Today was the first official day of school. We have nine students currently enrolled in first grade. We are starting with only first grade and planning on adding further grades as the years go by.
Thank you for all the prayers for the school up to this point. We can really feel them, especially on days like this.
Keep praying for the school and all the kids that are here. Pray that the kids can learn academically, but also spiritually. Pray that they can grow into strong young people who can contribute to their society with wisdom and understanding. Pray that the seed of the gospel would be firmly planted in their lives.
Pray for the staff as well, that we would have understanding about how to teach and help these kids. It is a daunting task that has been taken on here, but God is faithful and has been faithful. Pray that we would continue to see His faithfulness and guidance.
And praise God for the work that he has done so far. Praise Him for his faithfulness and His work here in Ixtlan.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Escuelita 2009
Just so you are aware, there are two new posts. I just couldn't put them in the same post.
It's been several weeks already, but Escuelita 2009 has come and gone. This would be VBS for those who aren't up on the Spanish lingo. It is always a crazy week. It starts at about 9:30 when the first truck leaves to pick up kids and we start at 11:00. We had an average of around 270 kids show up every day. Friday was the day we handed out the prizes and attendence was a little higher that day, probably around 300 kids. We had the theme of the Apostle Paul this year which was good, but a little hard to tell chapters 6-28 of Acts in five days. It was a good year. I taught 10-11 year old boys with Matt which was a lot of fun. We had thrity couple every day. They were a fun bunch.
Here are some pictures of the week, a lot more interesting that anything that I write.
One of the little kid classes in the church.
8-9 year old girls. The school helps out a lot for these big classes.
Matt and I with our boys working on the activity after the lesson.
Here is most of the crew that worked at VBS all week. This was taken Friday afternoon at our little 'celebration' for having survived the week.
Pray that the kids who came will remember the lessons that they heard and that the seeds that were planted during the week would sometime bring forth fruit. We place these kids in God's hands and know that He will work in them to bring up new believers (it's just hard to be patient sometimes).
It's been several weeks already, but Escuelita 2009 has come and gone. This would be VBS for those who aren't up on the Spanish lingo. It is always a crazy week. It starts at about 9:30 when the first truck leaves to pick up kids and we start at 11:00. We had an average of around 270 kids show up every day. Friday was the day we handed out the prizes and attendence was a little higher that day, probably around 300 kids. We had the theme of the Apostle Paul this year which was good, but a little hard to tell chapters 6-28 of Acts in five days. It was a good year. I taught 10-11 year old boys with Matt which was a lot of fun. We had thrity couple every day. They were a fun bunch.
Here are some pictures of the week, a lot more interesting that anything that I write.
One of the little kid classes in the church.
8-9 year old girls. The school helps out a lot for these big classes.
Matt and I with our boys working on the activity after the lesson.
Here is most of the crew that worked at VBS all week. This was taken Friday afternoon at our little 'celebration' for having survived the week.
Pray that the kids who came will remember the lessons that they heard and that the seeds that were planted during the week would sometime bring forth fruit. We place these kids in God's hands and know that He will work in them to bring up new believers (it's just hard to be patient sometimes).
Every once in a while our hearts break.
It has been a long silence here on La Vida Ixtlan.
I wish that the news wasn't so bitter sweet. Yesterday our brother Roberto went to be with God. He was such an amazing brother in the church and will be missed so much by all of us. I don't know how much I will miss hearing 'doscientos, hermano' when singing in the church. I can't describe his love for the body of Christ. I can't describe his love. We will miss him and his smiling face.
As much as we will miss him, his family will miss him more. His wife Rosa, daughter Ana Rosa (her husband Edgar), his grandchildren Roberto (7 or 8 years old) and Eric (seven months). Rosa has the joy of knowing that she will see him agian in heaven. Pray that she will take comfort and strength in that. The rest of the family doesn't have that hope. Pray that they would be comforted and strengthened, but above all else pray that they would see the light and hope that is in Christ through this. Pray that the veil would be lifted from their faces and that they would come humbly before God in repentence.
It is a bittersweet day. We will miss Roberto, for that we are sad. But, more, we rejoice knowing that he is healed completely through God's amazing grace. What a beautiful hope we have.
I wish that the news wasn't so bitter sweet. Yesterday our brother Roberto went to be with God. He was such an amazing brother in the church and will be missed so much by all of us. I don't know how much I will miss hearing 'doscientos, hermano' when singing in the church. I can't describe his love for the body of Christ. I can't describe his love. We will miss him and his smiling face.
