A Different Christmas

            This was a Christmas to remember. Traditions here are a little different. Christmas Eve is the big day and activities are centered around the Christmas Cena (Dinner) which is eaten after 9 PM. Often, the meals are elaborate. Mine was simple pasole con pollo eaten with friend Juan and his family in their tiny apartment. Pasole or pazole is a traditional type of greasy stew dating back thousands of years. It is made with corn (hominy) vegetables and meat. You dress your bowl with chopped cabbage, sliced radishes, chopped onions, cilantro and hot peppers to taste. The typical meat is pork, but I have eaten it with chicken (pollo), beef, tripe (chopped stomach, intestines, etc) and “con sangre” which is essentially boiled blood. That one was a challenge. I will miss the food here. Oaxaqueño (Oaxaca-style) food isn’t common in the Midwest.

Before dinner, I joined Juan and his family and attended the Christmas Eve mass at the Catholic Church. The house was packed wall to wall with worshipers. I was expecting the service to begin with a solemn hymn. I almost fell over when the priest led the procession up the aisle to the tune of Jingle Bells. I am sure there must be more appropriate words to their version of the song, but the words “jingle all the way” are quite permanently burned into my psyche.  

The steps of the altar were covered by baby Jesus statues. People brought them for the service. Many keep a permanent display in their homes. The church itself is dedicated to the virgin Guadalupe. There are numerous depictions of her on the walls. The ceiling contains what is claimed to be the largest painting in existence of her. It is a beautiful church.

Christmas day was anti-climatic. Things seemed very quiet. I spent an enjoyable day with other good friends at the house of Arturo. It will be a bittersweet memory. Although I enjoyed time spent with friends, the time was tainted by the knowledge that I soon may have to say good bye.  

This past week seemed like a month. I was kept busy and was blessed by several significant encounters and breakthroughs with people. It was very encouraging, but indicators seem to be pointing to my following Donna home sooner than later. I am keeping commitments already made and being cautious about making new ones I would only have to break soon. Leaving the friends I already have is going to be tough enough. 

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be looking at my options and considering what the next steps should be. There are lots of logistical issues to work out if I am to come home. Staying here for a longer-term presents another whole set of challenges. In the meantime, I am keeping productively busy and avoiding isolating.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!

This is was difficult blog post to write. Last week, Donna and I were looking forward to Christmas and New Year celebrations with each other and friends. On Friday, we used part of our day off to go the beach. We took a photo for our electronic Christmas card. The weather was great. The water was great. It was all good.

On Saturday, a recent and very difficult family situation took a turn for the worst. We quickly determined that it was necessary for Donna to return to the US as soon as possible so that she would be able to deal with it face to face rather than over the telephone and internet.

The plane ticket was purchased on Sunday morning and Donna was on a flight out of Mexico Monday afternoon. She will not likely be able to return until at least September, if ever. She was able to say good-bye to some of our friends. The rest will be very disappointed when I am able to catch up with them. I will be here solo until we sort out the next steps. Here is your opportunity to feel sorry for me. I’ll be here by myself for Christmas. Actually, don’t. I have plenty to keep me busy and good friends to keep me company.

Fortunately, due to sparse financial support from home, we had already been exploring our options in different scenarios. We have been living on my small pension and a little savings we had put together before coming here. We are getting very low on funds. Since we will now be splitting my pension between us, I may be forced to return as well within about two months. Donna will be looking for work to cover the balance of her living expenses and I will become very resourceful until it is time to leave if that is what will be. There will be a great testimony of God’s goodness no matter how this turns out.

We are thanking God for the sense of peace that He is giving us in our knowledge that He is in control and that we are in His capable hands. One of my favorite parts of the Bible is the book of Psalms. Recently I read Psalm 46.  Verses 1-3 say this, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.”  

There is more sadness and disappointment in the thought of leaving than I can describe. This has become a fruitful work and we have made some good friends. We can see so much more that could be accomplished. But I also have the thought that it is possible that if we were to remain, we would somehow stifle the small work which God has begun through us. Lives have been impacted and seeds have been planted. God is more than able to spark a purely indigenous work free of the influence and interference of a crazy type-A gringo.

This situation illustrates how quickly the unexpected can drastically interrupt and alter the course of our lives. With the sudden loss of a loved one or the unexpected loss of a job, we can be thrown into a tailspin from which we have difficulty recovering. Disasters usually come without much warning and our lives are never the same again. How good it is to know that no matter what comes our way, we can know that we are in God’s hands and nothing can snatch us away.  If you aren’t sure, ask me how you can be.

'Twas the Week Before Christmas. Plenty of Creatures!

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, creatures were stirring and none were a mouse. Spiders, scorpions and ants galore. Watch where you step, there's one on the floor. Iguanas and lizards right out the door. Who in their right mind wouldn't ask for more.

They have been putting a second story on a house in our neighborhood. Friday was the day they poured the roof. Almost all houses here are totally bricks, concrete and rebar including the roofs. This particular roof required 87 bags of cement at 50 lbs each (4,350 lbs) plus the aggregate (gravel), sand and the water used to mix it.

Heavy equipment consists of a gas-powered mixer and 5 gallon buckets filled with wet concrete. About 15 men, who form a bucket brigade, carry the filled buckets up a crude wooden ramp to what will be the second floor roof. The bucket is dumped and the man goes back down to get another. This process continues until the house has a roof. It is an interesting illustration of teamwork, hard work and persistence. Each individual bucket is insignificant to the total, but bucket by bucket the work is completed.

I don't like to share much of other peoples' business in the blog. I don't want to use them and their lives for self-promotion. However, this victory I feel led to share because it promotes God. The mother of someone we know was recently hospitalized with an abcessed kidney infection. She is also diabetic. Her blood sugar was way out of wack as well. She had been on intraveneous antibiotics. They decided to discharge her despite the persisting infection and the blood issues. The family was expecting a funeral. I had the opportunity to pray with her just as she was being discharged. She is a Christian and I know that others in her church were praying for her as well. Today, she is well. God healed her against medical reason. She should not have recovered.

As I was writing this, Donna felt something crawling up her leg. As you can imagine, it is a common occurrance because there are so many insects here. Ants of all colors and sizes are the most common. We also have to deal with tiny gnats which are almost too small to see. They love to feed on humans, especially Donna. They leave an itchy welt. This morning however, what she brushed from her leg to the floor was a scorpion about 1/16" long. It quickly met the end of my right index finger. It did not survive. Time to get out the bug spray!

