter works all hours of the day and night and we often hear him still hammering at 10 p.m. or so! Good thing he doesn't live next door to us! Miguel has helped the carpenter deliver his finished pieces several times since he doesn't have a vehicle and once lent him some money to buy some varnish so he could complete an order. One time his son had an ear ache, so we gave them some medicine for it.
Right next door to our house is a little kindergarten. Classes usually run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There are about 20 children who attend this school and they can make a lot of racket! Most of the time, however, there is no one there and it means that we can park our van right in front of both houses at night (our van is longer than the house is wide and doesn't fit in front of our house!). We used to park the van in our garage, but it is such a tight fit that now we just leave it outside. Many people park their cars outside at night and it doesn't seem to be a problem. On weekday mornings, we try to remember to move the van before 9 a.m. so that we don't block their gate when the kids start arriving.
Down the street, there is a lady who has a soft spot for animals. She is always rescuing dogs or cats and also has a lot of parakeets. If we want to have a conversation with her, we just ask her about her animals. She also feeds the pigeons and other birds that hang around the neighborhood.
There are some neighbors that haven't been as friendly, however, such as the family that lives about five houses down from us who never, ever greet us. They also drive their van down the street a little too quickly and we worry about the kids playing in the street sometimes. There is also a lady that lives across the street who allows her rather aggressive dog to run loose sometimes. This dog, named Lucky, has bitten Jojo and a few weeks ago also bit a friend who was here visiting Micah. When Miguel and our friend's mom went to confront the lady about it, she denied everything and then began to tell us about all the bad things our kids have supposedly done to her house and car. She even threatened to take us to court, but I don't think she was serious, I think she was just defending herself and trying to deflect attention from the real issue. We have noticed that the dog hasn't been running free so much lately, so hopefully they will keep it restrained more in the future and we do hope we don't have any more problems with it!
Some other neighbors told us that this lady's older son is in jail for drugs and that her other son is a drug addict, which if true, is a very sad situation. Her son does like to have really loud parties and crank the music up sometimes. One weekend the music was on pretty much nonstop day and night. A week or so ago, we began hearing really loud music again and we thought it was coming from this house, but it turned out to be a seafood restaurant that opened up one street over. According to a Mexican friend, seafood restaurants have a fama (reputation) for playing their music really loud and this apparently attracts customers. We haven't heard the music so much this week, so maybe it was on to announce the grand opening.
Two doors down, on the other side of the kindergarten, is a family who is staying there temporarily while they wait for their house to be ready. They have a son who is about Gracia's age and our kids play with him often. Sometimes we've given him drinks or snacks and he often borrows our kids' bicycles and scooters. The other day, the dad talked with Miguel and told him how much they appreciated how kind we were to their son and that we had always treated them well. They offered to take Gracia to Irish dance classes at an Irish dance school that they and their older son own and they aren't charging us anything for the classes. So now Gracia goes to dance classes with them twice a week and is loving it!
Three doors down live our closest friends here on the block, Liberal and Gloria. We've spent quite a bit of time with them and celebrated New Year's Eve with them and their extended family.
When we travel, we leave some house keys for them so they can watch our house. Our kids often hang out at their house and they treat them like their own. Liberal and Gloria have both been an invaluable resource for us regarding Mexican culture, Mexican cooking, prices, places to go, interesting cultural events and even neighborhood issues. I often go visit Gloria and we keep an eye on the kids or enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee and talk about all kinds of things. I have really enjoyed connecting with Gloria and I hope that our friendship can continue for many years.
A few weeks ago, we started noticing a young man carrying around some American football equipment, which was interesting since American football is not very common here. It turns out that he lives at the end of the street and is the son of one of Gloria's good friends, Maribel. Miguel has struck up a friendship with this joven (young man) and we are getting him some much-needed football equipment from the U.S. since it is hard to find in this area. Maribel also has two younger boys who play with Jojo most afternoons.
Although our street is fairly quiet, there is quite a bit of movimiento (movement) every day...it begins around 6:30 a.m. with the bottled gas trucks making their rounds. Each truck has a unique alarm, song or sound to let their clients know that they are coming and it's always very loud! Throughout the day, there are other alarms or notifications of services, from the clanging bell that announces the trash to the drinking water trucks to the guy that rides by on his bicycle with a whistle (not sure exactly what he offers yet!) to the people selling tlacoyos (sort of a bean or pork rind stuffed tortilla), etc. Every night there is a man who comes by selling pastries who has a very unique (and loud) call/yell. There is also a little Volkswagon van that faithfully shows up around 10 p.m. at night with the same announcement playing on the loudspeaker every time offering healthy, home-cooked food. One night we happened to be out when it went by and we actually saw two little old ladies sitting inside cooking up the food!
Every morning when we walk the dog, we pass by this food stand located at the entrance to our neighborhood.
It is open Tuesdays through Sundays from about 7 a.m. to noonish. It is run by a neighbor lady and we've been making friends with her since we often buy her quesadillas. The corn dough is delivered fresh every morning and she has a griddle inside where she cooks the tortillas and gorditas and other items she makes to sell. Our favorite quesadilla comes with a shredded tomato/chicken sauce, boiled potatoes and string cheese. Each once costs 13 pesos, or about 90 cents. Our whole family can eat well for around 80 pesos or about 6$ USD if we don't buy drinks...delicious! Sometimes Miguel and I will sneak in a quesadilla or two in the mornings before the kids wake up...
