Thing Are Going Swimming-ly

On the way to church Thursday night it started to rain. No problem. I always carry an umbrella. Well, it rained so hard that in the short mile or so trip, even the underside of that umbrella was soaked. Needless to say, so was I. The only things not wet were my Bible, my notebook and the sermon I had prepared. (I think there's a message there.) It was actually nice to be dripping rain water instead of sweat. It has been so humid that we are able to go swimming without having to go to the beach.

I didn't get to preach even though I was prepared. The pastors wife delivered the message. I was astounded by how well it dovetailed with the messages I have delivered there so far. It actually fit nicely between those and the one I had ready, which I will deliver next week. The people here have a fervent devotion to God. I am excited that the Holy Spirit is opening their spiritual eyes to God's unconditional grace and love for them. I can see a huge potential for an historic move of God among the Mexican people.

We started the English class at the hotel workers union hall. It was set up to be a once per week class, but the students asked if we could come two times per week. It looks like we're starting with 5-7 students. All are eager to learn. After much searching, we found a textbook which we are busily transcribing and adapting to suit our needs. We are both getting a lot of computer time on the project. Donna transcribes and I adapt. Teamwork is sweet.

I was able to attend a missions conference this week in Santa Maria Huatulco a town about 40 minutes away. It was scheduled to start at 4 PM. The actual start time was about 5:30. Of course, the end time sailed way past the scheduled time as well. By the time it ended, the busses were no longer running. The only option was to take a collectivo (shared) cab. About two blocks after getting in the cab, we pulled into a tire repair shop. Soon a young boy, who appeared to be about 13 years old, began attempting to insert a plug into one of the front tires. It kept popping out. On the 4th or 5th try it finally stuck. It was a little unnerving since we were about to travel on the coastal highway which consists of continuous curves and hills with solid rock on one side and a cliff on the other. They don't use guardrails here either. We prayed. God answered.

The longer we are here, the more we appreciate so many aspects of life in the USA that we took for granted.

Hot and Humid with Rain!!

     From what we see in the news, you certainly are enjoying (?)some interesting weather. We are mostly in the high 80's to low 90's with 70%-80% humidity. The "feels like" temp is around 95 to 100. In between the rain it is bright and sunny. Our nights are dipping into the 70's, although the cooler temp drives the humidity right into the sheets and clothing.

     Our wash takes 2 days to dry on the line unless the sun is out. We are thankful that the thrift stores were so well stocked with clothing while we were home. One surprise was all of the potholes in the streets from the rain. They make Rockford look like new pavement by comparison. Another reason we're glad we don't have a car.

     It has been three weeks since we returned and we are getting back into the swing of things. We enjoyed the luxury of two great weeks with daughter Angela doing the beach and a few other touristy things. It was great to have the excuse to visit some of the local attractions. Thanks Ang!

     The entire experience of returning to the States for a month and then coming back here has been a very interesting one. Traversing cultures like we did can be a very traumatic yet revealing journey. One could say that it is a little like being the ball in a Chinese table tennis tournament. I'm not yet sure how to process all of it. I can say that values are tested, motives are exposed and attitudes have no place to hide as coping mechanisms and hiding places are stripped away. It is painful yet rewarding as it brings into clearer focus the immeasurability of God's love for us in spite of our weaknesses and our (my) need of Him.

     While in town a couple of days ago, we encountered a man named "Jose". Donna had started a conversation with him which came around to God because of a shirt he was wearing. It seems he had attended church when he lived in the USA, but no longer goes because he feels that the life he is living is not good enough to be acceptable to God. We were able to minister God's perfect love and explained that guilt and shame are the devil's two most effective weapons used to keep people from connecting with God. He received the message and seemed encouraged.

     This is a huge issue here. The expectation is that perfection is required for acceptance by God. If that were the case, I would most certainly be out of luck. We are finding that people are very interested that God knows everything about them and still loves them. We are blessed to be able to share the message of grace regularly in one of the small mission churches as well as with some of the individuals we know.

     All of our regular English classes are up and running. The hotel workers union classes are beginning this week. This seems to be getting us a lot of exposure leading to recognition and acceptance. We really enjoy getting to know people and teaching English accelerates the Spanish learning process.   