Next week is the run up to Christmas. Neither of us feel the holiday spirit. The weather is Chicago-summer warm. Although some people do decorate a little and Christmas stuff has been in the stores for a month, it is not even a shadow of Christmas in the US. In a way, it is a bit of a blessing. We are missing the festive get togethers and food plus things like my son Jason's fudge, daughter Jessica's cookies and, most of all, spending time with family.

We had two invitations from friends for Christmas. We did not want to have to choose. We were relieved to find out that one was for Christmas Eve. Whew!! We accepted both. Then we discovered that the other was Eve as well. We have since learned that "Christmas" means Christmas Eve. Gaahhhh!!!!!! Christmas Day is for sleeping in and recovering from an over the top medianoche (midnight) dinner. I think we'll go to the beach.

The Legends of the Virgins

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his was an important holiday week in Mexico. December 8^th is the feast day or holy day (day of special honor for a saint for all of you non-Catholics out there) for the Virgin Juquila. “She” is a statue believed to have miraculous powers. There are different versions of the legend about her origins. She is mostly a regional icon here. People are known to crawl for miles on a dirt road as they approach her to make their promises and requests.

Today, December 12^th, is the big day honoring the national patroness, the Virgin Guadalupe. She also holds a very high Catholic-religious significance. Legend says that she appeared one day in 1531 to an indigenous peasant near Mexico City. She instructed him to build a church on the spot in her honor. When he told the bishop, the bishop required proof. When the peasant returned with the requested “proof,” an image of her was miraculously produced on a piece of cloth. Today, the image is in the most visited Catholic shrine in the world. The image is worshipped and many miracles are attributed to it.

Celebrations are held throughout Mexico. Our town is filled with people celebrating with parades, music, fireworks (which are launched from right within the crowd) and all sorts of other festive activities. Some say that it is a bigger celebration than Christmas. We’ll see.

Last night, I was privileged to share a message with the congregation at Pastor Salomón’s church out of the book of Judges chapters 6 and 7. I spoke about God’s commission to us and His power and ability to fulfill the mission through us in spite of our inabilities and fears. I was a little surprised that when I referred to Gideon’s fleece test in the story that many, if not most of the people had no idea what it was. Aurturo, my faithful translator, had to relate the account to them. I hadn’t made the telling of it a formal part of the message. I assumed it would be familiar. Wrong assumption! More Bible teaching is needed!

It is no wonder that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are so successful when they speak authoritatively about what (their interpretation) the Bible says. JW doctrines play very well into many of the cultural religious beliefs here. If people have little or no knowledge of what the Bible says, they will easily be misled. No longer will I assume that even commonly familiar stories are known. I strongly suspect that not very many people here actually read their Bibles. Part of the reason is education or lack of it. A big part of the reason is that the accepted Bible translation is the Reina Valera which can be a bit difficult to understand. I am reluctant to accept that a part of the problem might actually be a lack of teaching. We have been introducing people to a Spanish version of the New Living Translation which is much easier to understand.

I was invited to make a 10-day missions trip to minister in the mountains next week. I would have really loved to go. I was compelled to decline. I have had to face the reality that my body is getting older. I turned 61 this week. I am no longer up the rigor of walking uphill for several hours. It is beyond my ability. A man’s got to know his limitations. I can walk all day on the flat. Steep uphills are a different matter altogether. I have to rest and catch my breath at least once during the short climb (1/2 mile) up when I go to Monte de Dios. Besides, it would have meant leaving Donna alone. That is something I was not willing to do.

As the Christmas holiday approaches, we are expecting to have to deal with a whole lot more downtime as people get busy with their preparations and festivities. Although the intensity of activity does not even approach what you are experiencing, there are still a lot of distractions. Even so, we don’t feel at all like it is Christmas time. Perhaps the weather, which continues to be nice is part of the reason.  

Missing Students and Uninvited Guests

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ur first week back in Huatulco was a bit sad and a little frustrating. On Monday, Benabe, our morning taxi driver student didn’t show up. When we saw him the next day on the street, he said that he thought we wouldn’t be back until after Christmas. We had made our return date very clear, but it didn’t register. Information like that doesn’t stick with people here. We got a similar response from a few others. He failed to show Wednesday as well, but he had a lucrative fare to another town. We have agreed that business takes precedence over class.

The Monday family also missed. The dad, Manólo, did come during the day to tell us that they weren’t coming. Normally, people don’t call or let us know. They just don’t show up. The message he heard me preach Sunday night was about the promises of God using our promise habits as an illustration. It seems he was listening.

Also on Monday, we were greeted by what must have been millions of large ants when we returned from town shortly before sunset. There were 2” wide highways of the things coming and going in every direction, mostly up all sides of the building. There were more ants than sidewalk. It was a scene from a sci-fi horror movie. I immediately knew why something had moved me to buy two cans of bug spray when I did the shopping earlier in the day. Fortunately, the landlord happened by and saw them. It also helped that our downstairs neighbor is very squeamish and couldn’t handle the sight. The landlord came back armed like John Goodman in the movie Arachnophobia and quelled the invasion.  

Tuesday, Carmen, the doctor at the Red Cross, was too busy with patients because she is alone. The nurse had taken another job after 14 years working there. The technician had to leave to attend to some family problems and never returned. They were some of our first and longest-term students. We did have class with Carmen on Thursday, but at the end, she announced that the next day was her last. She is returning to her hometown several hours away. We are sad to tears. She was very special to us. 

Wednesday’s only class was with Osvaldo, our 12-year-old young man. Everyone else was “no show.” This left the rest of the day empty. It is very difficult for me to have too much unplanned idle time. I am a type-A who needs to be busy. However, I am amazed how God can take our defects and turn them into something good. Many unhealthy motivations and weaknesses have turned into productive strengths, and He’s not finished yet. I have come a long way, but I still don’t do “nothing” as well as I should unless it is planned.

Friday we made an early trip to a fairly secluded beach. Because the beach is surrounded by cliffs, the only access is either by boat or down a steep and somewhat treacherous path. That is why it is usually empty. Donna slipped on the way down and she wound up with some nasty scrapes on her knee. She also bruised her wrist. We won’t be visiting that beach again! It was my bad for underestimating her ability to negotiate the path. In spite of the mishap, we did get to do a lot of reading and I was blessed with the outline of an awesome message.

Saturday morning we enjoyed the company of our excellent friends Art and Betty for breakfast in our apartment. That was great. The rest of the day was spent at home doing message prep, studying and writing this post. We had made plans, but Donna needed a day to recuperate and heal. We also had an unexpected, but great visit with our friend Antonio on Saturday evening.