As much as we will miss him, his family will miss him more. His wife Rosa, daughter Ana Rosa (her husband Edgar), his grandchildren Roberto (7 or 8 years old) and Eric (seven months). Rosa has the joy of knowing that she will see him agian in heaven. Pray that she will take comfort and strength in that. The rest of the family doesn't have that hope. Pray that they would be comforted and strengthened, but above all else pray that they would see the light and hope that is in Christ through this. Pray that the veil would be lifted from their faces and that they would come humbly before God in repentence.
It is a bittersweet day. We will miss Roberto, for that we are sad. But, more, we rejoice knowing that he is healed completely through God's amazing grace. What a beautiful hope we have.
Monday, June 15, 2009
The news
So it has been a little while. Oops.
Roberto:
Some who have visited Ixtlan over the years will remember Roberto. Roberto had a hernia surgery a couple of weeks ago and during the surgery they discovered that he really had relatively advanced stomach cancer. The doctors said there was nothing they could do and have given him anywhere from a month to a year.
Roberto is an older brother in the church here with an incredible amount of love and passion for the church. He is always excited to see visitors in church and will always come up to greet them with his wife Sister Rosa following behind. It's always fun to watch him as he welcomes American visitors who often jsut look back smiling without understanding a word, but with complete recogntion of the love behind his words. Roberto can't read, but loves to be in church. Loves singing. Loves the word. Loves Christ. Roberto loves the hymns "Con que Pagaremos" and "Engrandecido Sea Dios", one of which he will call during each service. Roberto is passionate for God and one of the most, if not the most, grateful man I have ever known.
Roberto's response to hearing about the cancer was essentially "Whatever the Lord wants." (I don't know exactly what he said) He immediately placed himself in God's hands and gave God reign in his life. An incredible testimony of faith and confidence in God's goodness and mercy. We pray his faith can be a testimony to the church, his family, and his community in San Cristobal, a nearby town.
We are naturally sad with this information. It is always difficult to loose a loved one and someone so appreciated by the church, but behind the sadness is the joy of knowing that he is going home. Joy of knowing that he is finishing his race, he is finishing the fight in this life, and that he is going to his reward.
Pray for Roberto. Pray for God's hand to be present with him, comforting him and continuing to give him peace. Pray that his faith would continue to strengthen. Pray that his testimony would grow stronger. Pray for God's will to be fulfilled in his life.
Pray for Rosa, Roberto's wife. Pray that she has strength and courage to face the difficult times ahead. Pray that her faith too would grow strong. Pray that she would stand strong by her husband and take joy in knowing his future is in heaven. Pray that she would embrace God's will and be thankful knowing that it is being completed.
Pray for Ana Rosa (his daughter), Robertito (his 7 or 8 year-old grandson), and Eric (his recently born grandson). They need Christ badly and above all our prayer is that this can bring them to him. Pray that Roberto and Rosa's testimony will show the truth of God's love and the hope we have in Him clearly.
Queretaro:
On a very different subject. We are pleased to have started a new outreach/church in Mexico. I don't know technically whether it is called a church yet or not, but it's on its way at the very least.
Lalo, he was a minister here in Ixltan for a time, moved to Queretaro with his wife (and now 3 children) about 4 years ago to help his family. Lalo has recently started up church services in his home there on Sundays. We are excited about this new opportunity and the potential outreach that we have. Lalo has many contacts and from all reports are good. There are a couple of families that have been coming as well as a nephew of Lalo's who has given his life to Christ and repented.
It is exciting to know that the ministry here is definitely expanding and that there is need all over Mexico for solid Christian churches. For those that are curious and don't know. Here are our outreach locations in Mexico at this point.
Ixtlan: There is the church, school opening to at least first grade next year and multiple other outreaches in the community.
Magdalena: There is the orphanage, church, and there community outreaches and much more for the future.
Morelia: This is about 2.5 hours from Ixltan and there are three members there and three converts. There are also many American visitors that go through when they study Spanish at the Baden-Powell Institue (a language school).
Queretaro: About 3 hours from Ixtlan. Newly formed. See above.
Barra Vieja: About 30 minutes from Acapulco, or 15 hours form Ixtlan by bus. There are four believers there that are expecting to be baptized in July, Lord willing.