    

    

Back in Huatulco

     We arrived safely back home to Huatulco after a very enjoyable visit with so many special folks, both family and friends. In spite of the fact that the entire trip was spiced with problems and a couple of disappointments, the good far outweighed the bad. A huge thank you for all of the generous hospitality and warm greetings. Many personal and spiritual insights were gained through the experience. I plan to share a little on those at a later time.

     The trip back home was an adventure. Our transportation arrangements to the airport disintegrated at the last minute. Thank you God for teaching us to be flexible. It was a logistical miracle since we had six 50 lb. suitcases, three heavy carry-on bags and three "computer" bags. I'm thanking the inventor of wheels. My carry-on got a little lighter thanks to the TSA. A large jar of peanut butter was taken. Apparently it is a paste and therefore not allowed, even though it was sealed. Also, my BioFreez and some freezer pops were lost to security. My bad! Should have known better on those.

     When we arrived at Huatulco, we breezed through Customs only to find that our ride home did not show. Since the airport closes after everyone is processed, we wound up having to take a cab. I still don't know how that guy got all of that stuff plus us into that little vehicle. We were happy to find the house exactly as we left it. No insects or other creatures had taken up residence. This was especially surprising in view of our past experiences and the fact that it had rained for the last six days including three solid day and night downpours thanks to tropical storm Arlene.(?) The humidity was beyond humid. All we wanted to do was shower and get to bed. Final insult? NO WATER!! In the morning I discovered that someone had closed the rooftop valve.

     It is a little cooler now but a lot more humid. The cloudiness (relatively speaking) is giving a partial reprieve from the fierce sunshine. It is also very green here now. We have been enjoying doing fun things with daughter Angela. We went to see crocodiles in the wild on a river as well as to the Mazunte Sea Turtle sanctuary. At the Iguana Sanctuary, I got to be in a cage with over 300 iguanas of various sizes. Donna and Angela opted to stay outside.

     We have also been reconnecting with people here. It has been so very rewarding to receive such warm welcomes. God has blessed us more than I could describe. We've resumed about half of our regular English classes. The others will resume next week and we'll be starting with the local hotel workers syndicate (union) soon.

     On a business note, we have received a couple of donations. We are very thankful for them as we are very much in need of financial support. However, we do not know who sent them. We feel very strongly that prompt and proper acknowledgments should be given. We apologize.

    We ask that you consider helping to support our work here. Information about how to do so is written in the panel to the left of the body of this post. If you do, please email us to let us know. We don't want you to think that we are ungrateful.

Home for a Visit

Donna, the great organizer that she is, had this whole visit (28 days) scheduled almost to the minute. After an uncomfortable, cramped 5-hour plane trip and 3 cold hours at O'Hare waiting for the first bus to Rockford, we were warmly greeted by daughter Angela. The rigors of the trip and 27+ hours without sleep (minus two short naps) were soon overcome by the effects of the amazing time we experienced with our friends and family at the morning service at Rockford First. Thank you everyone.

One of the many trip highlights was to be an Amtrak train trip to Montana to visit son Ben and daughter-in-law Kehau. But alas, the flooding in the north is blocking the tracks and all trains are cancelled for now. It is a big disappointment to say the least. More thwarted plans! We've gotten quite used to this mode in Mexico. There we excitedly anticipate what God is going to do instead. At times it is like whitewater rafting without a boat or a paddle. It is exciting. Somehow, back here, we are finding it more difficult to take it in stride. We are having to remind ourselves that God has another purpose and use for our time. As yet, it remains to be revealed.  

Another seemingly major hurdle thrown is our path is the loss of my passport. Someone apparently lifted my computer bag (minus the computer) from the car. No great loss except that it contained my passport. In order to get it replaced right away, I cannot report it until two weeks before leaving. Then I have to keep an as yet unscheduled appointment in Chicago and wait an uspecified amount of time for the replacement. I put a sign in the driveway offering a no questions $50 reward for its return. That is a lot less than the $195 fees plus travel time and expense to get the new one. Again, GOD HAS A PLAN.

We have already spent some great time with family and friends and we are looking forward to more great connections. Maybe we'll get to do some garage sales this weekend. Meanwhile, we are enjoying the cooler weather here.

Playin' for All the Bolis

Last evening we visited with some friends who live in a large apartment complex. We were relaxing, talking and enjoying watching the neighborhood kids play a vigorous game of kickball in the parking lot between the buildings. It brought to mind our childhood when the whole neighborhood played games after dark while the parents visited.


