February 2

In Mexico (and possibly in other Latin American countries), February 2nd is a festival/celebration day.  I was doing a little daily Spanish news reading and came across an article written about this celebration.  It's actually intertwined with the entire series of Christmas celebrations.  I also came across an English article that gives an overview of the entire series of annual celebrations.

If you care to read in Spanish or attempt an online translator, the article in Spanish is found here. 

The broader explanation in English of the series of celebrations is found here.  I don't see any copyright restrictions so I'll paste it below (the source webpage has English on the left and Spanish on the right in case you'd like to practice your translation skills).  The culture of Mexico lives with a colorful vibrance that is often meshed with centuries of religious thought and practice.  I hope you'll read this with an appreciation of the beautiful culture while also noting the spiritual ramifications of some of these beliefs (this article doesn't give much to think about along the religious/spiritual theme, but there are a few hints).

Mexican Traditions for Christmas

Christmas for Mexicans, in traditional homes and rural areas, is a religious holiday.
It is a celebration of the Nativity. This means the birthday of Our Lord Jesus. In order to prepare for the day of symbolic commemoration, we have the "Posadas". These celebrations are a "Novena" or nine days before the 24 which is the "Noche Buena" or "Holy Night".

These Posadas are an enactment of looking for lodging of St. Joseph and Virgin Mary, called The Pilgrims going to Bethlehem for the Census according to the Scriptures. In Spanish we called them: "Los Peregrinos, San José y la Virgen María". Each family in a neighborhood, will schedule a night for the Posada to be held at their home, starting on the 16th of December and finishing on the 24th on Noche Buena.

Every home will have a Nativity scene. The hosts of the home are the innkeepers, and the neighborhood children and adults are Los Peregrinos, who have to request lodging through singing a simple chant. All carry small lit candles in their hands and four teenagers of about the same height are chosen to carry Los Peregrinos, which are two small statues of St. Joseph leading a donkey, which Virgen Mary is riding sidesaddle. The head of the procession will have a candle inside of a paper lamp shade that looks like an accordion but open at the top and it is called a "Farolito" or little lantern.

The Peregrinos will ask for lodging in three different houses but only the third one will allow them in. That will be the house that is supposed to have the Posada for that evening. Once the innkeepers let them in, the group of guests comes into the home and kneels around the Nativity scene to pray the Rosary. The Rosary is a traditional Catholic prayer, which consists of the following prayers: 50 Hail Mary, 5 Our Father , 5 Glory and the Litany, which is a series of Praises for the Virgin Mary, plus singing traditional songs like Holy Night in Spanish of course!

After all the prayer is done, then it comes the party for the children. There will be a Piñata, (pronounce Pignata, for it has an ñ instead of an n), filled with peanuts in the shell, oranges, tangerines, sugar canes, and seldom wrapped hard candy. Of course, there will be other types of chants the children will sing while the child in turn is trying to break the Piñata with a stick while he/she will be blindfolded.

Although the Piñata was originally from Italy, it has become a Mexican tradition for celebrations where there are children involved. The Piñata was made out of a clay pot and decorated with crepe paper in different colors. Today's piñatas are made out of cardboard and paper mache techniques and decorated with crepe paper. This change was made to prevent the children from cutting their hands when going for the fruit and candy when the Piñata was broken and the clay piece would become a hazard. They have all kinds of designs besides the traditional star.

For the adults there is always "Ponche con Piquete"(sting), which is a hot beverage or "Punch" made out of seasonal fruits and cinnamon sticks, with a shot of alcoholic spririt. A good substitute here in Ohio is hot apple cider with fruits, without the "spirits".

On Noche Buena, December 24, everybody goes to Misa de Noche Buena which is at midnight. After the Mass, everyone goes to their respective homes to have dinner with family and any friend who does not have a family is always welcome to be part of a family celebration, and most important of all to place the Baby Jesus in the manger in the Nativity scene.

The presents are not received on Christmas, for Christmas is a celebration of Life of Our Savior.
The New Year's Eve, there is a Misa de Gallo, (Rooster's Mass) that takes place at midnight also. Some families go to church earlies to give thanks for all the blessings received during the year.