We also like having the soccer fields so close to our house so that we can go walk the dog or throw his ball. There are two full-size soccer fields and two smaller fields in this huge empty lot. The kids like to go with us and ride their bikes or play while we exercise the dog. Many people from the neighborhood walk their dogs or exercise at the campos (the soccer fields) and we're beginning to recognize some of them. On Sundays the campos are really busy since a lot of soccer games and tournaments are played there on the weekends. If we buy quesadillas on Sundays, we like to get their early before the rush!
In the end, we decided not to take the other house, mostly because of it's location. It's all the way on the other side of the city and we prefer to stay on this side to be closer to our church and our friends.
And while I'd really love to have a bigger house, I think I'm rather relieved that for now, we'll stay in our little house here on Tochtli Street.
Our house is on the other side of
that tall white one.
Within one or two blocks from our house, we have at least three little neighborhood stores that sell anything from diapers to candy to onions and tomatoes. Prices are a little higher than at the bigger stores, but in a pinch, it's handy to have somewhere to buy a liter of milk or a half a kilo of eggs when we suddenly run out. We also have a papelería two streets over...I have not visited the papelería, but they sell things like paper products, pens, pencils, wrapping paper and they also make copies. Again, probably a little more expensive than a larger store, but nice to have in the neighborhood as well. Other businesses in the neighborhood include estéticas (beauty shops), at least one lavandería (laundromat), a little gift shop and several houses on our street cook and sell tacos and other yummy Mexican antojitos (cravings, literally) most evenings.
We're getting to know a lot of the neighbors (and their children!). The neighbors that live in the tall white house next door invited us to eat at their house a few weeks ago and we enjoyed spending some time with them. They have an amazing house! One thing that was really interesting was the large round window that separates their garage area from the living room area on the ground floor...I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before and it is really cool. That top floor is a laundry room and the second floor has a really amazing play room. They showed us how they installed glass stairs and hallways on the different floors so that the light comes down from the fourth floor all the way to the kitchen on the ground floor! It is very common for people to add on to their houses since the original houses are very small. This is an example of how a small house on a small lot can be turned into a very large house with a little creativity!
We don't see these particular neighbors a whole lot, we usually just greet them as we pass in the street. Their kids are very nice, but unfortunately don't play outside with the other kids very much so our kids haven't had much opportunity to make friends with them. The other day, however, this neighbor's truck wouldn't start, so Miguel helped him find the problem. We always like to look for ways to be good neighbors by helping out whenever we can.
I think it's the tallest house in the neighborhood
and it can be seen from blocks around.
Across the street from us there is a carpenter who has made a shop in his carport. This is very common, we've seen many 'home carpenter' shops around. He used to live a few houses down, but had to store all of his tools away every night since that house didn't have a front gate/fence. Now they live in this house a few doors down with a gate, which is much more convenient for them, I'm sure. The carpenter works all hours of the day and night and we often hear him still hammering at 10 p.m. or so! Good thing he doesn't live next door to us! Miguel has helped the carpenter deliver his finished pieces several times since he doesn't have a vehicle and once lent him some money to buy some varnish so he could complete an order. One time his son had an ear ache, so we gave them some medicine for it.
Right next door to our house is a little kindergarten. Classes usually run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There are about 20 children who attend this school and they can make a lot of racket! Most of the time, however, there is no one there and it means that we can park our van right in front of both houses at night (our van is longer than the house is wide and doesn't fit in front of our house!). We used to park the van in our garage, but it is such a tight fit that now we just leave it outside. Many people park their cars outside at night and it doesn't seem to be a problem. On weekday mornings, we try to remember to move the van before 9 a.m. so that we don't block their gate when the kids start arriving.
Down the street, there is a lady who has a soft spot for animals. She is always rescuing dogs or cats and also has a lot of parakeets. If we want to have a conversation with her, we just ask her about her animals. She also feeds the pigeons and other birds that hang around the neighborhood.
There are some neighbors that haven't been as friendly, however, such as the family that lives about five houses down from us who never, ever greet us. They also drive their van down the street a little too quickly and we worry about the kids playing in the street sometimes. There is also a lady that lives across the street who allows her rather aggressive dog to run loose sometimes. This dog, named Lucky, has bitten Jojo and a few weeks ago also bit a friend who was here visiting Micah. When Miguel and our friend's mom went to confront the lady about it, she denied everything and then began to tell us about all the bad things our kids have supposedly done to her house and car. She even threatened to take us to court, but I don't think she was serious, I think she was just defending herself and trying to deflect attention from the real issue. We have noticed that the dog hasn't been running free so much lately, so hopefully they will keep it restrained more in the future and we do hope we don't have any more problems with it!
Some other neighbors told us that this lady's older son is in jail for drugs and that her other son is a drug addict, which if true, is a very sad situation. Her son does like to have really loud parties and crank the music up sometimes. One weekend the music was on pretty much nonstop day and night. A week or so ago, we began hearing really loud music again and we thought it was coming from this house, but it turned out to be a seafood restaurant that opened up one street over. According to a Mexican friend, seafood restaurants have a fama (reputation) for playing their music really loud and this apparently attracts customers. We haven't heard the music so much this week, so maybe it was on to announce the grand opening.
Two doors down, on the other side of the kindergarten, is a family who is staying there temporarily while they wait for their house to be ready. They have a son who is about Gracia's age and our kids play with him often. Sometimes we've given him drinks or snacks and he often borrows our kids' bicycles and scooters. The other day, the dad talked with Miguel and told him how much they appreciated how kind we were to their son and that we had always treated them well. They offered to take Gracia to Irish dance classes at an Irish dance school that they and their older son own and they aren't charging us anything for the classes. So now Gracia goes to dance classes with them twice a week and is loving it!