Back "Home"

We arrived safely Saturday night after a mostly uneventful trip. This is remarkable considering the normal level of adventure in our lives since we came to Mexico. Our time in the States was very enjoyable save for a couple of bumps. We loved seeing as many family members and friends as we did. We really wanted to see more people and spend more time with those we saw. As good as it is to visit, it seems to take a few days to get over a little homesickness when we return here.

One bit of excitement was having our car towed from in front of daughter Camille's apartment. There were no signs or markings. After the shock of finding our car missing, a night on Camille's livingroom floor, a trip in the morning from Woodstock to Crystal Lake and $150, we got the car back. It was supposed to be $200, but the guy gave us a break on the 10 hours of "storage fee".

It caused me to miss my one opportunity to spend the early Saturday morning hours with my friends at the Rockford First men's prayer group. I was looking forward to coffee and a long john too! It did result in a big blessing as the guys spontaneously reached into their pockets. They blessed us with more than double our loss for the towing. God is good!! (I'd rather have had the fellowship)

We are ready to hit the ground running. Our full schedule resumes immediately beginning with preaching at Pastor Solomón's church tonight. We'll see what the rest of the week brings. We have prospects for 3-5 new students.

We have found that teaching English is a very effective way to reach people and to build relationships with them. This leads to many opportunities to share the Gospel. For a number of reasons, we don't charge for the classes. In some ways, it feels as though we have accomplished nothing in the nine months we've been here. But as we look back, we can see that we have had a huge positive impact on a significant number of people.

We would like to continue, but we need to ask for your help. We came to Mexico on faith with a small amount of savings and a monthly pension I receive from my days as a police officer. As I write this, we are about 3-4 months from depleting our savings. When the money runs out, we will have to return home. Although I really want to remain here, we are both very willing to return to the States if that is God's will. We were and we are trusting God to supply our need either way. Please consider prayerfully and carefully whether you might be able to help us with a one-time gift or regular monthly support. We need to raise about $600 per month.  We are very thankful to those who have been generous to help us get this far.

BLOG COMMENT POSTS   Serveral people have told me that they posted comments to the blog. Unfortunately, we have not seen most of them. I checked the settings and confirmed that anybody is allowed to post a comment. I believe the problem is a checkbox which is under the comment box. It says "Select Profile" You must answer this box for the comment to appear. You may select either "Anonymous" or "Name/URL". Just type your name in the box. It will attach your name to the comment and we will know who posted it. It was disappointing to learn that we haven't seen some of your comments. It is very encouraging to us to know that you are taking an interest in our activities.

TRUE CONFESSIONS

Normally, we try to keep this on a lighter tone and try to give a small taste of what we are experiencing. We do not want to share a lot of the nitty gritty of ministry because those things are very personal to the people involved. We want to respect their privacy. However, sometimes I feel the need to share a bit of the personal side of life away from home. This one is a bit of confession and hopefully, encouragement.

The past week was my most difficult in Huatulco to date. Monday and Tuesday were holidays for the celebration of Los Dias de los Muertos. (Day(s) of the Dead) It is a huge holiday commemorating the dead. Sacrifices consisting of the favorite foods, treats, and alcohol of the dead relative are placed on an altar with many flowers and candles to guide and welcome them. There are many rituals and traditions dating back thousands of years. It is generally taken very seriously.

Because of the celebrations, most of my English students had cancelled for the week or just did not call or show up. To be fair, this is the common custom in Mexico. Rarely will you receive a call that someone will be very late or not coming at all. Normally, we take it in stride, but this week it frustrated me. I wasted a lot of time waiting. Monday was mostly a wash except for a very pleasant evening with a young couple from down the street.

Tuesday, I arrived on time for the usual pre-class breakfast at the Red Cross. The doctor, Carmen, met me at the front desk and explained that she was the only one there so she would not be able to be in class. Bummer! I was hungry too. The hotel union was cancelled, so I headed home. I already knew in advance that my Wednesday, in-town classes were cancelled. Add to the list a string of drops, spills, breaks, and mishaps and by evening, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. Even watching one of my favorite movies, Music Man (Shirley Jones version) didn’t help.

I woke up Wednesday with a bad attitude. I didn’t even shower, shave, or brush my teeth. Pity party doesn’t begin to describe it. My motivation meter was below zero. However, I managed to think just about every negative thought you could imagine. We don’t belong here. We are wasting our time and money being here. We’re not making any difference. I’m not capable or qualified to be doing this. It was an ugly day during which I stayed home (isolated) stirring the pot with both hands. I am glad I neither had any food in the house (by choice) nor felt like going out and facing people. I might have tried to eat myself to happiness. As I write about it now, it doesn’t seem real. I have a good friend here who will scold me when he reads this. I deserve it. The last thing an person in a pity party should do (and the first thing he does) is isolate.

Thursday looked to be more of the same. Fortunately, my daily reading of the Proverbs gave me a sharp wrap on the knuckles. Prov 3:5-6 is my life-guidance, foundational passage. “Trust in the Lord...” Oswald Chambers challenged me even further. In retrospect, I know that it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me when the thought entered my head that I needed to visit a man I haven’t seen in a while. I really didn’t want to go, but I knew I needed to be obedient. I argued with myself to turn back all of the way there.

He is a long-time addict who struggles to stay clean. He has accepted Christ, but guilt and condemnation are still his constant companions. He revealed that he had recently relapsed. He had stopped, but he was still beside himself with shame. As I ministered to him, a boulder dropped out of the sky and landed on my head. I suddenly and clearly realized that, although I was counseling him about his situation, God was counseling me about mine. I have no doubt that God wanted to use me to minister to this man, but He also was using my obedience to minister to me. If I had stayed home….??  God is in control, but He works through our submission.

Friday morning began with a fresh attitude. I had a class at the Red Cross with the doctor. I was able to share more of my personal testimony with her. Afterwards, I went to the town square park to read my Bible. Two young men stopped to talk. They were Jehovah’s Witnesses. One of them was born into it. Normally, they are nearly impossible to reason with. Their training prepares them for virtually every argument using the Bible. However, we had an excellent conversation about the organization. At different points, I felt that he was being touched, that his armor was being pierced. When we finished, he thanked me and said with a sincere tone that I had given him some things to think about. If I had stayed home…??