The children's celebration of receiving presents is not until January 6th, "el día de Reyes", the day of the Kings, or the Wise Men Day. It is the Magi who brought the presents to the Baby Jesus, thus, they bring the toys to the boys and girls who have been good. The children place their shoes by the window, so the Magi place the present in the shoe. It the present is bigger than the shoe, it will be placed next to it. Many children, get a new pair of shoes for a present.


El dia de Reyes is celebrated with a "Merienda" consisting of hot chocolate and "The Rosca de Reyes". "La Merienda is the meal that takes. place any time between 5 P.M. and 7 P.M. it is not a heavy meal but the equivalent of "High Tea".

The Rosca de Reyes is a big oval wreath made out of egg bread (like an egg bagel, but huge) with dry fruit decorations and sprinkled sugar on top, but inside, there is a little ceramic doll which represents the Baby Jesus. The person who gets the piece of bread with the Baby, must be the Godparent of the Baby Jesus in the celebration of the Candelaria, on February 2nd.

"El dia de la Candelaria" is the day of the Candle or Light, known as the Day of Purification. That day, the Nativity scene is put away with a party given by the person who got the Baby Jesus in his/her piece of bread during the Rosca de Reyes celebration. He or she will be responsible for making a "Ropon" or christening gown for Baby Jesus. Generally, they have a Dinner with Tamales (Tamales are corn bread filled with meats in a sauce or raisins wrapped in corn husks).

Lately, these traditions have been modified. For example, the Posadas are now nine parties that are celebrated in differentes friends homes before Christmas. Also, with the North American Free Treaty Agreement, known as NAFTA, Christmas is now celebrated the American style, with Santa Claus, the meals and presents, mostly among the afluent people. Others take trips to sky resorts in the United States or Europe, or travel to turistic places within Mexico.

All the education institutions are on vacation during the holidays, they do not get back to school until after January 6th. Also, the government offices and the other institutions connected with the government close during those two weeks.

JJK

Don't have much to blog about lately, but here's a photo I took of Jason, Justin, and Kristin (thus, "JJK") last Sunday.  It came out pretty well, after taking about 60 shots!  Aren't digital cameras just the best invention?!  It's great to see the joy Christ has brought to their lives!

I sent out an email update a few minutes ago with this paragraph.  If you're not on our email update list and would like to be, let me know via comment here, or a Facebook message, or by email (if you have our email address).   I'll need your name and email address.  I try to send an email update out once a month.  Be happy to add you.

• Jason and I continue our Tuesday night Bible study covering whatever he's reading during the week.  He completed reading the NT in the fall and is reading his way through the OT.  A week ago he was about 10 chapters away from finishing Judges and this week he was one chapter shy of finishing 1 Samuel, so he's making good progress.  Beth and Kristin meet together on Thursday mornings and go out for breakfast.  That seems to be the best way for them to get alone and there are a couple of inexpensive cafés in the neighborhood.  It's a nice treat for Kristin too.

RIP Mystery Insect

I left the lid off of the jar the evening I found and posted about this little guy.  I wasn't sure it could get out, but apparently, it managed.  Found it on the patio upside-down.  It was only "mostly dead," but it appeared that Peanut may have given it a bite (on the top side).  She doesn't like flying things and routinely snatches wasps and bees out of their low buzzing orbit.  Regardless, I had no Miracle Max pills to force feed it and if I had, I doubt I would have administered it anyway.

According to the one family that responded via Facebook, this appears to have been a type of Mydas Fly.  It's the largest type of fly in the world.  It's bigger than a 10 peso coin (on the left) which is about the size of a silver half-dollar, if anyone out there is old enough to remember those.  Not that you'd have to be terribly old to remember them.  Just old like me.

Just thought I'd follow-up for the enquiring minds out there who might have always wondered what happened to our mystery insect.  Now ya know.  (I forgot to "bury" it.  I think it's still doing a motionless backstroke on the patio...unless Peanut ate it.  Crazy dog.)

What Is It?

Found this insect wandering around our patio.  Not sure if Peanut got to it or not, but it appeared to be in distress.  I helped it in its distress by putting it in a jar.  I may let it go if I find out what it is and whether it's a good thing to have around or not.  I'm not sure it will survive that long.  I'm REALLY concerned about that...no really...really.  OK.  Not really.  But, I want to do the right thing, even if that means a proper burial.

