Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
MK Homeschool Spiritual Emphasis Camp 2010 -the video
Chuck and Karla Topp did a great job with the elementary kids' chapel and they taught our kids this song and sign language for it.
Friday, April 16, 2010
MK Homeschool Spiritual Emphasis Camp 2010
Wednesday afternoon kicked off our 2nd annual MK Homeschool Spiritual Emphasis Camp at Camp Koinonia. Camp concludes tomorrow just before noon and the kids have had a blast.
The camp got off to a challenging start since a ministry team from a church in the U.S. did not come as planned. They were going to be handling the bulk of the positions as counselors and kitchen help as well as help with some of the programs. A couple of our parents stepped up and we just barely covered the basics but I think we've made it work.
Chuck and Karla Topp brought their three homeschoolers with them from Mexico City and also covered the elementary grade chapels. Mike and Pam Contreras came from Puebla with their kids (who attend Puebla Christian School where Mike also has some ministry involvement). Mike covered the junior/senior high school chapels. Karla and Pam also helped out in the kitchen. Both couples filled in for at least one night in the cabins as counselors. Dennis and Sharon Kirsch also helped in the kitchen. Julio who works at the camp also helped as a counselor and game coordinator for the older kids.
A really nice gal, Rachelle, who came with a homeschooler from Mazatlan also helped as a counselor and with the games. By the way, I think she said that it took 16 hours by bus to get here. Wow.
Rich and Sara Musgrave who direct the camp helped out in more ways than I can count and probably more than I know...but did at least a little of everything and a lot of some things. Without them, this camp wouldn't have happened.
Beth ran crafts again this year which is a kid favorite. I was asked 2 weeks ago to lead games...uh-oh...I don't know many games! Of course, I agreed to do it but had no idea what to do with it. A week ago I was told there was someone coming who was going to lead the games so I could just help out and not have to worry about coming up with the games. I arrived Wednesday to find out there had been a miscommunication and the person coming was as clueless as I was with games and hadn't known anything about them! Oops! So, we scrambled at the last minute and came up with some game ideas.
Funny thing happened on Thursday when we actually got to the game time. We ended up simply playing kickball which the kids liked so much that we played it again today! We never did play any other games! It was a good thing though...many of the kids had never had the opportunity to play kickball before and didn't even know the rules! So, it was a good home culture experience for them.
It was a comedy of errors and situations I have never seen before in any sport. Keep in mind this is Mexico so apart from the kids, the playing environment provided its own challenges including large rocks, cacti, dog flops, sheep droppings and an interesting slope to the field that forced me to roll the balls from right to left to get them near home plate. But the kids were the best part. Just to give you a taste I'll just throw out that we had the littlest girl in the group who couldn't kick the ball as far as the pitcher who ended up with a home-run, a 2nd baseman who didn't know he was supposed to catch balls thrown to him (opting to let it plunk him squarely on the head instead), one of the oldest and biggest boys who tried to kick the ball before it ever left my hand and nearly fell over when he realized I hadn't rolled the ball yet, and a kicker who was out at first but only knew he was supposed to kick and run...he circled the bases at full speed for a very long out! Whew. These MKs need some serious help! But it WAS funny! And it WAS fun.
It's late and we're commuting to the camp each day so I need to quit and post a few pics. With the boys at camp and Beth's mom in the US for a conference, we were happy to make the 45 minute commute so we could spend at least a little time when we came home each night to enjoy our home by ourselves. In five years here, I think these were the first nights we've ever spent here without either our kids or Beth's mom or both or guests! So...while we were too tired to really enjoy it much, we have enjoyed these three nights. Pics to come...
The camp got off to a challenging start since a ministry team from a church in the U.S. did not come as planned. They were going to be handling the bulk of the positions as counselors and kitchen help as well as help with some of the programs. A couple of our parents stepped up and we just barely covered the basics but I think we've made it work.
Chuck and Karla Topp brought their three homeschoolers with them from Mexico City and also covered the elementary grade chapels. Mike and Pam Contreras came from Puebla with their kids (who attend Puebla Christian School where Mike also has some ministry involvement). Mike covered the junior/senior high school chapels. Karla and Pam also helped out in the kitchen. Both couples filled in for at least one night in the cabins as counselors. Dennis and Sharon Kirsch also helped in the kitchen. Julio who works at the camp also helped as a counselor and game coordinator for the older kids.
A really nice gal, Rachelle, who came with a homeschooler from Mazatlan also helped as a counselor and with the games. By the way, I think she said that it took 16 hours by bus to get here. Wow.