On the way home, I stopped by another friend with whom I’ve been sharing. We had a good conversation and he seemed encouraged. He was giving me a ride part way to my next destination as he was picking up his mother-in-law from the hospital. She is very ill. I got to lay hands on her and pray. As I was leaving, I saw a young couple with a very young baby. I felt the urge to pray for the child. I asked permission and did so. As I turned to leave, I felt an overwhelming sense of God’s love. If I had stayed home…??

On Saturday, I got to continue ministry to a young man who is struggling with drugs, alcohol, and violence. He is searching for something to fill his emptiness. Tonight, I am privileged to preach in one of the churches. I am thanking God that He got in the boat and calmed the storm. I had started to sink because I took my eyes off of the One who is my source.

I am looking forward to seeing family and many friends next week.

Finding Order in a Busy Life

Missing family and friends aside and the small amount of discomfort that remains from being in a different culture, this is a very enjoyable place to be. I love Huatulco. The favorite part of my life in here is the people. But this is also one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I especially appreciate the ocean. I am amazed by the tremendous variety of different creatures there. I love to snorkel. I could float and watch for hours. Nature is a significant pathway for me to God.  

As I look at all of the different colors and sizes, and kinds of creatures, I am seeing a piece of God's majesty displayed before my eyes. I can also see that everything has a purpose. Every creature has its role to play or a job to do. Many are food for others. Some live from what has died. Some filter the water and others provide a hiding place. It is a community in God’s creation. It is a single system made up of thousands of parts working together.

Even the tides and currents, the sunshine and the wind work together make the system function. This is what we call the balance of nature. Each part of the system exists to serve the others. As each element does its part , the system remains healthy and functioning as it was designed by God to do. If one part of the system fails to fulfill its role, the system will begin to break down. If one part suffers, the whole system will suffer and eventually die.

   

There are many things in nature which reveal God. Romans 1:20 tells us that His eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen through what He has made. God is a God of order. He is not a God of confusion. We know what time the sun will rise and set. We know when it is the season to plant. In God’s design, there is order and harmony. How would it be if the sun rose and set at random times or if the seasons came unpredictably? What would happen if the insects no longer pollinated the flowers? We would have no fruit. What if the birds stopped eating insects?  We would be overrun by insects. The system would get out of balance. Another word for balance, order, and harmony is unity. God’s design for His creation is unity. Everything works together to keep the system in balance and working properly.  God's design for our lives is the same.

I used to believe that finding a balance in life takes careful thought, planning and close attention. I now realize that it is not about creating and managing a healthy balance. Our problem is not the  balance, our problem is our focus. If our focus is placed where it belongs, preeminently on Christ, the balance and order will take care of itself.

I used to believe that the Bible is an instruction manual for life. I no longer hold that view. It is not a book about how, it is a book about Who. Jesus said that if we love Him we will keep His commandments. (Jn 14:15) We focus more on keeping the commandments than on loving Him. That's backwards. If we focus our attention on loving Him, we will keep His commandments.

Perhaps if we stopped trying to plan, manage and control so tightly, we might see more of the results we want to see. Isn't that what the Pharisees were doing?  They managed and controlled so tightly that they wound up rejecting Christ because He didn't fit their expectations. They were so focused on their structure and their rules that they lost sight of God. Is this perhaps why He doesn't show up in our lives (and churches) as often as we'd like. He didn't bend to their expectations. Why should we expect Him to bend to ours?

Try putting Him first in everything and see what happens. Make your goal and direct your effort toward loving Him. I wish that I could say that I have mastered this concept. I want to, but I haven't. I am still His work in progress.

A Little Lonely, But Keeping Busy

It has been 10 days since Donna headed back to the States for visits to her daughters. So far, I have survived. Three more weeks to go and I’ll be headed back for a two week visit. It will be good to see people, but I am not looking forward to the cold weather.

I went to visit a residential drug/alcohol recovery ministry called Monte de Dios. (Mountain of God or God’s Mountain). It is not too far from here. I had met the pastor a month ago and have wanted to visit. I only had a vague idea where it was so I rode my bicycle in that direction until I reached the end of civilization and chained it to a post. I asked a nearby older lady if she knew of it and she pointed up the hill. A narrow path over a small hill, down a ravine and back up again brought me to the Federal Highway. Some guys were there, so I asked them for help. They also pointed up the hill. After a little guidance from another guy who appeared out of nowhere, I found a narrow path leading up the mountain at a steep angle. I am just weeks short of 61 years old and I am not in bad shape for that age. Nevertheless, I had to stop twice to rest and catch my breath during the ascent. I guess I’m older than I feel.

When I reached the top, I discovered a flat, neatly kept area with several buildings. The pastor was just finishing almuerzo. We’d call it brunch (Mexicans have 4 meals per day). As we toured the grounds, I was reminded of the monthly “Sherry tours” at the Rescue Mission. They have a beautiful but small church building, classroom building, shower/washroom facilities, the pastor’s office, a dormitory with a capacity of 12 and a woodshop powered by a generator because they have no electricity. Neither is there running water. The kitchen is an open shack next to the dining room which is a slab with a roof over it.

The whole area was very clean and well kept. They have a foundation for another dormitory, but lack about $900 to put the roof over it. Walls are not required in this part of the world. The pastor/director is a wonderful guy. I plan to get to know him better. Next time I’m up there, I’ll take some pictures. I wonder if an AGRM mission somewhere would want to be a sister mission like sister cities and churches do from other countries.

I encountered the wheel chair alcoholic guy (“O”) early in the week. He was cleaned up and sober. I asked if he could say how the relapse happened. He said he didn’t know, but not to worry because he had it all together now. I’ve probably heard that story a thousand times at the Rescue Mission. I probed, but he told me he would never drink again. I offered to help if he ever wanted to figure things out.

I saw “O” again later in the week talking to a guy in an auto shop. He said he’d been looking for me because he wanted to accept my offer to help. It allowed me the opportunity to share my own testimony with the guy at the shop. At a certain point, I asked “O” to explain grace. He got out his Bible and he took it from there. I’ll have to look for “O” because he’s homeless, but I believe God wants me to help him.

I will be preaching again tonight at Pastor Salomón’s church. I am going to talk about holiness and using an old Paul Martin object lesson, a toilet brush, to illustrate the point. If I post a blog next week, it means they didn’t dump me in the ocean.

It has been fairly quiet around town because there are practically no tourists. The call it “Oct-hambre” meaning “Hungry October”. A few white faces have shown up as the part-year people are beginning to return. We look forward to meeting them. The weather is getting cooler. It got down all the way to 66F last night. Brrrrr!!!

Dios los bendiga a todos.