Kids being what they are ( I mean my friend Juan and I) we challenged them to a game, adults against the kids. The stakes? The losers buy bolis for the winners. They accepted with more than enthusiasm. Bolis are a frozen concoction in a bag (bolsa) about the size and shape of a pushup. They are made with milk, sugar, fruit and spices. They are really easy to make and quite delicious. A family in the neighborhood makes and sells them for 5 pesos each.


Donna, Juan's wife Norma and another lady joined the fray. A couple of Juan's young boys rounded out our team. After the coin toss, the game was on. After about 30 minutes of kicking, running, dodging the ball and laughing hilariously, not to mention the heat and humidity, our team emerged victorious, 14 to 5.


While in our minds we may feel like kids, and for a few moments we were, our bodies are telling us something altogether different. Can you say sore? Even so, we wouldn't change it if we could. We are really blessed by the relationships here and we are torn because of family and friends back home. We are looking so forward to our visit and yet missing it here already.

Coming Home for a Visit

One week from today we'll be back in Illinois for a visit. We'll be in the States for just short of a month, but we'll be on the move constantly. Our flight arrives at O'Hare in the early AM Sunday morning so we'll be napping on the couches there until the first bus departs for Rockford. The plan is to make it to the 10 AM service at Rockford First. We might be a little travel-weary, but we're anxious to see everyone none the less. From there we'll be doing Poplar Grove, Big Sandy, Montana, Elgin, Lake Zurich, Rockford, Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, McHenry, Woodstock and Nashville, Tennessee.


We've only been here in Huatulco for three months, but it feels like a lot longer. We have made many friends. We have to say that even though we miss the folks at home and we are really anxious to see you all, we are already missing things (the people) here. We look forward to the many regular visits, English classes and church services we attend. We are now doing English two times per week at the Red Cross. The doctor, nurse, dentist, lab tech and two paramedics are in regular attendance. Bernardo, the cab driver who comes to our house twice a week is becoming a good friend. He is really special. This morning we recieved many sincere sentiments from our friends at the Sunday morning church. It was almost sad. We will especially miss Art and Betty our special Christian friends. They have been such an encouragement.


Exciting things are happening. Last week, Pastor Damian, the missionary, asked me to preach the services at his Huatulco mission church on Thursday and Sunday nights. He has gotten so busy (TOO BUSY) that he is not able to cover everything and sleep too. I am praying about how to talk to him about not being so busy that he isn't any good to anyone. I sure don't want to contribute to his downfall by freeing up time so he can fill it with something else. 


Last Thursday was my first time in his pulpit. I was a little nervous speaking in Spanish to a non-English speaking group of about 20 people. I had been able to use Google Translate to put the message into Spanish and I had the help of a young fellow with translation. It was a simple message about God's unconditional love from the perspective of His perfect foreknoweldge. All in all, it seemed to go pretty well. Donna said they were all on the edge of their seats. I'm not sure if that was because the message was so good, my Spanish was so bad or because of the novelty of a "Gringo" preacher. I know they liked that I only spoke for about 30 minutes instead of the usual hour plus they are used to. Tonight (Sunday) is my second night. We'll see how many show up. It is really a stretch for me, but God has given me a sense of peace and confidence in the fact that it is all on Him and not on me.

We've had only a couple of good rains so far this season. When it rains here, it doesn't just rain, IT RAINS!!! In a matter of a couple of days everything turned green. It is beautiful. Everyone says it will get cooler soon. We hope so. The humidity is really oppressive. We are looking forward to the cold (under 90 degrees) weather back in the States.

Spiders and Snakes

    
It seems as if our time here so far has been one surprise after the other. This week was the top. Along about last Tuesday we experienced our first rainfall of the season. It was quite a storm. Lightning struck so close to us that the charged air made our hair (my arms) stand up. Instead of thunder, we heard a firecracker-like snap. The heavy rainfall surfaced all sorts of creatures we hadn't yet seen. The largest tarantula I've ever seen appeared near our front door. Smaller ones were in the back.