Rich and Sara Musgrave who direct the camp helped out in more ways than I can count and probably more than I know...but did at least a little of everything and a lot of some things. Without them, this camp wouldn't have happened.
Beth ran crafts again this year which is a kid favorite. I was asked 2 weeks ago to lead games...uh-oh...I don't know many games! Of course, I agreed to do it but had no idea what to do with it. A week ago I was told there was someone coming who was going to lead the games so I could just help out and not have to worry about coming up with the games. I arrived Wednesday to find out there had been a miscommunication and the person coming was as clueless as I was with games and hadn't known anything about them! Oops! So, we scrambled at the last minute and came up with some game ideas.
Funny thing happened on Thursday when we actually got to the game time. We ended up simply playing kickball which the kids liked so much that we played it again today! We never did play any other games! It was a good thing though...many of the kids had never had the opportunity to play kickball before and didn't even know the rules! So, it was a good home culture experience for them.
It was a comedy of errors and situations I have never seen before in any sport. Keep in mind this is Mexico so apart from the kids, the playing environment provided its own challenges including large rocks, cacti, dog flops, sheep droppings and an interesting slope to the field that forced me to roll the balls from right to left to get them near home plate. But the kids were the best part. Just to give you a taste I'll just throw out that we had the littlest girl in the group who couldn't kick the ball as far as the pitcher who ended up with a home-run, a 2nd baseman who didn't know he was supposed to catch balls thrown to him (opting to let it plunk him squarely on the head instead), one of the oldest and biggest boys who tried to kick the ball before it ever left my hand and nearly fell over when he realized I hadn't rolled the ball yet, and a kicker who was out at first but only knew he was supposed to kick and run...he circled the bases at full speed for a very long out! Whew. These MKs need some serious help! But it WAS funny! And it WAS fun.
It's late and we're commuting to the camp each day so I need to quit and post a few pics. With the boys at camp and Beth's mom in the US for a conference, we were happy to make the 45 minute commute so we could spend at least a little time when we came home each night to enjoy our home by ourselves. In five years here, I think these were the first nights we've ever spent here without either our kids or Beth's mom or both or guests! So...while we were too tired to really enjoy it much, we have enjoyed these three nights. Pics to come...
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Justin's First Easter Egg Hunt
Kristin really wanted Justin to experience a piece of American culture so we filled a bunch of plastic eggs with goodies and I hid them in the patio area. Almost all of them were in plain sight but a 3 year-old can still find it challenging to find them. Cameron hid a bunch of eggs inside the front rooms for Dayton to find too. No shortage of sugar highs around here this past week.
The Most Evangelized Population Segment in Mexico?
I have no idea which population segment in Mexico has received the most thorough introduction to the Gospel of grace, but I would not be surprised if it wouldn't be the workers at Pemex gas stations.
In Mexico the government owns and controls the production and distribution of gasoline. There is no competition. Every gas station in Mexico is a Pemex gas station, like the one above. (not sure of the source of the photo...I didn't take it)
Another thing that is true about Pemex gas stations is that you aren't supposed to pump the gas yourself. There are attendants who do that. They often have to enter a code into the pump's electronic pad in order to enable pumping. It's mostly an anti-theft measure to have all these employees, but it's nice to not ever have to pump your own gas here. It's not uncommon to overhear my voice in the car when we return to the USA for a visit, "Oh bummer...I have to pump my gas again." lol
Making the connection to the title of this post, I don't know about other missionaries, but I've given out more tracts at Pemex gas stations than I can remember. The World Cup tracts are the best.
On Saturday I stopped at a local Pemex to fill up and the attendant asked me if I needed anything checked while it filled...air, oil, fluids, etc. I told him, "No, it's all good, but I have this World Cup schedule for you for free if you'd like it." I pulled it open so he could see the brackets. He eagerly took it. I then reached over and grabbed about 15 of them and said, "Here, these are for your co-workers."
What happened next took me by surprise.
Instead of waiting until I drove off and he got a few minutes to pass these along, he left me and my gas-drinking car and went over to every worker at all the pumps and handed them each one of the tracts! He finally came back and gave me three tracts that remained. Is that great or what?
After I paid and was pulling out, an older attendant at the pump ahead of me smiled big and waved at me as he held his World Cup tract in his other hand. Continue praying with us that the Lord will use the Gospel message and the free Bible study offer to help bring many into a saving relationship through Jesus. Who knows? (apart from God, of course)...maybe heaven will have a little section filled with former Pemex workers!