UPDATE: The toilet brush went over really well. On the way home I encountered "O" on the street. We had a really good talk which lasted more than an hour. He really opened up.

FLYING SOLO

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Thursday of this past week, Donna headed out of Mexico for visits with daughters Amy, Kate and Angela. As I write this on Sunday night, I’ve been on my own for 3 days. I’ll be cleaning, doing laundry, and cooking on my own until November 12^th when I’ll be returning for a two-week visit. Until then, I am without my teaching helper, schedule keeper, fashion advisor, accountability partner, and friend. I am missing the nightly Backgammon games for who has to get the coffee pot ready for tomorrow. Did I mention that she also makes sure we have good stuff to eat?  

 

The weekend is less structured than the rest of the week which normally has a pretty full slate. Saturday is usually unscheduled. We had to change rest day from Friday. I got to slip off to one of my favorite snorkel beaches. Usually, lots of people are there so I am not swimming alone. Safety first! I got to spend about three hours in the water. I am still overwhelmed by the thousands upon thousands of six-inch, big-eyed silver fish that were there. There was also a large variety of brightly colored fish and other unusual creatures. The incredible variety and spectacular beauty of it all is for me a major “Wow God!” experience.

 

During one of my swim breaks, I had my Bible out and was working on my message for Pastor Salomón’s church next Sunday night. One of the waiters from the beachfront restaurant I was sitting in approached and asked if my book was a Bible. He asked if I would please talk with him a little while. Since he spoke decent English, we were able to have a good conversation. He told me that he feels that his life is without meaning. He said he was looking for something to fill the emptiness but doesn’t know what it is or how to find it. He related to me that every time he thinks he knows what he needs, he reaches after it but falls on his face. He grabs it, but when he opens his hand, it is empty. He said he is tired. I was able to share the Gospel with him. He asked if I could help him get a Bible.

Another chance encounter we had was with an alcoholic man in a wheelchair. He had gotten saved, been dry (he said) for almost a year and was regularly attending church. We saw him on the street a few days later. He had relapsed. I saw him again a few days ago and chased him down. We talked for a while. He told me a story I had heard a hundred times at the Rockford Rescue Mission. He said that he didn’t understand what had happened. He asked if I could help him sort it out. He said he would make a regular time to meet. I’ll have to be intentional about finding him because he’s still out there.(drinking) He showed me his sleeping spot (he’s homeless) and I know a couple of his routines. I looked for him on the way back from church tonight, but he wasn’t “home” yet.

I met the pastor of a recovery ministry/house a little way from here. I’ll be going out there to spend some time checking it out while Donna is in the States. There is a lot of alcoholism in Huatulco.

There are still a lot of unexpected surprise (is that redundant?) opportunities to minister here. I guess it’s not really surprising any longer. We have come to expect the unexpected. We still want to connect with the Christian foreigners as they begin to return this month. I am seeing some glimmers of opportunity. God is in control!!! He is taking us in His direction.

Suffering

A couple of weeks ago, I was privileged to preach to a particular congregation (my third time in their pulpit) about the sufferings of Christ. We are clearly instructed that we are to share in His sufferings and to follow Him in His example. I took (and hold) the position that the suffering He endured through the Calvary experience is not the example we are to follow.

True, many have endured and many will endure torture and even death for their faith in Christ, but the vast majority of us will not and never will experience that kind of suffering. So then, what form is our suffering to take?

Jesus showed us when He washed the disciple’s feet. In that day, feet got covered with every sort of filth imaginable. There was no foot deodorant. The Lord and Master lowered Himself to wash twelve sets of stinky, dirty feet including the feet of Judas who would betray Him. He told them, “Do as I have done for you.” He wasn’t instituting the sacrament of foot washing.

Philippians chapter 2 tells us the He did not consider being God a thing to hold onto. He voluntarily suffered the loss of the right to be God on the throne to become a man. As a man, He voluntarily gave up every right in order to lower Himself beneath every one of us for our benefit. He saw our need and did not hesitate to suffer the loss of all of His rights to meet that need. God so loved the world….. This is Agape love. This is the example of suffering we are called to follow. It is not an option.

Tonight (Sunday) I am sharing with them again. I will talk about what happens when we Agape-love. When we show Agape, we shine a spotlight on God. We draw attention to Him. We glorify Him. When God is glorified, people are drawn to Him. We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill. Our Agape behavior reveals a magnificent, powerful, merciful, good, and loving God to the world. Our good behavior is building God’s reputation. The inhabitants of Jericho (Joshua 2:9-11) melted in fear of the Israelites because of God’s reputation. What sort of reputation are we giving Him today?

The pastor of this church, Pastor Salomón, has become one of our English students. So have his number one man Manólo and his family. This congregation is a humble, loving bunch of people with a hunger for God. Manólo leads worship with a worn out guitar that uses a string and bungi cord for a strap. It is anointed. It is an honor and a privilege to share with them.  The building where they meet is essentially four walls with a corrugated plastic roof with holes in it and ceiling fans. In spite of or maybe because of the humble surroundings, one can sense God’s presence in these people.

Semi-sadly, our rescued kitten left us this week. She had gone from a week-old orphan to a frisky, playful and affectionate companion. In short, she was adorable. I confess that I am not a big cat lover, but this little one became quite special. Donna had grown very attached. For a number of reasons we could not keep her. With the help of our friend and neighbor Susan, she was adopted as an inside cat (rare in Mexico) by a very nice couple. She will have a good home. Adios Meow-zer.

We got the opportunity to go to the beach this week. Conditions for snorkeling were perfect and there was an amazing variety of different sea creatures. At one point, a large Manta Ray came close to us. It was beautiful. I am especially blessed by things like that because one of my main pathways to God is nature.

A Blog About Nothing

There were no earthquakes, no storms, no remarkable occurrances or discoveries to report on this week.  It continues to be hot and humid, although we did get an afternoon rain which cooled things off for a few hours. It really helped in that it washed out a lot of the heat stored up in our concrete apartment.

We met all of our usual committments and we were blessed again by how well our students are doing with their English. Our initial temptation and the expectation of most of the students was that we should teach useful words and phrases. We do some of that, but we opted instead to teach the language from the ground up. We begin by building a base with the most fundamental elements. Then we begin constructing a wall row upon row, the next row building upon the last. We tell our students when we begin "ladrillo sobre ladrillo" (Brick upon brick.) As we work our way through the concepts of the English language, they begin to understand and are able to connect the elements in a meaningful way. It is a thrill to see them figuring things out for themselves using what they have learned. The ones who stick with it will be able to speak a little English and understand what they are saying.