     The biggest shock came Saturday night as we were welcoming our friends for dinner.  We were just making introductions and getting settled when a 3' plus snake appeared in our midst. Needless to say, the ladies departed the area in haste. With the help of the other two guys, we coralled the thing and took it a few blocks away. There was disagreement as to whether it was dangerous or harmless. The consensus was venomous.

     Afterwards, the discussion turned to speculation about the reason for the snake's entrance into our gathering.  Our guests appeared to take the topic rather seriously. It seems that there is a belief (superstition?) that the snake is a sign that "someone" is opposed to the gathering and to the unity that it represents. I am not a superstitious person, but neither will I scoff at the beliefs of others. In this case, there is no doubt that there is an enemy in opposition to our activities. However, we stand firm on the promise that no weapon formed against us will prosper.

     Donna was/is a little unnerved by all of this and is wondering what will appear next. We are determined to learn from Peter to keep our eyes off the storm that rages around us and to keep our eyes on the One who enables us to walk on water. 

     The rain produced a couple of days of relief from the heat, but it returned with force on Saturday. We are learning to enjoy two or three cold showers per day. We are continuing to keep moving and to see God move in people we meet. Some pretty neat things are happening. We are looking forward to seeing friends and family in June.

     There is nothing like swimming in the giant aquarium called the Pacific Ocean to give you a better perspective on your own significance in the grand scheme of things. The Pacific covers 63.8 million square miles, is 12,000 miles across and 35,800' deep. The power in a single wave crashing to shore can knock you off your feet. Yet God commanded, "Thus far you shall come, but no farther. And here shall your proud waves stop." (Job 38:11). The variety of sealife boggles the imagination. Psalm 104:25 says, "There is the sea, great and broad, in which are swarms without number, animals both small and great."(NASB). The little slideshow to the left represents a tiny portion of them from about a few square yards of ocean. You can get a better look on the separate posting.    
          One of my main pathways into the presence of God is nature. When I am able to be still and observe the environment around me, I can be overwhelmed by the magnitude of His being and His creativity. When I consider myself and my individual importance on just the planetary scale, it is easy to see how inadequate I am by comparison. Being here, in an unfamiliar culture and away from the support structures and security blankets of "home", the impact is even greater. I thank God that our adequacy is in Him and that His power works through our weakness(es). We are blessed to see this principle played here out almost on a daily basis.     

     This week, we spent a day with our neighbors and friends Antonio (Tony) and Maria at one of the more distant beaches swimming/snorkeling, eating and fellowshipping. At the end of the day, Tony negotiated a very low price for us to ride home on one of the large tour boats. The one-hour ride was less expensive than the bus/cab and immensely more enjoyable. Donna got to drive the boat for a while. We saw dolphins alongside the boat for a bit.     

     Also this week we started Engish classes at the Red Cross. The doctor, the nurse, three paramedics and a volunteer were in the class. They asked us if we could come more than once a week. We will be doing Tuesdays and Thursdays. They are anxious to learn because many of the "gringos" returning in October don't bother to learn Spanish.     

     A new friend, Juan T. invited us to the Mother's Day (Tuesday) celebration at the school. Afterwards, he and I cooked dinner for Donna and his wife Norma. They seem to be a very sweet couple. We will enjoy their frienship. We have offered to help their son with his English.     

     We are still dealing with some oppressive heat. The soon coming rain will cool it down. Today was mostly overcast but very humid. It only got down to 88 degrees last night. We are looking forward to being in the States for most of June for family visits and Angela's graduation from Focus One (Thank you Rockford First!!!) We'll be in Rockford, Elgin, Lake Zurich, Tennessee and Montana.

Undersea Photos

AND THE HEAT GOES ON

     For all of you who might still envy us because we are in this warm place, don't. We could sure use some cool Spring weather. We are thankful for the breeze that blows during most of the day. We are especialy thankful for a secure house with window screens, fans and an air conditioned bedroom. When the rains begin, it will cool down a lot according to our local friends.  We are amazed by the local police who patrol by two's on a single 250cc-size motorbike in dark blue uniforms with long sleeves and pants plus full-face black helmets. Then there is the guy who is building the second floor on the house next door. He is mixing mortar with a shovel, hauling it up to the roof and laying the bricks while wearing a hoody under a long sleeve shirt and long pants, all in the full sun.We are still out and about with the help of three showers per day.      