Three doors down live our closest friends here on the block, Liberal and Gloria. We've spent quite a bit of time with them and celebrated New Year's Eve with them and their extended family.
Liberal and Gloria with a Mexican dish cooked
in a traditional clay pot.
When we travel, we leave some house keys for them so they can watch our house. Our kids often hang out at their house and they treat them like their own. Liberal and Gloria have both been an invaluable resource for us regarding Mexican culture, Mexican cooking, prices, places to go, interesting cultural events and even neighborhood issues. I often go visit Gloria and we keep an eye on the kids or enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee and talk about all kinds of things. I have really enjoyed connecting with Gloria and I hope that our friendship can continue for many years.
A few weeks ago, we started noticing a young man carrying around some American football equipment, which was interesting since American football is not very common here. It turns out that he lives at the end of the street and is the son of one of Gloria's good friends, Maribel. Miguel has struck up a friendship with this joven (young man) and we are getting him some much-needed football equipment from the U.S. since it is hard to find in this area. Maribel also has two younger boys who play with Jojo most afternoons.
Although our street is fairly quiet, there is quite a bit of movimiento (movement) every day...it begins around 6:30 a.m. with the bottled gas trucks making their rounds. Each truck has a unique alarm, song or sound to let their clients know that they are coming and it's always very loud! Throughout the day, there are other alarms or notifications of services, from the clanging bell that announces the trash to the drinking water trucks to the guy that rides by on his bicycle with a whistle (not sure exactly what he offers yet!) to the people selling tlacoyos (sort of a bean or pork rind stuffed tortilla), etc. Every night there is a man who comes by selling pastries who has a very unique (and loud) call/yell. There is also a little Volkswagon van that faithfully shows up around 10 p.m. at night with the same announcement playing on the loudspeaker every time offering healthy, home-cooked food. One night we happened to be out when it went by and we actually saw two little old ladies sitting inside cooking up the food!
Every morning when we walk the dog, we pass by this food stand located at the entrance to our neighborhood.
It is open Tuesdays through Sundays from about 7 a.m. to noonish. It is run by a neighbor lady and we've been making friends with her since we often buy her quesadillas. The corn dough is delivered fresh every morning and she has a griddle inside where she cooks the tortillas and gorditas and other items she makes to sell. Our favorite quesadilla comes with a shredded tomato/chicken sauce, boiled potatoes and string cheese. Each once costs 13 pesos, or about 90 cents. Our whole family can eat well for around 80 pesos or about 6$ USD if we don't buy drinks...delicious! Sometimes Miguel and I will sneak in a quesadilla or two in the mornings before the kids wake up...
We also like having the soccer fields so close to our house so that we can go walk the dog or throw his ball. There are two full-size soccer fields and two smaller fields in this huge empty lot. The kids like to go with us and ride their bikes or play while we exercise the dog. Many people from the neighborhood walk their dogs or exercise at the campos (the soccer fields) and we're beginning to recognize some of them. On Sundays the campos are really busy since a lot of soccer games and tournaments are played there on the weekends. If we buy quesadillas on Sundays, we like to get their early before the rush!
In the end, we decided not to take the other house, mostly because of it's location. It's all the way on the other side of the city and we prefer to stay on this side to be closer to our church and our friends.
And while I'd really love to have a bigger house, I think I'm rather relieved that for now, we'll stay in our little house here on Tochtli Street.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
First Christmas in Puebla
We weren't sure what to expect our first Christmas in Puebla, but God blessed us with a very special experience with our friends Juan Carlos and Monica. We've spent a bit of time with our new friends in the last month and have enjoyed getting to know them.
Just about when we'd decided we'd be spending our first Christmas here alone (and without an oven! yikes.), Juan Carlos and Monica dropped by our house one night last week to invite us to eat Christmas dinner with them. We were thrilled (and not just because they were planning to have turkey...honest)! Christmas is about spending time with family and friends...with no family close, spending it with friends like Juan Carlos and Monica is just as special for us.
In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th and Christmas dinner is usually eaten sometime during the evening, usually late. So we spent Saturday preparing the food for dinner that night...I made Venezuelan pan de jamón (ham bread) and Grandma Ople's Applie Pie (you can go here to see pictures of the process).
Once the food was ready, we went to their church for a Christmas Eve service. It was kinda hard to leave all that yummy food behind for a while, but we consoled ourselves with a little snack and the anticipation of the feast to come.
Finally, we headed back home and it was time to eat! And being that we are in Mexico, of course we had to have some rajas (jalapeño strips, carrots and onion in vinegar sauce) to accompany our meal!
After supper, all the kids went out to light their giant sparklers, apparently also a Christmas tradition in Mexico. We bought ours at a stoplight on our way to church and saw many people selling them at each intersection we went through.
After a brisk round of Manzanas Con Manzanas (Apples to Apples in Spanish!), we came home...it was 1:30 a.m. by the time we got everyone to bed. Then Miguel and I had to finish wrapping presents and preparing the stockings, so it was even later (or was that earlier?) by the time we got to sleep.
Naturally, the kids were wide awake by 7 a.m. ready to open their presents! Miguel refused to come down until at least 8:30, however, so I retold the Christmas story while we waited. Finally, he came down and our gift-giving began. We like to open the presents slowly, taking our time to enjoy each gift and this year, we had each gift-giver say something meaningful to the gift-receiver. At first it was a bit awkward for the kids, but by the end, they were enjoying it!
We tried to go to church on Sunday, but didn't last very long since the kids were falling asleep in their seats...so we came on home and rested for most of the afternoon. Then we went back to Juan Carlos and Monica's house and had round two with the leftovers!