This is not a shortcut method. It takes time, work and a committment on both sides of the relationship. I can't help but thinking about Christianity and spiritual development. We all seem to want the shortcut method. We are not willing to take the time and make the effort necessary to build our relationship with the Lord line upon line, precept upon precept. We want it now and we want it delivered. It is no wonder there are so many popular instant spirituality, new revelation, new wave hyper-faith preachers (read false prophets) getting rich on our desire to be super-saints without the effort. There are no shortcuts.

We won't become mature christians who overcome our issues and become Christ-like by reading a book, adopting the latest fad or joining the new movement. We need to put the time and effort into the spiritual disciplines. They don't get us into heaven or even make us more pleasing to God, but what they do is open us up to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are His workmanship.

Personally, I don't think God cares how much you read your Bible, go to church or do for Him. He is after your heart, not your efforts.

Shine on!!

  This week was another hot one in Huatulco in several ways. Actually, we got a little relief from the warm temperatures compliments of Hurricane Hillary when she was still a tropical storm. It was so cold and rainy on Wednesday that we came home after our classes and made hot chocolate. Brrrrr!! It must have been in the low 70’s. Saturday on the other hand, it was so uncomfortably warm that Donna took at least 4 or 5 showers within two hours. It was beyond humid. Today (Sunday) is another scorcher.

Speaking of classes, we drew a whole lot of encouragement from our students this week because of the progress they are making. Teaching can be very rewarding in itself as some of you know. That is especially important when there is no paycheck. Often we do receive fruit, fish and homemade deserts as gifts. That is very special to us. We have also picked up a couple of new adult students and a family.

Friday morning at about 4:39 we were both awake when we heard a low rumbling sound which was followed by the bump, bump, bump of a 4.3 earthquake. A rhythmic mild shaking continued for a minute or so and stopped. The epicenter was pretty close and out in the ocean where there is a large subduction zone just off the coast. Because this is a seismic area, most of the buildings are engineered to be earthquake resistant. We are also on what is essentially solid rock so the waves don’t get amplified. In other words, we are reasonably safe.

Later in the day on Friday, we “found” two beaches which are all but inaccessible to tourists and most others. They are in an area which is closed off to vehicles and we had to climb down rugged paths on steep hills to get to them. They are close to where we live. Perks like this make it a lot easier to be away from family and friends. Two more grandchildren are due next spring. We do miss being close to family, but, we are also so very blessed to have made many wonderful friends. There is going to be a difficult day of reckoning if/when we have to leave. Only God knows when it will be time to go. I can relate to the apostle Paul's dilema in wanting to depart to be with the Lord but also to remain on to serve those he loved. A lot depends on finances. We have to develop a stronger support base sooner than later. Please consider being a part of that.

Sunday night I am scheduled to preach at Pastor Solomon’s church. The message is about suffering. I am going to say that the horrible suffering Jesus endured on the cross was not His only suffering. Jesus suffered for us, but we are also called to suffer. We are instructed to follow His example. But to suffer what? He said we are to deny self, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. He certainly wasn’t telling us to be crucified. When He washed the disciples’ feet, He told them they ought to do the same for each other. Not just to wash feet, but to lower themselves beneath others to serve them. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.” He was demonstrating agape love. Agape is self-denial. Philippians 2:5-8 tells us that He voluntarily denied His own rights to His position in heaven and to all of His rights as a man to serve us. This is the example we are to follow. It can be very difficult when we are wronged or when will not even be recognized much less be repaid. Service to others can be difficult. But from the moment He left His throne until He returned, He suffered the loss of all of His rights on our behalf. Should we do any less? I am challenged because I fall short. It is very difficult to crucify the flesh but, I believe that the light generated by our agape is the light from the city set on a hill which beckons into the darkness to draw people to Him. Shine on!

Mexican Independance Day

Sindicato Class

Mexican Independence Day was this past Friday. This is a very significant holiday here, perhaps as big as or bigger than our 4^th of July celebration. Nearly everyone celebrates the beginning of the revolution which freed Mexico from Spanish rule. Friday morning there was huge parade. In spite of the blazing sun, nearly every schoolchild of any age marched in uniform by school along the main boulevard. It was quite a sight. One of the groups was from the Sindicato where we teach an English class. The group included many of our students. We were encouraged by how many folks recognized us and greeted us as we watched.

The week really zipped by. We kept very busy. Much of our time seemed to be spent trying to beat the heat. The sun has been very strong this week even through the occasional cloud. We escaped to the beach on Monday and found some relief for a while. However, in three short hours, we got more than a little too much sun in spite of the numerous clouds which (we thought) had provided some shade. The sunburn has made the heat all that much more enjoyable-NOT! It is the first time since we came here that we have gotten burned. 

It hardly seems like we have been here for seven months. It feels more as if we have been in Huatulco for a very long time. Our busy schedule, the many relationships we have formed and our acceptance, recognition and inclusion in the community makes it feel as though we have been here for years. As we look back, we see many divine appointments. It is still amazing where these encounters have led. God is most certainly in control. I wish I could boast that our wise strategy and careful planning are the reason but we would be fools to take any credit. We have learned to stop planning and go with the flow by keeping our commitments fulfilled and our eyes open. When something falls through, there almost always seems to be another appointment we couldn’t have foreseen to take its place. If not, we coast. God always has His reasons. I hope I never stop being amazed.

Because our income is not sufficient yet to satisfy the Immigration requirements for a more permanent status, we are still on tourist visas. (Sixteen months to Social Security) We need to time our visits so that we do not come home in winter. We did not keep warm clothing. Besides the fact that we are not fans of the cold, the additional difficulties of a winter visit can be avoided. Also, airline tickets are much more expensive in the cold months and we are on a very tight budget. We also miss everyone and long for a visit. We will be in Rockford from morning service at Rockford First on Nov. 13^th until Saturday morning November 26^th. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible.

Small World

The world here in Huatulco is becoming smaller by the day. One of our neighbors asked us if we could help her and her two daughters with their English. We began meeting with them last week. It has been great relationship building time and very enjoyable. I got to share my testimony and the Gospel with her this week. She listened and asked good questions. She also asked if we’d be willing to take one of her long time friends as another adult student in our home. We agreed. A couple of days later, she came by with her. The friend turned out to be a lady who attends the Nazarene church with us and who is a fairly new believer herself. Small world!

Tuesday morning, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the Red Cross which was provided by our students there. After class, they asked us if we would join them every Tuesday. This is also a great opportunity to get to know each other more personally. We will really enjoy it.