So...enough about me and my psychoses...anyone know what this is?  Seems like I've seen one of these before but I have no idea what it's called.

29,981 views and counting...

A couple years ago I began putting videos up on YouTube that I have used here on the blog.  It's a good way to store them online.  Generally, my simple videos (made from a point and shoot Canon camera) are viewed (according to the stats on YouTube) anywhere from 10 to 200 times...a few get more views, and a very few get over 1,000 views.

However, one simple video I made has been building up through the thousands and is at this moment showing 29,981 views!  Wow!  Only 19 more views until it tops 30,000 views.  Of course, as "viral" videos go on the Internet, this is nothing.  Nonetheless, given that most videos never seem to reach 10,000 or even 1,000 views, that's quite a small accomplishment!  Apparently, the name "San Juan del Rio, QRO" was the attraction.  Many Mexicans probably watched this video.

Well, anyway, I've posted it here a long time ago, and here it is again.  If you haven't viewed it on YouTube, maybe you could double-click it or click the link located just above it and view it directly on the YouTube site and help this video reach the 30,000 view count.  (There are no ads and I don't profit from your viewing, it's just for fun to see the counter top the milestone.)

With only 19 more views to go, this one might reach it before you ever get around to clicking it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu6FZ9I8DxA

To-Do List

It's always a good idea to have a "To-Do List" for specific events or durations of time.  Dayton apparently has picked up on this idea.

Last week, he made a To-Do List for him and our four-day, 7 year-old guest.  I think because he is two years older than our guest (btw, whose name wasn't "maria" but "Noriah" or something like that...never did see it spelled out), he seemed to take it upon himself to be a good host and plan and guide their play time.  He doesn't get the chance to do that very often.  It was interesting to observe.

He has some good ideas, don't you think?!

Chichimeca Outreach

January 6th is known as "Day of the Kings" and is a celebration of the the "three kings" who visited Joseph, Mary, and Jesus bearing the three gifts.  Of course, there is more myth and story-telling to the celebrated version than any biblical roots to what really happened, but the reality is that it is a holiday celebrated by giving of gifts to children.  In Mexico most people don't give gifts at Christmas but on the Day of the Kings.

This holiday creates another opportunity to share the Gospel through events that reach out to children and their families as well.  Yesterday, we were invited by the parents of a Mexican family from San Miguel de Allende (about 90 minutes drive from here) to whom we minister, to join them and their church and an English-speaking church in SMA, in an annual outreach in San Luis de La Paz, Guanajuato.  There is an indigenous group of people there called the Chichimeca who number over 1,500 and who are in the early stages of being reached with the Gospel.

The believers from two churches in San Miguel provided over 1,000 boxed and bagged gifts for the children.  A special ticket was given to all the children who entered the public school yard where the event was held and this ticket entitled the child to a box of small gifts.  The gifts were handed out after about a 2 hour presentation by puppets and mimes, a story-telling, and a presentation of the Gospel.  We didn't have a part in the program but we got to know the believers from San Miguel and helped clean up the school yard when it was over.

To be honest and in my personal opinion, I am a bit cautious when it comes to events where people are attracted by gifts with the Gospel as an accompanying element.  It's not all bad to do this, but often times the people are only motivated by the gift, often do not pay attention to the presentation while they're waiting through the "obligatory sales pitch" of the Gospel (reminds me of a time-share presentation), and I fear that that Gospel message may be confused in the minds of the poor with sort of a salvation that comes by works (i.e. we come and listen to the required program, and then we get our free gift).  Also, if someone does make a profession of faith in Christ at such an event, it is quite possible that this is not a Spirit-led salvation experience but rather an outward response that reflects an inward selfish or greedy desire to receive more gifts.  I guess one could call it a "candy machine Christianity" whereby a person learns to pull a lever (participating in an event or making a profession of faith) and then they look to see what physical reward awaits them for pulling the lever.