God is good to give us what we desire...fun and fellowship during our first Christmas here in Puebla.
Juan Carlos, Monica, Carlos and Alonso
Just about when we'd decided we'd be spending our first Christmas here alone (and without an oven! yikes.), Juan Carlos and Monica dropped by our house one night last week to invite us to eat Christmas dinner with them. We were thrilled (and not just because they were planning to have turkey...honest)! Christmas is about spending time with family and friends...with no family close, spending it with friends like Juan Carlos and Monica is just as special for us.
In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th and Christmas dinner is usually eaten sometime during the evening, usually late. So we spent Saturday preparing the food for dinner that night...I made Venezuelan pan de jamón (ham bread) and Grandma Ople's Applie Pie (you can go here to see pictures of the process).
Pan de jamón
Monica and I with the pies.
Once the food was ready, we went to their church for a Christmas Eve service. It was kinda hard to leave all that yummy food behind for a while, but we consoled ourselves with a little snack and the anticipation of the feast to come.
Finally, we headed back home and it was time to eat! And being that we are in Mexico, of course we had to have some rajas (jalapeño strips, carrots and onion in vinegar sauce) to accompany our meal!
After supper, all the kids went out to light their giant sparklers, apparently also a Christmas tradition in Mexico. We bought ours at a stoplight on our way to church and saw many people selling them at each intersection we went through.
After a brisk round of Manzanas Con Manzanas (Apples to Apples in Spanish!), we came home...it was 1:30 a.m. by the time we got everyone to bed. Then Miguel and I had to finish wrapping presents and preparing the stockings, so it was even later (or was that earlier?) by the time we got to sleep.
Naturally, the kids were wide awake by 7 a.m. ready to open their presents! Miguel refused to come down until at least 8:30, however, so I retold the Christmas story while we waited. Finally, he came down and our gift-giving began. We like to open the presents slowly, taking our time to enjoy each gift and this year, we had each gift-giver say something meaningful to the gift-receiver. At first it was a bit awkward for the kids, but by the end, they were enjoying it!
The kids with their stockings.
I made the kids some pillows...they loved them!
Miguel gave me a new cooking pot and I gave him some headphones, which he started using right away!
Love those Razorback pjs, Miguel!
We tried to go to church on Sunday, but didn't last very long since the kids were falling asleep in their seats...so we came on home and rested for most of the afternoon. Then we went back to Juan Carlos and Monica's house and had round two with the leftovers!
God is good to give us what we desire...fun and fellowship during our first Christmas here in Puebla.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Three Quarters of the Way
I wanted to write a post at about halfway, but yeah, that didn't happen. So here we are, at about three-quarters and that will have to do. What can I say, the time these last couple of weeks has literally sped by along with the miles since we left our house in the Village and began our pilgrimage.
The time we spent at the farm with Mom and Papa John was good, but I got sick with a weird cold/flu/allergy thing that kind of knocked me for a loop there...the kids enjoyed going to VBS and spending time in the creek. All too soon, though, the day came for us to leave...so here we are, all packed up.
We took two days to get out to Arizona, where we had the opportunity to ride the train up to see the Grand Canyon...that was an amazing adventure for our family and we highly recommend the experience!
First of all, there was a funny cowboy show complete with crazy shootouts and stuff. The kids got a ringside seat!
Then we boarded the train for the 2 hour ride north to the Canyon. The scenery was breathtaking in areas and we enjoyed some cowboy entertainment as well.
Once we got there, we had about 3 hours to explore and see what there was to see...of course, we wanted to do much more than we could ever possibly do in three hours, but oh well, maybe next time!
All too soon, it was time to meet back at the Grand Canyon Railway station for the ride home...but I confess to having a certain sense of relief at getting away from the edge of that abyss! Apparently, all that open space below me activated my vertigo AND my motherly instincts of protection for the kids because I felt not a little anxiety whenever they would get even remotely close to the edge!
One of the highlights of the trip home was spotting an elk among the pines...I wasn't able to snap a picture of it, but here is a photo of some of the beauty of the pine forest around the Canyon...and another view of the train...
The other highlight was getting 'robbed' by the same outlaws who had performed in the Wild West show that morning...this is how they get their tips!
After that, we got to go to camp! It was nothing but a blessing to attend the Pioneers Mid-Americas Region conference and meet our new coworkers in this region...some of them we already knew and found out that we have a lot of mutual friends with others...all in all, we felt welcome, included and valued as members of this group.
The kids also had a wonderful time and really fell in love with Mr. Billy and Miss Erika and the others who were there to help with the kids...they were also pretty excited to see Mr. Todd, who had been their leader at our orientation with Pioneers in Orlando! So here are some pictures from our time at camp...
Miguel ate a beetle! Ew!
Jkaile spent hours pursuing other beetle friends...the ones Miguel didn't eat.
Hanging out with friends...
Making silly faces...
Now THAT is a bad hair day!!!!
Gracia being her usual composed self...
I could, of course, go on and on, but since this post is getting long, I'll have to wait to tell about the next part of our trip...
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Kids
October 30th was Micah's 10th birthday!
It didn't work out to have a big party for him
this year, but he did have a couple of friends over
to play and one spent the night...here he
is with his new ripstik.
This last Saturday Gracia and about 30 other girls
got together for a tea party!
We shopped together for the Perfect Dress
and found one that we both loved.
The tea party was in honor of Gracia's friend Allison,
whose family are also missionaries from our church.
They are here at the Village for a few more weeks
and Allison's mom wanted her to have some
special memories to take back with her when they leave.
Jojo...always on the go!