Saturday night, we attended a quinceanera party at Solomon’s church. I got to meet the pastor of one of the local addiction recovery ministries. I wanted to wait to meet him until my Spanish is better, but God must have decided  that now is the time. We'll be getting together soon. Another guest was Memo, the pastor of a small church which meets near our neighborhood. He also operates a one-stall hand car wash during the day. Last night, (Sunday) we went to a baby dedication celebration. Art and Betty were also there and we had a great time. I get to use my photography. These parties are a blessing. Besides all of the people we get to meet, we get some really awesome food.

Another little adventure entered our lives (temporarily) this week. About a week ago we were treated to an all night session of a cat meowing. In the morning we discovered the racket was coming from our neighbor/friend’s house across the street. Donna went to investigate. It turned out to have been a tiny kitten which had been abandoned. It could barely hold up its head or walk and it would not eat from an eye dropper. We think it was about 3 weeks old. Donna adopted it and she has been nursing it back to health. It is now eating solid food and displays ALL of the characteristics of a normal kitten. It is very affectionate and demands constant attention except for when it is sleeping. Donna named it Meow-zer. It will be leaving soon!!

I shared my idea that our obedience is not what pleases God in a sermon last Sunday night at one of the local churches. I was a bit concerned about sharing such a concept in an environment that sometimes seems to be a little legalistic. It went over very well and I was told that even the pastor was deeply touched. Estamos muy agradecidos de que Dios nos da tantas oportunidades de compartir nuestra fe.

Missing in Action

We were missing in action to the rest of the world for the last eleven days due to lack of an internet connection at home. We are now settled in to our new quarters, a two-bedroom, second floor apartment in a new building a block from the old house. Internet came on yesterday. It seems we missed a lot of exciting news with hurricanes and earthquakes and such. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for those like Hudson Taylor who got on a ship, sailed for months then hiked into the interior of some remote country to preach the Gospel.

 Our move to the new apartment went well. We have a great landlord who allowed us access ahead of the start of the lease. We had help with the move from friends and most of the finishing touches are in process. Our only issue so far besides the phone line, is the lack of an air conditioner. It will be put in, but we have to wait for the Federal Electricity Commission to upgrade the lines. In the meantime, we are living in an oven. The roof, which is concrete like the rest of the house, is painted with a water sealant of a dark red color. Needless to say, it collects a little heat when the sun is strong, which it almost always is. To give you an idea, the ceiling (inside) gets almost too hot to touch. It radiates that heat onto everything under it. We have been fortunate to have a little rain the last few days to cool things off and to hide the sun. Just so you don’t feel too badly, I am writing this under a fan in a hammock hung in our sala de estar (living room).

We were really blessed this week. Our friends at the Red Cross stayed in their seats at the end of class Thursday. They were looking at each other as if something was up. It seems they wanted to find a way to compensate us for our time and effort with them. They appreciate us and they don’t want us to quit. We told them that their friendship was more than adequate payment. They seemed somehow surprised, but pleased with that. They know we are Christians even though we haven’t preached at them. They know other people to whom we are connected. We get the sense that we are being talked about a lot around town. In many ways, it is a small community here. We pray that people are seeing Christ in us. If the warm acceptance we receive in so many places is any indication, they are.

Our friend and new brother, Bernardo the taxi driver, made a special trip to our house Saturday because he found out I had been a little under the weather from a cold. He was concerned and wanted to check in on me. I can’t begin to describe how that felt. He has been asking questions about the Bible. We have experienced several other encouragements and special blessings this week. There isn’t room to share them all. Suffice to say that God is a God of encouragement.

This continues to be a season of spiritual insight for me. I have finally begun to understand that God is not pleased by my obedience. I don’t mean that I am not obedient enough. I confess that I am not. I am saying that obedience in general is not what God is looking for. Obedience doesn’t cause God to love us more. He already loves us with an infinite love. Obedience doesn’t make us more acceptable to God. We are incapable of sufficient obedience to stand righteous before Him. However, we are already the righteousness of God in Christ if we have accepted His gift of salvation through His death (for us) on the cross. Jesus paid it all.

God is not looking for our obedience as much as He is looking for the result of our obedience. The obedient behavior itself is what produces the blessing. God is pleased when we are blessed. He doesn’t hand out blessings as a reward for obedient behavior and curses for disobedience. God, as the ultimate loving Father, wants to see His children blessed. He gave us the rules so that we can be blessed. His disappointment comes from seeing us suffer the consequences of our disobedience. Our ultimate blessing is fellowship with God. God’s ultimate desire is our fellowship with Him.

I am experiencing an increasing sense of freedom and rest from striving to be obedient. I am finding a desire to be obedient replacing the struggle to choose rightly. Praise God!! I was blessed to be able to share this message in Pastor Solomon’s church Sunday night. It was very well received.  

A Very Interesting Week

This has been a pretty interesting week. Last Sunday seems like months ago, yet I feel like the week flew by. Besides the mundane routine tasks like laundry, cleaning and taking showers thrice a day, we kept very busy. Donna entered the week a little sick with body aches, no energy and all of the symptoms of intestinal issues which keep you close to the facilities. That means I got to fly solo for most of our classes. I missed having my partner by my side. On Tuesday, she was able to make it to the Red Cross with me. After class, the doctor, one of our students, did a free exam, including a blood test for Dengue Fever (also called Bone Crusher Disease). Praise God, the result was negative. The doctor gave her some antibiotics. She is better now, but still not up to par.

We acquired a new student for Wednesday afternoons. He is eleven. We meet at his mother’s tiny restaurant. The initial task will be teaching him Spanish grammar. You don’t realize the importance of the patterns in a language until you try to learn a new one. The first class went really well. He is a bright boy even though his attention span was only about 30 minutes. I guess that’s good for a boy his age.

On Thursday, we were invited to a birthday party for two young men. I was hesitant about going because I had begun to develop some of the less convenient symptoms of Donna’s troubles. I had promised to take photos, so I decided to risk it. We arrived at the appointed time only to find that we were the first guests. The party started about an hour later. This is very normal for Mexican culture. We’ve gotten used to it and we usually enjoy the results. We could adopt the custom, but I fear we’ll always be the punctual westerners. The food was well worth the wait. It was some of the best eats we’ve experienced since being here. In spite of eating too much, I had no stomach issues. We were blessed by being able to experience a beautiful part (family) of the Mexican culture.