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Monday, Tuesday, Wingsday...
You must know that I like certain foods...don't we all? Here in San Juan del Rio, we've found very few places to eat that we like. Three to be exact. One would think that in a city with a population of probably near 400,000 people that there would be lots of eating establishments worth trying and liking. Unfortunately (or maybe it is a good thing), there are just a few. I'm not including the tamale place b/c that's only in the evening and it's only take-out.
There's a great steak/Mexican dining place called El Corral de La Vaca, a home restaurant only for lunch that I guess is called Doña Meches (after the matriarch of the family and the head cook), and a new place I think I've mentioned before, Wings Army, which is a chicken wings place with a U.S. military motif.
Wings Army is a chain here in Mexico and surprisingly has a very authentic American flavor. Of course, it has flavors like Tamarind which is a Mexican taste, but there are some mildly hot wings which taste quite like in the USA. My fellow ministry team men have discovered that Wings Army is a great place for us to gather like men (uhmmm...not like we could gather like women, right?!?) and enjoy some hot wings and cold Cokes and talk. It's a great privilege for us to have something like this where we can get away from ministry and family for a couple hours and just eat and fellowship and maybe even pour out some struggles or plans or triumphs.
During the week, Wings Army, has a couple of specials on certain days. On Wednesdays, it's buy 20 wings, get 10 wings free. This works great for 3 guys to have 10 wings apiece. It works even greater for two or four guys (we double it) to have 15 wings apiece! Due to this Wednesday special, it's becoming a weekly tradition for two, three or four of us to get together and enjoy this special treat. Because it falls on Wednesday, I've begun calling it "Wingsday." I think the name is beginning to stick.
Today, Brock, Tim and I were able to continue our Wingsday tradition. Last week, Cameron even joined us which was nice to have him along to be with the men. I think we'll have him join us as often as possible. It's great for him...and he likes the food too.
Oh...back to today...when we were taking our seats the waiter said (in Spanish), "You were the ones who gave me that World Cup schedule weren't you? You wouldn't have another one, would you?" Now that was great to hear. Sad thing, none of us had any on us, but Tim shot up out of his seat and said, "I've got some in the truck." He came back with a small stack of them. I noticed the owner had put them right on the little bar. Is that great or what? Sure they're the World Cup brackets/schedule, but the Gospel message is right on the other side, plus an invitation to request a free Bible study. They're going to have those there for patrons to take! I'm still a little giddy over this. Some places would not appreciate the Gospel message on them and so I'm surprised this happened.
Who knows? Maybe someone will take one of these tracts from the Wings Army bar table, and the Holy Spirit will cultivate the seed of God's Word from the Gospel presentation on the back of that World Cup schedule, and that person may eventually receive Christ as his/her Savior and forever partake of eternal life in heaven, and all because of a tract at Wings Army. That's a cool thought.
Who would have thought that heaven could taste like chicken?
I suspected it all along.
There's a great steak/Mexican dining place called El Corral de La Vaca, a home restaurant only for lunch that I guess is called Doña Meches (after the matriarch of the family and the head cook), and a new place I think I've mentioned before, Wings Army, which is a chicken wings place with a U.S. military motif.
Wings Army is a chain here in Mexico and surprisingly has a very authentic American flavor. Of course, it has flavors like Tamarind which is a Mexican taste, but there are some mildly hot wings which taste quite like in the USA. My fellow ministry team men have discovered that Wings Army is a great place for us to gather like men (uhmmm...not like we could gather like women, right?!?) and enjoy some hot wings and cold Cokes and talk. It's a great privilege for us to have something like this where we can get away from ministry and family for a couple hours and just eat and fellowship and maybe even pour out some struggles or plans or triumphs.
During the week, Wings Army, has a couple of specials on certain days. On Wednesdays, it's buy 20 wings, get 10 wings free. This works great for 3 guys to have 10 wings apiece. It works even greater for two or four guys (we double it) to have 15 wings apiece! Due to this Wednesday special, it's becoming a weekly tradition for two, three or four of us to get together and enjoy this special treat. Because it falls on Wednesday, I've begun calling it "Wingsday." I think the name is beginning to stick.
Today, Brock, Tim and I were able to continue our Wingsday tradition. Last week, Cameron even joined us which was nice to have him along to be with the men. I think we'll have him join us as often as possible. It's great for him...and he likes the food too.