Here he is learning how to ride a ripstik as well.
Since all of the other kids around here
were dressing up for Fall Festivals, we dug out our
costumes...Jkaile was thrilled with the knight costume.
Of course, then he went around whacking
everybody...
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Life, Interrupted
I heard a saying when I was in Bible School that went something like this..."a missionary has be ready to preach, pray or die at a moment's notice." In the choir, we added "sing" to that list when we were asked to sing on the spot more than one time. During the 15 moves our family made over the period of 2 1/2 years in 2006 to 2008, I added "move" to that growing list of things missionaries need to flexible about.
I had a plan for this summer and it didn't include moving! I mean, we always knew it was a possibility that the Bible School would decide to move a staff family in to this apartment to take over the dorm responsibilities. In fact, we are very much in favor of that plan since we see the need for onsight supervision and discipleship of the students that live here. Since we do not form part of the Bible school staff, we have been limited as to our involvement with the students in those areas.
Problem was, up until a couple of weeks ago, there didn't seem to be any possibility of change, so the announcement that we needed to give up our apartment by the end of July came as rather a surprise. We had hoped for a few months' notice to give us time to find another house and make ministry decisions.
It is what it is, however, and so we're accepting this as part of God's plan for us (since we know that this didn't take Him by surprise at all). In fact, we're thinking that maybe this is actually a push from God to get us moving in a different direcion altogether!
To give a little background on our situation, when we arrived in Mexico nearly two years ago, it was not necessarily a commitment to work here long-term. In fact, we'd made it clear to leadership that we were thinking to only stay for two to four years while we worked on three areas of our lives: 1) family stability (the move to Mexico being the15th move for us in 2 1/2 years), 2) unity in our marriage and 3) recovery for me.
We left Venezuela in June of 2007 with our family in pretty bad shape. The instability we'd had in our family life and ministry, the political situation in the country, and my pregnancy (I had been greatly affected by heat exhaustion) all combined to create an unhealthy family environment. The kids were actually exhibiting physical symptoms of anxiety and stress (Micah had a chronic choking feeling for months, Micah and Gracia were underweight and all three of them were highly insecure). Add to that disunity in our marriage and my struggles with emotional health and the pit we were in just got deeper and deeper. Already prone to and experiencing depression and exhaustion, I was all set up for the post-partem depression I went through after Jkaile was born in July of that year.
Looking back, I can see God's hand in moving us to a place where we could find healing for our family...first at our home church in Arkansas where we received the love and support of friends and family, counseling/medical attention and spiritual growth and secondly here to Mexico where we've had the blessing of living in the same house for nearly two years, the support of the mission community and the relationships we've built in a local Mexican church that has become like family for us.
Therefore, as we began looking around for another house to rent, Miguel began realizing that maybe our time here in Mexico is done. As we re-evaluated the goals we'd had of family stability, unity in our marriage, and recovery for me, we began to realize that while we haven't "arrived" (will never fully "arrive"?) in any of these three areas, we have certainly made significant progress in all three. Enough so that we are beginning to consider wider options for our family, even a transition to serving in another country.
You see, Miguel's deepest desire and longing is to work in a tribal church planting ministry...in the jungle. We tried to do that in Venezuela, but at that time in wasn't possible because of the situation in the country with the government ordering most missionaries to leave the tribal works and our family's state of being during that time. Tribal work has continued in Venezuela, but in a very limited form while restructuring of mission work has been taking place. It is obvious that Venezuelan churches have the responsibility of sending Venezuelan missionaries to take over the task of tribal church planting in areas where it is difficult or even impossible for foreign missionaries to serve.
After I found myself in such a deep pit three years ago (emotionally, spiritually and physically), however, I knew that it was not going to be possible for me to return to Venezuela. I had to make the very difficult decision to tell Miguel that I needed help (we all needed help!) and that for my health and the health of the family, we couldn't return to Venezuela as we'd planned. This created tremendous tension between Miguel and me, and yet for one of the first times in my life, I took a step towards taking care of myself. One of the main reasons I fell into that pit in the first place was that I didn't know how to take care of myself emotionally...I was raised in such a way as to feel that expressing my needs was somehow wrong or bad. I think Miguel struggles with the same issues as well...therefore, we had not been able to take care of our family's needs either and we all suffered for it. I had allowed bitterness and anger towards Miguel to build instead of seeking healthy ways of taking responsibility for my own problems and needs. While it is true that Miguel struggled to know how to take care of me and the kids, I needed to take responsibility for taking care of myself and my needs so that I could become the wife and mother that my family needs me to be.
During these last three years, I have come through my depression and am now seeing the end of that struggle. I will probably live with a tendency towards depression for the rest of my life on this earth, but now I know better how to prevent falling into that trap and how to climb out if I do fall again. I am learning how to take care of myself in every area of my life and am learning to live by God's grace and God's grace alone. I am currently meeting with a friend for counseling on how to set up a structured family life so that no matter where we are or what situation we find ourselves in, we won't be so prone to the chaotic family life that has characterized our family so far.
And Miguel and I? Well, we're doing better than we ever have before...we are more open to each other than we ever have. Unity no longer is a foreign concept to us; it is a reality that we are enjoying every day. We are at the place where I have been able to let Miguel know that I will honor his ministry decisions even if it means returning to Venezuela and he has let me know that if I am not in agreement or at peace with that decision, then he will not pursue that option. And let me tell you, I would not have thought that to be possible even just a few months ago...it's a beautiful gift that God has given us!