Bernardo

Friday is our designated Sabbath. This is our day to relax, have fun, or just lay around. This week we chose to spend the day at the beach with our good friends Arturo y Beatriz (Art & Betty). It was our first trip to the beach in over a month. The water was unusually calm making the snorkeling extra good. We arrived early before the crowds and saw several Manta Rays. I was thrilled with the site of several large ones swimming within a few yards of me. I did think of Steve Irwin as two of them headed right for me. They must have decided I was too big to eat because they turned aside about 10 feet ahead of me. The most exciting part of the day was the cab ride to the beach. The driver, our student, and friend became our brother. Betty obediently shared the Gospel with him and he accepted God’s gift of salvation.

Donna & Jessica

Saturday night, we attended a birthday celebration at Art and Betty’s house for their friends whose birthdays are in August. Jessica celebrated her 11^th birthday. Donna celebrated a few more than that. It was a great time of fellowship.

We should be able to begin moving to the new apartment this week. Most of the work is complete. A few things are being redone for the third time. We looked at washing machines today. Used ones are hard impossible to find. They don’t have Craig’s List here. We aren’t sure how much help moving we’ll have. Anyone want to come down to give us a hand??? We’ll feed you, put you up and show you the sights.

What Good Am I?

Sometimes I struggle with why we are in Mexico. What good purpose is being served that makes it so necessary for us to be here? Why are we living in unfamiliar surroundings thousands of miles from the people we love and the comforts and conveniences of home? God most assuredly doesn’t need us here. His whole plan (or even a small part of it) wouldn’t have fallen apart had we failed to come. Yet in spite of the overwhelming logic against it, I know that God called us here. I ask God daily to reveal to me the unique element we are contributing to the accomplishment of His purposes in this remote (to home) location.

I must confess that as the experience affords a deeper glimpse into my own heart, I see that part of my motivation for coming here lies in my quest to find personal significance in life. This is not a valid or commendable reason for coming here. It certainly doesn’t justify asking people to support us financially. Nevertheless, I see God at work using even our shortcomings and questionable motives to accomplish His will. One good example is the fact that I get invited to preach in churches. It is not because the leaders see some super-spiritual quality in me. It is mostly because we are Americans. As such, we are somewhat of a novelty. But it opens the door for the message of God’s amazing grace to be proclaimed.

We move forward daily with our eyes open for opportunities to share love and to make connections with people. We are often surprised. Last week in our English class at the union hall, a question was asked which threw the door wide open for me to share my testimony. The next day we were there as invited guests for another part of their training. Things were said that showed that they heard the message.  A cab driver pauses and calls us back to the taxi in response to ‘God bless you’ so he can ask questions about God. We may never see the result of many of our activities, but we pray that God is using them. It the meantime, we are very blessed by the relationships we have made here.

In about two weeks, we will be moving to our new apartment. It is less than one block from where we are now. We have the second floor, two-bedroom unit in a brand new building. The new landlord has been overwhelmingly accommodating. Although the lease doesn’t officially start until the 29^th of this month, he has given us the keys with permission to do what we need to do to make it home. He referred to the Bible when he saw a stencil Donna had put on the wall. He knows we are Christians. I wonder if he knows that he built the building for us.

I have been hanging shelves in the kitchen since they don’t do cabinets here. We now know why. The house we are currently in has American-type cabinets. When we first moved in, we were pleased. We now know that cabinets become habitations and hiding places (and bathrooms!!) for creatures. There is nothing like finding lizard poop in your cereal bowl.

Possibly the best part about the new place is that it is less than half the monthly rent. We are within sight of the end of our savings. I will be making an appeal soon for supporters. We still need to raise about $600 per month consistently for living expenses. I confess to being shy about asking, especially in these tough economic times. I’m also torn between the George Mueller approach and ‘Ye have not because ye ask not.’ However it comes, we are trusting God to supply.

I leave you this week with encouragement to move purposefully into your calling whatever it might be and don't worry about making a mistake. He already knows about it, has it covered and He is using it.

The Benefits of Stress

Sometimes life can be very uncomfortable here. Yes, it is a beautiful place. I love the food (although the variety is somewhat limited), the scenery and the beaches. Most of all, the people here are amazingly wonderful. Las Bahias de Huatulco could truly be described as paradise. In spite of all of those wonderful aspects, being here can be quite uncomfortable at times. And I am not talking about the heat and humidity.

Back in Rockford, we were quite comfortable. We lived in a nice house in a nice neighborhood with nice neighbors. We knew our way around and where to find whatever we might need. We were very comfortable being a part of our church, Rockford First. I was more than comfortable with my job at the Rescue Mission. All in all, we knew where we were, where we fit and, more or less, what to expect next. In other words, we felt a strong sense of comfort and security.

This is quite a different world. The culture here is very different. There are different customs, different taboos and in many ways, a different way of thinking. Add the different language,  the lack of familiarity with the physical surroundings and other issues and you have the makings of a very stressful life. We have a whole lot to learn.

Please don't get the idea that I am complaining or trying to get anyone to feel sorry for us.  I am actually very thankful for these circumstances. As I contrast the comfort back in Rockford with the stresses of living here, I have begun to realize that too much comfort is not always a good thing. In this setting, we always have to be paying attention. There is precious little room to allow our minds to wander. Living in this kind of environment tends to keep us alert and focused. We cannot afford to put life on cruise control and coast through our days.

What I am seeing clearly is that too much comfort can lead to complacency, laziness and a lack of appreciation for the blessings we enjoy. When we pretty much know what to expect next, we can navigate life on autopilot without having to really pay much attention. The worst result of this is that we can start to lose focus on how blessed we are and how much we need God's presence in our life.

In Illinois, I almost always knew where I was. I could get where I wanted to be without having to think too much about it. The problem with that kind of comfort is that it leads to drift. It happens little by little as we stop paying attention and get distracted. Before you know it, you've made a wrong turn or two and wind up where you didn't want to be. I don't think the Israelites turned away from God all at once. It happened one small deviation at a time. Imagine if a current TV show were to air back in 1960!

We thank God for the different challenges we face in life here and pray that we never become too comfortable. We are thankful because it keeps our focus and dependance on God.

In addition to the individuals we teach, we are now doing English classes at the Red Cross and at the hotel workers union hall. At the end of the class time at the union hall last Thursday, the students asked us to keep going. They didn't want to stop.

I was invited to preach at another local church this Sunday. God is opening doors to the message of grace. I pray that I am capable and obedient in delivering it. I have a great translator helping with both the delivery and the structure of the messages. I'm a little way yet from being able to speak adequate Spanish.