Cortando mi pelo

Noticias grandes....no me creas :) (Big news....don't believe me, just kidding)

So I went to get my first haircut in Mexico which I was pretty excited about because it can cost anywhere from $2 dollars to $10 dollars wherever you decide to go. I decided to go with a place of a Mexican friend which is on the expensive side of $10 and have to say that I am pretty pleased with the new style. I pretty much didn't understand anything the hairdresser was saying to me and think that I need to brush up on my hair cutting vocabulary next time. But am good to go for awhile on the haircuts!!

Fotos: Pictures

Joanna, sus hijos and me at Eric's birthday party

Nestor, Arika's little brother, and I cheering for Claudia to be the Reina or Queen of Fresnillo

Nakira dance at the fair in Fresnillo, la Ferria. Nakira dance is Arika's dance studio.

Arika with the cake we made for her surprise birthday party on Monday, August 20th

Escuelita de Verano

The first day of Escuelita de Verano (ESV) began at 8:15 am. We had a plan to invite 300 kids each day. On a normal "club" day we have three vans to pick up the kids in the neighborhood route I was assigned to with a teammate, Jonathan. The total number of kids on our route to pick up with our 15 passenger van was about 60. The roads on our route are not paved nor are they gravel; they are some rough, rough terrain. We drive 5 mph on these "roads". Let's just say at 10 am (when we start ESV) we had not even gotten to half of the houses. We returned with the intention to form a new plan for the next day; however, Jonathan went back for as many kids as he could get in 15 min. for the day. He stopped at one more house and brought back 8 kids!

The following day we decided to start picking kids up at 8:30 with me on foot and Jonathan going to the rest of the houses, making a trip to the church and then picking me and my route up. This worked so much better--Praise God! The third door I knocked on, by door I mean there was a cloth hanging down, rather than children or a mom first coming to the door two roosters walked out. Let's just say this freaked me out at first because I don't think that roosters are the most attractive, but as the week continued this made me laugh.

"La frase" as we say here for the week was "Con Dios tenemos la Victoria" or With God we have the victory. We taught about the parting of the red sea, crossing the Jordan, and the walls of Jericho coming down....and who was the victory in each story ninos??? Dios!! That's right. This led into our last day when we taught about Jesus victory on the cross and His victory in our lives.

The week went great and we had 188 kids learn more about the victory of God the last day after we finally got our routes straight. Thank you for your prayers. They are powerful!

They Found the Secret: Encontraron la Secreta

"The human heart has no desires that God cannot satisfy. The Christian's greatest difficulty is to take literally the promises of the Savior. Said the Lord Jesus: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." We are told to come to Him, not to some friend, not to some experience, not to some feeling or frame of mind. We are not even to come just to the Word of God; rather, we are to go through that Word to the person of the Lord Jesus Himself."

"To let my loving Savior work in me His will, my sanctification is what I would live for by His grace. Abiding, not striving nor struggling; looking off unto Him; trusting Him for present power; trusting Him to subdue all inward corruption; resting in the love of an almighty Savior, in the conscious joy of a complete salvation, a salvation "from all sin" (this is His Word); willing that His will should truly be supreme--this is not new, and yet 'tis new to me. I feel as though the first dawning of a glorious day had risen upon me. I hail it with trembling, yet with trust. I seem to have got to the edge only, but of a sea which is boundless; to have sipped only, but of that which fully satisfies. Christ literally all seems to me now the power, the only power for service; the only ground for unchanging joy. May He lead us into the realization of His unfathomable fullness." ~V. Edmond Raymond, They Found the Secret: J. Hudson Taylor


Right now I am reading an amazing book, They Found the Secret, by V. Edmond Raymond. As I read some of the testimonies of the men and woman in this book who have found the promise of life I am learning that the way to the Holy Spirit is by submission rather than striving and working. It is by faith.

Feliz Cumpleanos: Happy Birthday

Feliz Cumpleanos Dani y Eric

Fui a dos fiestas para celebrar el primer cumpleanos de Daniella y de Eric. En las dos fiestas tuvieron pinatas pero las pinatas aqui son muy grandes....muchisimo mas que los en los EEUU. Tambien, cantan una cancion "Dale, dale, dale" antes que empiezan la pinata. Otra cosa que aprendi es que no cantan "Feliz Cumpleanos" para los cumpleanos, pero "Las mananitas" que es otra cancion. Diverti mucho durante las fiestas. Aqui hay unas fotos de las fiestas.

I went to two birthday parties over the past month to celebrate the first birthday of a sweet girl named Daniella and Eric. In both of the parties they had huge pinatas which are much larger than the states. They also sing a song "Dale, dale, dale" each time it is someone's turn to hit the pinata. An interesting fact is that they do not sing "Feliz Cumpleanos" here in Mexico for birthdays, but another song "Las mananitas. " I had a lot of fun at the parties. Here are a couple pictures.

Pensamientos Aleatorios: Random Thoughts

Bike riding in the semi-desert on dirt roads on a day off

Where in the states could you take a bike ride and see cows a couple feet from you? (Another thought.....Who knew that cows could swim?) Pigs on the road? Wild horses? Sheep? All while riding through a "rancho"? In the states you would have to go to a petting zoo....

I still need to name my bike here, which is the fastest mode of transporation in Fresnillo. Any suggestions? Just let me know!

Movie Thoughts...

I would like to suggest the movie "Flyboys" to those of you looking for a good movie to rent :)

Also, I really really really want to see the movie "No Reservations"; however, to my great dissapointment I don't think it is going to be coming to the lovely city of Frensillo. Hopefully some of you get to see it for me:)

Favorite movie to watch for fun right now...often...."The Holiday" :)

Those are enough random thoughts for now... :)

Trust God's Providence: Confie la Providencia de Dios

"Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matt. 10: 28-31

The point is, first, that the smallest details of life on earth are goverened by God--not a bird falls to the ground apart from him. And the second point is that God is near, and his acquaintance with our situation is total--even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

Conclusion: Nothing will befall you apart from his (God's) wise and loving providence over your circumstances. Don't fear. And, by implication, don't be angry in a way that contradicts your confidence in God's care over your life. God's providence should change the way we experience circumstances that would otherwise be totally infuriating.

~John Piper (page143, Demand #18 Trust God's Providence)

While I was spending time with the Lord the other day He challenged me and made me stop for a couple days to pray about this demand and truth. Do circumstances in my life contradict my confidence in God's care? Do I doubt, blame or have anger when the way that things look in my life are not as I want them or wish they would be? Am I trusting God's providence? His faithfulness? At first I only thought part of this word applied to me... of course I am not angry with God or infuriated with my cirucumstances. But the Lord searches and knows my heart and most definitely gave me a look into areas that need foregiveness. He reminded me of His providence--which is loving and wise.