God has also been doing an interesting work in my life in another area that involves culture and culture awareness...one day a book was dropped into my life that has had an incredible impact on me. God used the message of this book on cross-cultural ministry and servanthood to convict and humble me. I began to realize that many (or at least a lot) of the conflicts that Miguel and I have had in our relationship can be attributed to my insensitivity to his culture...it's too much to go into here, but suffice it to say that I had been communicating arrogance and superiority in certain areas of my life without even realizing it. Not just to Miguel, but to my shame to other Latins as well. I credit the newfound unity and openness in my marriage (and other relationships) to the changes that God is making in me with regards to my increasing awareness of the importance that culture plays in relationships. As I've made obvious efforts to better understand Miguel and his culture, his trust in me has risen to new levels. And praise God, that has drawn us closer together than we've ever been before.
So all that to say that we really don't know what will happen or where God will lead us in the next few weeks and months! We haven't yet been able to meet with leadership and share about our thoughts and ideas since many are out of town during the summer break. I honestly can't say whether we're packing for a move to another house here in town or packing to leave Mexico. Miguel would really like to return to Venezuela and work towards joining a tribal church planting team there (something that would be easier for our family since the kids and I are all Venezuelan citizens along with Miguel), but we are open to wherever God might lead (as I've reminded Miguel, there's a lot of jungle out there!).
To be honest with you, I'm not jumping up and down for joy at the thought of leaving Mexico...frankly, it would be more comfortable to stay. Neither am I all too thrilled at the thought of returning to Venezuela...there would be many challenges for our family there and I have to admit to some serious concerns. And yet what I am excited about is the adventure that God has waiting for us right around the corner. As His plan unfolds for us, I know that it will be perfect. I am throwing myself in God's hands and trusting Him to take care of me every step of the way. My heart is ready to accept what God has planned for us, even if it means making some pretty big sacrifices on my part. Not sacrificing things that shouldn't be sacrificed, obviously, but I'm talking about sacrificing things like selfish desires for comfort. And I have seen God's hand preparing me to identify with Miguel's people and the challenges facing them during these difficult times, if that is what God is asking me to do. If not, then I will be just as ready to identify with whatever culture we find ourselves in order to become true cross-cultural servants. I consider it a great privelege to be allowed to serve God in this way.
So yeah, a lot going on with us these days...just reading this over again is such a testimony to me of God's love and faithfulness. I do not feel worthy of His grace and yet that's just it, it is not ME, but CHRIST IN ME that is worthy. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. Amen.
Okay, gotta go...Mexico is playing Argentina in an important World Cup soccer match and the game is about to start!
¡Viva México! ¡Sí se puede!
I had a plan for this summer and it didn't include moving! I mean, we always knew it was a possibility that the Bible School would decide to move a staff family in to this apartment to take over the dorm responsibilities. In fact, we are very much in favor of that plan since we see the need for onsight supervision and discipleship of the students that live here. Since we do not form part of the Bible school staff, we have been limited as to our involvement with the students in those areas.
Problem was, up until a couple of weeks ago, there didn't seem to be any possibility of change, so the announcement that we needed to give up our apartment by the end of July came as rather a surprise. We had hoped for a few months' notice to give us time to find another house and make ministry decisions.
It is what it is, however, and so we're accepting this as part of God's plan for us (since we know that this didn't take Him by surprise at all). In fact, we're thinking that maybe this is actually a push from God to get us moving in a different direcion altogether!
To give a little background on our situation, when we arrived in Mexico nearly two years ago, it was not necessarily a commitment to work here long-term. In fact, we'd made it clear to leadership that we were thinking to only stay for two to four years while we worked on three areas of our lives: 1) family stability (the move to Mexico being the15th move for us in 2 1/2 years), 2) unity in our marriage and 3) recovery for me.
We left Venezuela in June of 2007 with our family in pretty bad shape. The instability we'd had in our family life and ministry, the political situation in the country, and my pregnancy (I had been greatly affected by heat exhaustion) all combined to create an unhealthy family environment. The kids were actually exhibiting physical symptoms of anxiety and stress (Micah had a chronic choking feeling for months, Micah and Gracia were underweight and all three of them were highly insecure). Add to that disunity in our marriage and my struggles with emotional health and the pit we were in just got deeper and deeper. Already prone to and experiencing depression and exhaustion, I was all set up for the post-partem depression I went through after Jkaile was born in July of that year.
Looking back, I can see God's hand in moving us to a place where we could find healing for our family...first at our home church in Arkansas where we received the love and support of friends and family, counseling/medical attention and spiritual growth and secondly here to Mexico where we've had the blessing of living in the same house for nearly two years, the support of the mission community and the relationships we've built in a local Mexican church that has become like family for us.
Therefore, as we began looking around for another house to rent, Miguel began realizing that maybe our time here in Mexico is done. As we re-evaluated the goals we'd had of family stability, unity in our marriage, and recovery for me, we began to realize that while we haven't "arrived" (will never fully "arrive"?) in any of these three areas, we have certainly made significant progress in all three. Enough so that we are beginning to consider wider options for our family, even a transition to serving in another country.
You see, Miguel's deepest desire and longing is to work in a tribal church planting ministry...in the jungle. We tried to do that in Venezuela, but at that time in wasn't possible because of the situation in the country with the government ordering most missionaries to leave the tribal works and our family's state of being during that time. Tribal work has continued in Venezuela, but in a very limited form while restructuring of mission work has been taking place. It is obvious that Venezuelan churches have the responsibility of sending Venezuelan missionaries to take over the task of tribal church planting in areas where it is difficult or even impossible for foreign missionaries to serve.