Those are the Apostolic Christian Chruch's ministiries in Mexico. God is definitely working here and is going to do some mighty things in the coming years.
Prayer:
1. See above requests for Roberto
2. Pray for the new ministry in Queretaro and the other ministries here in Mexico.
Roberto:
Some who have visited Ixtlan over the years will remember Roberto. Roberto had a hernia surgery a couple of weeks ago and during the surgery they discovered that he really had relatively advanced stomach cancer. The doctors said there was nothing they could do and have given him anywhere from a month to a year.
Roberto is an older brother in the church here with an incredible amount of love and passion for the church. He is always excited to see visitors in church and will always come up to greet them with his wife Sister Rosa following behind. It's always fun to watch him as he welcomes American visitors who often jsut look back smiling without understanding a word, but with complete recogntion of the love behind his words. Roberto can't read, but loves to be in church. Loves singing. Loves the word. Loves Christ. Roberto loves the hymns "Con que Pagaremos" and "Engrandecido Sea Dios", one of which he will call during each service. Roberto is passionate for God and one of the most, if not the most, grateful man I have ever known.
Roberto's response to hearing about the cancer was essentially "Whatever the Lord wants." (I don't know exactly what he said) He immediately placed himself in God's hands and gave God reign in his life. An incredible testimony of faith and confidence in God's goodness and mercy. We pray his faith can be a testimony to the church, his family, and his community in San Cristobal, a nearby town.
We are naturally sad with this information. It is always difficult to loose a loved one and someone so appreciated by the church, but behind the sadness is the joy of knowing that he is going home. Joy of knowing that he is finishing his race, he is finishing the fight in this life, and that he is going to his reward.
Pray for Roberto. Pray for God's hand to be present with him, comforting him and continuing to give him peace. Pray that his faith would continue to strengthen. Pray that his testimony would grow stronger. Pray for God's will to be fulfilled in his life.
Pray for Rosa, Roberto's wife. Pray that she has strength and courage to face the difficult times ahead. Pray that her faith too would grow strong. Pray that she would stand strong by her husband and take joy in knowing his future is in heaven. Pray that she would embrace God's will and be thankful knowing that it is being completed.
Pray for Ana Rosa (his daughter), Robertito (his 7 or 8 year-old grandson), and Eric (his recently born grandson). They need Christ badly and above all our prayer is that this can bring them to him. Pray that Roberto and Rosa's testimony will show the truth of God's love and the hope we have in Him clearly.
Queretaro:
On a very different subject. We are pleased to have started a new outreach/church in Mexico. I don't know technically whether it is called a church yet or not, but it's on its way at the very least.
Lalo, he was a minister here in Ixltan for a time, moved to Queretaro with his wife (and now 3 children) about 4 years ago to help his family. Lalo has recently started up church services in his home there on Sundays. We are excited about this new opportunity and the potential outreach that we have. Lalo has many contacts and from all reports are good. There are a couple of families that have been coming as well as a nephew of Lalo's who has given his life to Christ and repented.
It is exciting to know that the ministry here is definitely expanding and that there is need all over Mexico for solid Christian churches. For those that are curious and don't know. Here are our outreach locations in Mexico at this point.
Ixtlan: There is the church, school opening to at least first grade next year and multiple other outreaches in the community.
Magdalena: There is the orphanage, church, and there community outreaches and much more for the future.
Morelia: This is about 2.5 hours from Ixltan and there are three members there and three converts. There are also many American visitors that go through when they study Spanish at the Baden-Powell Institue (a language school).
Queretaro: About 3 hours from Ixtlan. Newly formed. See above.
Barra Vieja: About 30 minutes from Acapulco, or 15 hours form Ixtlan by bus. There are four believers there that are expecting to be baptized in July, Lord willing.
Those are the Apostolic Christian Chruch's ministiries in Mexico. God is definitely working here and is going to do some mighty things in the coming years.
Prayer:
1. See above requests for Roberto
2. Pray for the new ministry in Queretaro and the other ministries here in Mexico.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Beware the roaches...
Cockroaches.
Yes, this is a story about a cockroach. I didn't give him a name in real life, but perhaps we can call him Roachie.
Cockroaches, while not any sort of threat to life here in Ixtlan, do exist. Ask Jodi. One interrupted our Skype-chat conversation one night when it went crawling across my desk and I had to wage an impromptu war. I won that one. Raid spray is my favorite, then I don't have to deal with crunching exoskeletons and just sweep up the roach a couple of days later.