Giving gifts as a show of friendship and caring is not a bad thing and there is something to be said for doing so.  My current thinking is that giving gifts at a personal level and not on a mass scale is probably more effective as an investment in the lives of others.  In fact, generally speaking, sharing the Gospel on a personal level is generally more effective than mass methods.  There are always exceptions but I think this is generally true.

When Jesus fed thousands of people with a miraculous, free meal in John 6, these same people sought Jesus out the next day.  When they caught up with him in Capernaum, Jesus confronted their motives for looking for him.  It was NOT because of the miraculous sign (thus showing them who Jesus really is) but for the food he gave them.  Jesus then continued to emphasize the importance of who He is and of the need of the people to believe in him.  At the conclusion of that sermon, nearly everyone, including many who were called disciples, "turned away and deserted him." (v.66)  Basically, this is how I tend to view give-away outreach.  There may be a great attendance, but in the end, the harvest of believers tends to be sparse.  Let's face it, a candy coated, bloody cross will still require the Father to bring them (v 65).  Many will gladly taste the candy coating, but few will really embrace the bloody cross.  Nonetheless, we're always encouraged by the few that the Father draws to Himself, perhaps even despite the method.

I'm not meaning to criticize the motives of those who put this event on, or events like them (I've seen many over the years).  The motives are pure.  However, the method may not always be the best, and sometimes the results over time reflect that the spiritual seeds planted never took root because the Gospel message was hindered by the secondary attraction of goodies.  That is especially so if this is the only type of method used over time.

Nonetheless, there may very well be positives that come from such events, and I would not doubt that some people do benefit from the seeds of the Gospel planted during these kinds of events.  Of course, if someone actually does come to faith in Christ through the seeds that were planted, then glory be to God!

There is a full-time worker there in San Luis de La Paz who is targeting this people group.  At least there is someone working among these people to follow-up should there be any response to the Gospel.  As far as I could tell, there were a lot of eyes and ears focused on much of the presentation, and that was encouraging to observe.

Cameron was ill so he and Dayton stayed home with Grandma and we took our two guests from Guanajuato who are still here and who wanted to go with us.   We enjoyed the experience and enjoyed the hours afterward with our friends the Martinez family in San Miguel de Allende.  We'd never been to their house and it was a treat to enjoy their fellowship and conversation and to discuss ministry with them.

With the microphones are David and Cristina, and to the far right is Rebekah.  These are the Martinez kids that we work with in their homeschooling.  Super sweet kids!  They did a great job too!

 It was neat to see some young men watching and listening from the street on the other side of the fence.

Kids with tickets were happy kids!

 Balcony seating

The crowd gathers in line for the start...only those with a free ticket (given at the gate) would get a box of gifts so they were there with an amazing sense of order and patience.  The ticket idea was a good one.

 Some little kids with their boxes of gifts.  They seemed amused and happy with them.

Yes, I Would Like Them...

...though there isn't any rain, and there is not a train; I do not have a box, and I am not wearing socks, but as I stir my coffee with a fork, I'm enjoying my green eggs and pork*.



(*disclaimer: with apologies to the memory of Dr. S.)

Guests, Gifts and the Gospel

Hospitality is a routine part of being a missionary.  At least, we hope it is because we always seem to have guests!

Yesterday (Monday), we received Christina from San Miguel de Allende (in the gray sweatshirt).  She's a high school senior (I think) and her parents are homeschooling her and her two teenaged siblings using an English-based curriculum.  We've had her brother, David, here a couple of times in the past couple months.  Their dad is a pastor of a church plant in that city.  She's here until Thursday morning.  She needed some special guidance and tutoring from Beth, so she's staying several days to get her studies on track.

Last evening, we also received Amanda (in the green sweatshirt) from Guanajuato along with her 7 year-old adopted daughter.  Amanda has recently decided that she will need to homeschool her daughter (in English) due to the challenges faced in using the schools in their area (it's true everywhere really).  Because her daughter is also an American and perhaps also because her daughter is black, the racist and anti-American attitudes expressed in the schools here would be dangerous and painful for her daughter.  So, she's here learning more about how to homeschool and talking with Beth about many different aspects of homeschooling.  She's also here until Thursday morning.