After I found myself in such a deep pit three years ago (emotionally, spiritually and physically), however, I knew that it was not going to be possible for me to return to Venezuela. I had to make the very difficult decision to tell Miguel that I needed help (we all needed help!) and that for my health and the health of the family, we couldn't return to Venezuela as we'd planned. This created tremendous tension between Miguel and me, and yet for one of the first times in my life, I took a step towards taking care of myself. One of the main reasons I fell into that pit in the first place was that I didn't know how to take care of myself emotionally...I was raised in such a way as to feel that expressing my needs was somehow wrong or bad. I think Miguel struggles with the same issues as well...therefore, we had not been able to take care of our family's needs either and we all suffered for it. I had allowed bitterness and anger towards Miguel to build instead of seeking healthy ways of taking responsibility for my own problems and needs. While it is true that Miguel struggled to know how to take care of me and the kids, I needed to take responsibility for taking care of myself and my needs so that I could become the wife and mother that my family needs me to be.
During these last three years, I have come through my depression and am now seeing the end of that struggle. I will probably live with a tendency towards depression for the rest of my life on this earth, but now I know better how to prevent falling into that trap and how to climb out if I do fall again. I am learning how to take care of myself in every area of my life and am learning to live by God's grace and God's grace alone. I am currently meeting with a friend for counseling on how to set up a structured family life so that no matter where we are or what situation we find ourselves in, we won't be so prone to the chaotic family life that has characterized our family so far.
And Miguel and I? Well, we're doing better than we ever have before...we are more open to each other than we ever have. Unity no longer is a foreign concept to us; it is a reality that we are enjoying every day. We are at the place where I have been able to let Miguel know that I will honor his ministry decisions even if it means returning to Venezuela and he has let me know that if I am not in agreement or at peace with that decision, then he will not pursue that option. And let me tell you, I would not have thought that to be possible even just a few months ago...it's a beautiful gift that God has given us!
God has also been doing an interesting work in my life in another area that involves culture and culture awareness...one day a book was dropped into my life that has had an incredible impact on me. God used the message of this book on cross-cultural ministry and servanthood to convict and humble me. I began to realize that many (or at least a lot) of the conflicts that Miguel and I have had in our relationship can be attributed to my insensitivity to his culture...it's too much to go into here, but suffice it to say that I had been communicating arrogance and superiority in certain areas of my life without even realizing it. Not just to Miguel, but to my shame to other Latins as well. I credit the newfound unity and openness in my marriage (and other relationships) to the changes that God is making in me with regards to my increasing awareness of the importance that culture plays in relationships. As I've made obvious efforts to better understand Miguel and his culture, his trust in me has risen to new levels. And praise God, that has drawn us closer together than we've ever been before.
So all that to say that we really don't know what will happen or where God will lead us in the next few weeks and months! We haven't yet been able to meet with leadership and share about our thoughts and ideas since many are out of town during the summer break. I honestly can't say whether we're packing for a move to another house here in town or packing to leave Mexico. Miguel would really like to return to Venezuela and work towards joining a tribal church planting team there (something that would be easier for our family since the kids and I are all Venezuelan citizens along with Miguel), but we are open to wherever God might lead (as I've reminded Miguel, there's a lot of jungle out there!).
To be honest with you, I'm not jumping up and down for joy at the thought of leaving Mexico...frankly, it would be more comfortable to stay. Neither am I all too thrilled at the thought of returning to Venezuela...there would be many challenges for our family there and I have to admit to some serious concerns. And yet what I am excited about is the adventure that God has waiting for us right around the corner. As His plan unfolds for us, I know that it will be perfect. I am throwing myself in God's hands and trusting Him to take care of me every step of the way. My heart is ready to accept what God has planned for us, even if it means making some pretty big sacrifices on my part. Not sacrificing things that shouldn't be sacrificed, obviously, but I'm talking about sacrificing things like selfish desires for comfort. And I have seen God's hand preparing me to identify with Miguel's people and the challenges facing them during these difficult times, if that is what God is asking me to do. If not, then I will be just as ready to identify with whatever culture we find ourselves in order to become true cross-cultural servants. I consider it a great privelege to be allowed to serve God in this way.
So yeah, a lot going on with us these days...just reading this over again is such a testimony to me of God's love and faithfulness. I do not feel worthy of His grace and yet that's just it, it is not ME, but CHRIST IN ME that is worthy. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. Amen.
Okay, gotta go...Mexico is playing Argentina in an important World Cup soccer match and the game is about to start!
¡Viva México! ¡Sí se puede!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Busy Busy Busy Days!
May was a Busy Month! Besides the two birthdays, there were the odds and ends of school activities...this year, Barb, the kindergarten teacher, had all the kinders and any moms who wanted to join them out to her house for a swim party!
Barb, our hostess
(side note...Barb taught me in 3rd grade
at the MK school in Colombia before spending
quite a few years in the Philippines! She has now
spent several years here in Mexico teaching
MKs, some of whom are children of
former students, like Jojo!)
The pool was small, but lots of fun!
Then there was the Awards Ceremony and Graduation Day for Binimea, our MK school.
The 1st and 2nd grade class performed a song
they learned in Music Class. Gracia was quite nervous,
but did very well!
Gracia receiving an award for Bible memorization. (yes,
everyone is looking at me waiting for me to take the picture).
She received the Reading Award as well for reading
at least one book very six weeks
over the course of the school year.
Micah also received several awards for Bible memorization,
Bible reading (he read the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke),
and the Reading Award for reading 20 books over the course
of the school year.
JD received a letter for playing on the basketball team.
And while he did not receive other awards, I did want
to mention that he read 18 books during the school
year, which is way more than he usually reads!