Anyway. Roachie.
Today I went to plug my iPod into the speakers I have in the classroom. The textbooks we have use quite a bit of audio and so I use my iPod during class. Well, I had a problem. The speakers weren't getting any juice. No matter how many times I pushed in the power button, nothing happened. No power light. No sound. Nothing. This can be frustrating, especially when you need sound. Thankfully I didn't need it today, although it came close.
Anyway. Speakers.
So I had class and went back to trying to figure out what was wrong. After trying different electric outlets and being generally confused, I shook the speaker to see if any parts were loose.
It sounded like a small etch-a-sketch. This made sense. It's been windy lately and dry. I just didn't think that much dust and sand could have gotten in the speaker while being in the school.
'Ah, well' I thought, 'Time to do surgury.' Of course I didn't have the screwdrive that I needed in the house so after borrowing one from Marshall and Jan, I proceeded to commence operations on my speaker. The operation was pretty typical. They put the screws in the deepest holes so you can never really tell what you are doing. You just have to have a long skinny screwdriver. I think the electonics companies are working with Craftsman.
Well, I got the speaker open and the 'sand' started to fall out. It looked familiar. It looked like the aftermath of a roach. By aftermath, I mean fecal matter. Not cool. So, with greater caution and over the trash can, I continue opening the speaker and, there, scared to death (with good reason I would think), staring back at me was Roachie. Roachie had made home amongst all the wires of my speakers. Considering that we haven't had classes for three weeks. I have no clue how long he had been living there.
I proceeded to do the only logical thing. I knocked Roachie out of the speaker and into the trash can and went for the Raid can.
That took care of Roachie, but what about the speakers. Allowing for the fact that I know nothing about the inter workings of electronics, I feel like I gave things a pretty good looking over, but I don't think Roachie like the way things were organized and had done his damage. Thankfully we didn't pay much for those things.
so I swept things up and and am ready to move on now. Excitement for the day is now over. I think, who knows what else may happen.
Here is Roachie on his way out. Poor guy. Wrong place at the wrong time.
Prayer:
1. We started classes again today. We have six more weeks. Pray that these weeks would be productive academically and in relationships. Pray that God would use this year for His glory and that He would do His work. Pray that we could finish strong leave these kids thinking about more than just English.
*By the way, I'm coming home June 29th and will be home until the 20th of July. Woohoo!
**Oh, it rained last Thursday and Friday night. Yea!!
Yes, this is a story about a cockroach. I didn't give him a name in real life, but perhaps we can call him Roachie.
Cockroaches, while not any sort of threat to life here in Ixtlan, do exist. Ask Jodi. One interrupted our Skype-chat conversation one night when it went crawling across my desk and I had to wage an impromptu war. I won that one. Raid spray is my favorite, then I don't have to deal with crunching exoskeletons and just sweep up the roach a couple of days later.
Anyway. Roachie.
Today I went to plug my iPod into the speakers I have in the classroom. The textbooks we have use quite a bit of audio and so I use my iPod during class. Well, I had a problem. The speakers weren't getting any juice. No matter how many times I pushed in the power button, nothing happened. No power light. No sound. Nothing. This can be frustrating, especially when you need sound. Thankfully I didn't need it today, although it came close.
Anyway. Speakers.
So I had class and went back to trying to figure out what was wrong. After trying different electric outlets and being generally confused, I shook the speaker to see if any parts were loose.
It sounded like a small etch-a-sketch. This made sense. It's been windy lately and dry. I just didn't think that much dust and sand could have gotten in the speaker while being in the school.
'Ah, well' I thought, 'Time to do surgury.' Of course I didn't have the screwdrive that I needed in the house so after borrowing one from Marshall and Jan, I proceeded to commence operations on my speaker. The operation was pretty typical. They put the screws in the deepest holes so you can never really tell what you are doing. You just have to have a long skinny screwdriver. I think the electonics companies are working with Craftsman.
Well, I got the speaker open and the 'sand' started to fall out. It looked familiar. It looked like the aftermath of a roach. By aftermath, I mean fecal matter. Not cool. So, with greater caution and over the trash can, I continue opening the speaker and, there, scared to death (with good reason I would think), staring back at me was Roachie. Roachie had made home amongst all the wires of my speakers. Considering that we haven't had classes for three weeks. I have no clue how long he had been living there.