     This week we visited the Cruz Roja (the Mexican Red Cross). We had a great meeting with Harriet, the lady who runs it. We'll be teaching English to the paramedics beginning Thursday. It is an amazing organization operating on a dirty, broken shoestring budget. Their equipment is mostly antiquated pieces scavenged wherever they can find it. Funding is almost entirely donations so they are always short. Much of the workforce is volunteer. We plan to help where we are able. We talked about the possibility of missions teams coming for things like building repairs, cleaning, painting and possibly even medical outreaches to the community.     

      Activities like this are great relationship building opportunities. We were amazed by the number of people Harriet mentioned whom we have already begun to connect with. I wish I could claim to have strategized this. However, it is all by chance as far as our input is concerned. It is obvious to us that God has a plan and a purpose for us here. We are excited to watch it unfold. The best strategy we can follow is Proverbs 3:5-6 (paraphrased) Trust God, not your own ideas. Acknowledge Him by being obedient in EVERY aspect of your life and He will move your feet along the path He has chosen.

CAN YOU SAY HOT??

EVERY day is HOT and sunny. The last couple of days have been positively oppressive. It gets down to 83F at night. We aren't complaining, but it sure sucks the physical energy out of you. This is another reason many activites take place at night.

There is another type of heat here as well. It is amazing how glaringly obvious your own shortcomings (read sin) become in the light of a radically different culture. Isaiah 48:10 says, "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." As we continue to weave ourselves into the community here, the stark contrast between cultures brings attitudes and motives to the surface that were somehow camoflaged before. The Word has a newly sharpened edge. It is painful but, at the same time, awesome to realize that God already saw all of it and more and it is already covered. He is doing His purifying work.

One of the cultural grinding stones we've begun to adapt to is the apparent lack of committment keeping. Nothing in terms of appointments or schedules is ever set in stone here. More like Jello. Firm committments, although expressed, rarely exist. A person may call at or after the appointed time to cancel or may not show up at all. Times are very flexible. Thirty to forty-five minutes after the time is not late. We went to the 1st Baptist church for the 7PM Tuesday service. Arriving at a minute to 7, we found someone mopping the floor. The pastor showed up at 7:15. Service started at about 7:30 as people continued to arrive. This is the rule rather than the exception. No one seems to mind.


We are learning to make a plan then jump in the river and go with the flow. It's a little like whitewater rafting without a paddle sometimes. It really cuts across my grain, but we are learning to trust God and to be excited about what is around the next bend. I'm not sure how well this would work in the US, but it sure works here. Most of the connections we've made and opportunities we've had resulted from a richochet off of a derailed plan or unmet expectation.

We now have two taxi drivers coming to the house for English classes. We go weekly to three other houses to teach plus the childrens' class at one of the small churches. Including the numerous businessmen we visit regularly plus neighbors, everyone knows that we are Christians. We are planting seeds. The door opened with the young couple next door and with one of the taxi drivers to make a clear Gospel presentation. Please continue to pray that God would draw everyone we meet to Jesus.   

SEMANA SANTA (Holy Week)

We pray that your Easter was filled with blessing as you celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. This week and next are one of the major religious/vacation holidays in Mexico. We were told that virtually everyone heads for the beach. Two million visitors are predicted for Huatulco. All this week we have been seeing vehicles of every kind crammed beyond capacity with people and piled high with luggage coming into town. The town is crowded with people and the streets are clogged with vehicles. The beaches are packed. I am reminded of Taste of Chicago. Except for the shopkeepers we know, we have seen very few locals other than in church. Everyone is working long hours to serve the visitors.

We stopped by the house of Nelson and his mom, Dominga. We learned that they didn't come for the English class last week because Nedero (dad) was stricken suddenly with severe headaches and had to be taken to Oaxaca City for treatment. Nelson (18) is handling the fishing boat solo and working very long hours. Dominga allowed us to lay hands on her and pray for her husband. The people here are not accustomed to that. Please pray that God would work attesting miracles through us as we step out in this manner. We are careful to not offend cultural and religious tradition, but we are not afraid to move in faith when we see the opportunity.

Since next week will be more of the same tourist-wise, we will be making a lot of quick visits with people and circulating in the non-tourist areas. English classes are on hold until after next week except for Bernardo, the cab driver who comes to our house on Monday mornings. Otherwise, we look forward to the surprises we will experience.