Exploring Mexico With Friends: A Photo Journal

Our West Virginia Friends


Palace of Cortez


Mexican Color Fest - In the Market...


...and on the Streets


She Is Everywhere

Tacos Mexican Style

Life and Death

Aztec Artifacts

Downtown Cuernavaca

Street Vendors - A Way of Life

Fun at the Palace


What shall it profit?

Our Amigos Josiah & Jessi

The Turtles First Sermon

I am a language learning turtle. Being a turtle basically means that you are the slowest one in class, it takes you at least twice as long to get it, you slow the class down and you annoy the teacher. Thankfully Dwight and Barbara Gradin, missionaries to Vietnam in the 60’S with Wycliffe Bible Translators, reminded us last year “Turtles get there too.”

This week my teacher insisted that she would come to my first sermon in Spanish and promptly assigned such a presentation for the Friday class. So my turtle self prepared what must have been the shortest, most halting sermon in history. If anything were to come of it, it would have to be of the Lord who breathes life into the dead. Following is a taste of it in Spanish (without the proper accent marks) and the translation in English.

<…Desee esta vida. Rendi mi vida a Jesucristo, todo. Hoy tengo vida eterna, abundante y tengo paz.>>


“When I was a young man my life was empty. I had no peace. My Aunt gave a Bible. I read of Jesus Christ. He was the son of Joseph and Mary and the Son of God. He was completely God. I learned that Christ was love, grace, all-powerful and holy. He was holy without sin. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”

“Listen to the words of John in John 10:10,’“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ I wanted this life. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ completely. Today I have life eternal and abundant and I have peace.”

For The In-Quiz-itive

(Correct answers for the following quiz are worth 1 point each - 17 points are possible.)

1. How much does an x-ray cost in Mexico? (1 pt.)
2. Where did our guitar teacher study and for how long? (2 pts.)
3. How much does a fresh loaf of whole wheat bread cost at the bakery? (1 pt.)
4. Where is the best coffee in Mexico grown? (1 pt.)
5. How many missionaries are in Mexico from Korea? (1 pt.)
6. When is the main meal eaten and what is it called? (2 pts.)
7. How many earthquakes have we felt? (1pt.)
8. What is a glorieta? (1 pt.)
9. What fruit flavor can be found in ice cream, potato chips, mayonnaise, detergent, water, peanuts, yogurt, cough drops, soap and cookies? (1 pt.)
10. What are three things that break our heart, four that make us weep? (4 pts.)
11. If you visit us after December 31st 2006 what will you need? (1 pt.)
12. Have we seen snow since we came to Mexico? (1 pt.)
_________________________________________

For answers click on link: http://kneelingwetriumph.com/resources/quiz8-14-06.htm

A Valuable Reminder

Brain and Kate walked into our lives ten weeks ago – a Divine appointment. They are college students from Texas A&M and came to Cuernavaca to study Spanish for the summer. In a short time they became friends who led the church youth group, met in our home for Sunday evening worship and spent a good amount of time with our family. They were a blessing of yet two more young people who have a thirst for the living God. On Saturday morning we were at the bus station to see them off for their return trip to the States.

Saying goodbye was bitter-sweet. We are happy for them to be able to return home, but it causes us to pause and be reminded that we aren’t. “Let me think here, we are not going home to family and friends today. We will not be having our favorite meal this evening. What in the world are we doing here?” That last question deserves an answer and is one I thought about before we came. We are here:

1) For the glory of the Lamb
2) Because Jesus said “Go”
3) To follow God’s leading in our lives
4) Because being in the center of God’s will is better than being in the center of our own will
5) To be the presence of Christ in Mexico
6) To give our family a heritage of counting the cost
7) To bring light into darkness
8) To be an instrument in the salvation of the Mexican people

As I write this entry I still cannot get used to this strange Cuernavaca weather. The day has been cold and rainy and dreary. I’ve worn a sweater all day. The crisp air makes it feel as though the Big Orange or Mountaineers should tee it up at 2:00 this afternoon for a good game of American football.