I proceeded to do the only logical thing. I knocked Roachie out of the speaker and into the trash can and went for the Raid can.
That took care of Roachie, but what about the speakers. Allowing for the fact that I know nothing about the inter workings of electronics, I feel like I gave things a pretty good looking over, but I don't think Roachie like the way things were organized and had done his damage. Thankfully we didn't pay much for those things.
so I swept things up and and am ready to move on now. Excitement for the day is now over. I think, who knows what else may happen.
Here is Roachie on his way out. Poor guy. Wrong place at the wrong time.
Prayer:
1. We started classes again today. We have six more weeks. Pray that these weeks would be productive academically and in relationships. Pray that God would use this year for His glory and that He would do His work. Pray that we could finish strong leave these kids thinking about more than just English.
*By the way, I'm coming home June 29th and will be home until the 20th of July. Woohoo!
**Oh, it rained last Thursday and Friday night. Yea!!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
We had one day of school on Monday before schools, at least what would be elementary and middle schools, were told to shut down again as precautionary measures and to clean the schools. So here I sit again.
I am not blockmaking this week. I have to catch up on some other things. I finished an online course for teaching English and am going to try to get some more things figured out for the next year. Not much going on really.
I will say this. I am looking forward to rain. It's like a game right now. A really bad waiting game. It could rain any day, but you never know when that will be. I miss the peacefulness of a good soft rain and the power in a good storm. So I wait for the rain. Maybe today, maybe not.
Also, Grant Herrmann is coming back for the summer. He will get her the 22 of May, in about a week. So there will be another person around here. The summer will go fast I know and soon I will be teaching again, but that's okay. That's why I am here, no?
Prayers:
1. Pray for the last couple of weeks of English classes and praise God that we have been able to make connections with many kids here in Ixtlan. Pray that we can continue those relationships.
2. Pray for the continued work on the school. We still have a lot of work to do and there are still many things that need to be pulled together. Pray that we would have wisdom as we work through these things.
I am not blockmaking this week. I have to catch up on some other things. I finished an online course for teaching English and am going to try to get some more things figured out for the next year. Not much going on really.
I will say this. I am looking forward to rain. It's like a game right now. A really bad waiting game. It could rain any day, but you never know when that will be. I miss the peacefulness of a good soft rain and the power in a good storm. So I wait for the rain. Maybe today, maybe not.
Also, Grant Herrmann is coming back for the summer. He will get her the 22 of May, in about a week. So there will be another person around here. The summer will go fast I know and soon I will be teaching again, but that's okay. That's why I am here, no?
Prayers:
1. Pray for the last couple of weeks of English classes and praise God that we have been able to make connections with many kids here in Ixtlan. Pray that we can continue those relationships.
2. Pray for the continued work on the school. We still have a lot of work to do and there are still many things that need to be pulled together. Pray that we would have wisdom as we work through these things.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Swine Flu and blockmaking
So, because of the Swine Flu here in Mexico, schools have been shut down until at least May 6th. Although we are not an official school, that means us too. No classes at the Colegio de las Americas until next Tuesday. So I have this short little vacation. So instead of teaching, I suddenly have all this free time. So...
I am now a bolqueador, a block maker. Mario and Efrain are starting a a block making business. I mean blocks like construction blocks. So today I went and helped them. I officially made several blocks and threw around a lot of sand and concrete. It was a good time and I enjoyed the time with Mario and Efrain. I think that tomorrow I get to play at being a abanil, an mason (bricklayer). It should be fun.
I'll fill you all in later.
Prayer:
1. Keep praying for those suffering throughout the world because of the swine flu. More pray that God calms the fears of people throughout the world.
2. Pray for continued growth here in the church and in each member and new believer. Pray that each one can grow in the word and in prayer.
I am now a bolqueador, a block maker. Mario and Efrain are starting a a block making business. I mean blocks like construction blocks. So today I went and helped them. I officially made several blocks and threw around a lot of sand and concrete. It was a good time and I enjoyed the time with Mario and Efrain. I think that tomorrow I get to play at being a abanil, an mason (bricklayer). It should be fun.
I'll fill you all in later.
Prayer:
1. Keep praying for those suffering throughout the world because of the swine flu. More pray that God calms the fears of people throughout the world.
2. Pray for continued growth here in the church and in each member and new believer. Pray that each one can grow in the word and in prayer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)