We are proud of the hard work he did in his first
year at Binimea and his grades exceeded expectations!
Monday, April 12, 2010
A Heavy Heart
It was with a heavy heart that I received the news that one of my cousins on my dad's side had lost a son in a car accident. How do you grieve the loss of a child? My heart goes out to this family, they have seen a lot of trouble in their lives...I wish I could be there to bless and encourage them, but the best I can do is to add my name to some flowers together with my Mom and sisters and pray. A lot. It's hard to be away from family in times like these.
I think I'll be hugging my kids a bit closer tonight.
Obituary
Robert Wayne Hardee III, 4, Miami, OK passed into eternal rest April 9, 2010 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Robert Wayne Hardee III was born May 18, 2005 in Miami, OK. He attended House of Prayer Church in Fairland and the Miami Head Start.
Robert is survived by his mother Tamara Hardee of Miami and his father Robert Hardee II of Wyandotte; two sisters, Charletta Hardee and Vanessa Hardee both of the home; Maternal grandparents, Rex and Dianna Conduff, Seneca; Paternal grandparents, Robert and Phyllis Hardee Wyandotte; Maternal great-grandparents, Charles and Margie Terry, Seneca; a host of Aunts, Uncles and cousins.
Funeral services under the direction of Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca will be held 10:00 AM, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at the Campbell-Biddlecome Chapel with Pastor Leon Brickford and David Cox officiating. Burial will be in the Neosho Memorial Park Cemetery with Ricky Conduff, David Cox, Cody Cox and CA Terry officiating.
I think I'll be hugging my kids a bit closer tonight.
Robert Wayne Hardee III
ObituaryRobert Wayne Hardee III, 4, Miami, OK passed into eternal rest April 9, 2010 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Robert Wayne Hardee III was born May 18, 2005 in Miami, OK. He attended House of Prayer Church in Fairland and the Miami Head Start.
Robert is survived by his mother Tamara Hardee of Miami and his father Robert Hardee II of Wyandotte; two sisters, Charletta Hardee and Vanessa Hardee both of the home; Maternal grandparents, Rex and Dianna Conduff, Seneca; Paternal grandparents, Robert and Phyllis Hardee Wyandotte; Maternal great-grandparents, Charles and Margie Terry, Seneca; a host of Aunts, Uncles and cousins.
Funeral services under the direction of Campbell-Biddlecome Funeral Home, Seneca will be held 10:00 AM, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at the Campbell-Biddlecome Chapel with Pastor Leon Brickford and David Cox officiating. Burial will be in the Neosho Memorial Park Cemetery with Ricky Conduff, David Cox, Cody Cox and CA Terry officiating.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Fun at the Park
Last week, we joined up with a few families from our church at one of the biggest parks in the city, called the Ciudad Deportiva or "Sports City"...named so for all the sports facilities there, including racquetball, jogging, swimming, soccer, baseball, volleyball, basketball, weight gym, etc. But what we like the best is the shade and all that lush, green grass! A far cry from the dusty, bare ground found elsewhere in the city...
Jojo and Jkaile enjoying a 'round' of golf with
their friend Jesús...
their friend Jesús...
When you gotta go, you gotta go!
Jkaile wringing more fun out of his Easter eggs...
Gracia practicing to be a mommy...
This little girl is so cute, but very serious!
And this is the bird that pooped on my head! :(
Our friend Jesús with a typical Mexican snack...peanuts
with hot sauce...so soupy that it's eaten with
a spoon! I enjoy the peanuts, but usually pass on the sauce...
with hot sauce...so soupy that it's eaten with
a spoon! I enjoy the peanuts, but usually pass on the sauce...
Miguel, as usual, organizing the kids for a game...
Go for it, Gracia!
Monday, February 22, 2010
In Darkness Flickering
In Darkness Flickering
Amidst the roaring dark we fight
With straining muscles trembling.
With weary hands we hold the light
Our hope is ever dwindling.
Heroes all, against the dark
Yet now our might is crumbling.
Piercing darkness finds its mark
And down we fall now, stumbling.
The dark howls in to cut me down
Then halts above me, quivering.
It's held above me, out of reach
By palest glow still shimmering.
The smallest light holds back the dark
I feel my hope rekindling.
So courage glimmers like a spark
A light in darkness flickering.
Amidst the roaring dark we fight
With straining muscles trembling.
With weary hands we hold the light
Our hope is ever dwindling.
Heroes all, against the dark
Yet now our might is crumbling.
Piercing darkness finds its mark
And down we fall now, stumbling.
The dark howls in to cut me down
Then halts above me, quivering.
It's held above me, out of reach
By palest glow still shimmering.
The smallest light holds back the dark
I feel my hope rekindling.
So courage glimmers like a spark
A light in darkness flickering.
Written by my nephew, Kenny Bruce..remember the 5Ks? Kenny is a very talented young man who is currently attending New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, WI.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Kevin in Haiti
This is my sister Kathy and family...the 5Ks, we call them. Kevin, Kathy, Kenny, Keilah, and Kimberly. They work with Liebenzell mission in Ecuador with the Awa tribe. You can read more about their adventures here. Kevin wrote a bit more about his trip here. Right now, the 5Ks are on their furlough in New Hampshire.
Kevin and some guys from his church in NH spent a few
days in Haiti helping a pastor with his house.
So neat that he could go help out!
days in Haiti helping a pastor with his house.
So neat that he could go help out!
Handing out food bags.
Kevin said this man knew quite a bit of Spanish
so they could talk!
so they could talk!
Children at the orphanage.
A damaged church building.
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