Oh...back to today...when we were taking our seats the waiter said (in Spanish), "You were the ones who gave me that World Cup schedule weren't you? You wouldn't have another one, would you?" Now that was great to hear. Sad thing, none of us had any on us, but Tim shot up out of his seat and said, "I've got some in the truck." He came back with a small stack of them. I noticed the owner had put them right on the little bar. Is that great or what? Sure they're the World Cup brackets/schedule, but the Gospel message is right on the other side, plus an invitation to request a free Bible study. They're going to have those there for patrons to take! I'm still a little giddy over this. Some places would not appreciate the Gospel message on them and so I'm surprised this happened.
Who knows? Maybe someone will take one of these tracts from the Wings Army bar table, and the Holy Spirit will cultivate the seed of God's Word from the Gospel presentation on the back of that World Cup schedule, and that person may eventually receive Christ as his/her Savior and forever partake of eternal life in heaven, and all because of a tract at Wings Army. That's a cool thought.
Who would have thought that heaven could taste like chicken?
I suspected it all along.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
It's That Time of Year Again
April is one of our busiest times of year every year.
One thing that happens this time of year is our missionary visas for ministering and living in Mexico expire and must be renewed. This year is our 6th year in Mexico so we have to jump through more hoops than is normal for this process. We haven't heard from our immigration lawyer since we shipped our visa documents and U.S. passports to her. We have to trust that all is well until she's ready for us to come to Mexico City for photos and fingerprinting and appearing before the immigration officials. Since this is Easter vacation (last week and this week), she's probably not even able to work on anything for us at the moment. We're praying for a quick completion to this important requirement for living here.
Another thing that happens this time of year is Stanford Achievement Testing. We tested 9 students from Queretaro last Thursday and Friday. We tested 2 students from Mexico City yesterday, and I'm still proctoring these two today as I type this (quietly!). We'll have one more student from Queretaro to test here next Monday and Tuesday in our home while our co-workers up at Camp Koinonia will be handling the testing of 8 other students. Then on Monday and Tuesday April 19-20 we'll be testing 3 more and concluding a few tests with a 4th student once again in Queretaro.
Finally (if that's true to say), the annual MK Spiritual Emphasis Camp at Camp Koinonia (with probably all being homeschoolers) will take place next Wednesday to Saturday. We're in charge of crafts and games and maybe something else (I don't remember!). I don't really know any games so I'm going to have to do some Internet searching here shortly...anyone good at games and want to come down and do this for me? I'll help you! Ha-ha...I guess I'm on my own. We'll probably leave the boys there and commute the 40 minutes each day. I seem to get a little sick from the altitude there after a day or two up there (it's nearly 9,000 feet) and I want to be feeling well when we're ministering to the kids.
We've got some really neat developments for June and August/September. I'll share those eventually...but not right now. Stay tuned!
(I need a teaser to keep you coming back!)
One thing that happens this time of year is our missionary visas for ministering and living in Mexico expire and must be renewed. This year is our 6th year in Mexico so we have to jump through more hoops than is normal for this process. We haven't heard from our immigration lawyer since we shipped our visa documents and U.S. passports to her. We have to trust that all is well until she's ready for us to come to Mexico City for photos and fingerprinting and appearing before the immigration officials. Since this is Easter vacation (last week and this week), she's probably not even able to work on anything for us at the moment. We're praying for a quick completion to this important requirement for living here.
Another thing that happens this time of year is Stanford Achievement Testing. We tested 9 students from Queretaro last Thursday and Friday. We tested 2 students from Mexico City yesterday, and I'm still proctoring these two today as I type this (quietly!). We'll have one more student from Queretaro to test here next Monday and Tuesday in our home while our co-workers up at Camp Koinonia will be handling the testing of 8 other students. Then on Monday and Tuesday April 19-20 we'll be testing 3 more and concluding a few tests with a 4th student once again in Queretaro.
Finally (if that's true to say), the annual MK Spiritual Emphasis Camp at Camp Koinonia (with probably all being homeschoolers) will take place next Wednesday to Saturday. We're in charge of crafts and games and maybe something else (I don't remember!). I don't really know any games so I'm going to have to do some Internet searching here shortly...anyone good at games and want to come down and do this for me? I'll help you! Ha-ha...I guess I'm on my own. We'll probably leave the boys there and commute the 40 minutes each day. I seem to get a little sick from the altitude there after a day or two up there (it's nearly 9,000 feet) and I want to be feeling well when we're ministering to the kids.
We've got some really neat developments for June and August/September. I'll share those eventually...but not right now. Stay tuned!
(I need a teaser to keep you coming back!)
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