So what's up with Thursday morning?  You just had to ask.  When Christina's father came and dropped her off here yesterday, he invited us to join their church in an outreach event in the mountains about an hour outside of San Miguel de Allende in that state of Guanajuato on Thursday.  Each year their group of believers goes up to an unreached indigenous group, part of the Chichimec people, on January 6th (Day of the Kings).  They bring gifts for the children and will be doing a puppet show and a few other activities while clearly presenting the Gospel.  This year they are taking 1,000 gifts!  Wow!

So, we decided to accept the invitation and take the family to observe and participate in whatever way we can.  It should be an exciting opportunity to have a small part in this event.  Beth's mom decided she wanted to go, and Amanda said that she'd like to go too!  So, we'll take two cars and make a long day of it.  We'll have to leave by about 6:30 a.m. and I suspect we won't be home until late as it's about 3 hours from here.

I hope we can take some pictures (if that's allowed) to share with you later in the week.  I read up on this ethnic group and they have quite an interesting history.  If you'd like to learn about the Chichimec people, here are a couple links: http://www.houstonculture.org/mexico/guanajuato.html and http://pnglanguages.org/mexico/nombres/10bi-chichimeca.htm.

I believe we'll be heading to the green #6 area on the map below (for reference, we live below that green area, just below the word "Querétaro" about where the purple shading is located):

Please pray for this event to be successful in both sharing the Gospel of grace through faith and that the Holy Spirit may draw some souls to salvation even that very day.  Pray for the safety of the believers (including our family) who will be traveling out there.  May God use us for His glory!

He's Baaack!

And so it was time to take it all back down again; perhaps with a smirk and a bit more mirth and merriness than one should display at such occasions...

Helpful Tool

I'm not sure how I discovered the following website today, but I found it to be helpful as we look ahead in 2011 in the ministry of developing a "simple church" in our home.  I listened to all eleven of the short video segments this evening as I put up my desktop/wall calendar here in the office.  (I am blessed to have enough wall space to place all 12 months of a desktop calendar on the wall...I like to visualize the months ahead this way.)

Anyway, most of this is fairly simple and fairly basic.  That's what I like about it.  Maybe you'll find this helpful too.

http://www.doingchurchsimply.com/

Happy New Year 2011 - One True God

It's the second day of 2011.  It's a Sunday.  It's time to gear up for another year of serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  How unworthy and yet how blessed we are.  Thank you Jesus for coming and for taking away and forgiving all our sins.

We gave our little Sunday morning fellowship group the day off to enjoy their family and let them rest and reflect.  We enjoyed a little extra time to sleep in.  I shared a few minutes on the phone with my dad as he enters his 2nd week in a hospital.  I'm not sure how he's doing physically.  It doesn't sound too good from here.  His heart is still weak, his breathing is still labored, and he is still in need of the oxygen mask.  He is eating but can't feed himself.

I hadn't spoken to him since early in the week when I simply told him we were praying for him.  He was too weak to handle more than a moment with a phone held to his ear.  Today, I spoke to him and prayed with him.  Mom told me afterward that the nurse was in the room and overheard the prayer and she thought that was good.  I prayed for God to do whatever He wants in Dad's body, whether to live longer or die sooner.  I thanked Him that we have the assurance that in breathing our last breath here we're granted entry into an eternity in His presence...sinless and walking beside Him and seeing Him face to face.  It was a precious moment for me to pray with Dad.

Afterward, the ABCDs sat around the table and we read 1 Samuel 8.  How fitting the reminder for a new year that Israel had God as their true King but wanted to have a man for a king instead.  God exhorted Samuel, the prophet/judge, that the people weren't rejecting Samuel, but rather God.  I'm struck with a flash of fear just reading that.  How foolish and awful to reject our King for an earthly, selfish solution.  We talked about how God will allow us to make choices and to ask for and receive things we should have never asked for in the first place and should have never pushed to receive.  But He will permit us to do so.  Things or relationships that we may want and pursue to have, and just like Israel, we'll live to regret ever possessing, instead of being content with our one true God and what He wants for us.

May 2011 be a year in which we only want and pursue our one true God...pursuing nothing and no one more or less than just God.

Happy New Year and should He bring us to our last breath on this earth in 2011, may we be ready to see our one true God face to face for eternity.  I believe I'm ready.  Are you?