The Snail Race
You never know what you’re going to see when you go outside. Today I went to tell the kids it was time to come in, and they were having a snail race.
Family
Hannah Graduates
From what? you may ask.
Well, Tuesday is Children’s Day here in Mexico (in case you’re wondering, it’s the 20th of November in the rest of North America). So they started a tradition in our church. When a child close to turning 12, they “graduate” from the children’s activities and enter the youth group.
So, Hannah, along with four other kids, “graduated” today.
A special program was planned. Unfortunately, a few things went awry. First, the organizer wasn’t able to come for health reasons. And then, during the program, it started to rain.
But it takes more than rain to dampen spirits around here! With some last minute (or long after last minute) planning and organizing, there was a short program, prizes, and ice cream (what can go wrong if you have ice cream?). And a good turn-out.
So – what happened to those 12 years anyway? It’s been our joy to see Hannah grow in the Lord. We’ve seen a desire in her to learn from God’s Word and share her faith. It’s been great to have 12 years to get to know her – and I hope we have many more!
¡Felicidades, Hannah!
Nathanael and Jim Going Volcanic
Ok, so it was a weird title, but Nathanael and I are heading up to the Paso de Cortés today, the pass between our two favourite volcanoes. It’s a planning meeting for churches in the Mexico City area, but a special father/son edition. I have this strange feeling that the “meetings” aspect will be de-emphasized, and the “play” aspect will be emphasized. May it be so more often. 😉
It’s Rocket Science (Nathanael’s school project)
In science, Nathanael is learning about our solar system. Today he had a cool project – to make a rocket! So here he is, with an increasing number of neighbourhood friends, and help from Mom, trying it out…
Why I’ve Been So Quiet
I haven’t written much in the past couple of weeks. The fact of the matter is – I’ve been sick! It’s been some kind of bug that took a long time to reach full power, and now it’s taking a long time to go away!
But life hasn’t stood still in the mean time (although there were a couple of days when I had to pretty much stand still – or lie still!).
I did start my study Where did the Bible come from? (and made it through without a coughing fit!). I’ll be continuing it this week – the theme is The Four Witnesses. It should be a lot of fun.
I’ve been involved in an outreach to another community this year, along with my friend José and his family. It’s been a blessing to get to know a family there – a family who has been coming to services in Jesús MarÃa.
We’ve been doing some more evangelism there, and it will be interesting to see what God will do. Would you like to come down and help out? 🙂
As has become the norm over the past few months, I have visas on the brain. I talked with one of the Mexican Consulates in Canada this morning, and I’ll be going to Canada to work on paperwork next week.
We enjoyed a special service on Sunday, with probably more than half of the people attending being involved in one way or another! We heard quite the testimonies, of God providing bread out of nowhere (have you ever had bread appear on the street when you needed it? Sounds like manna…), and God providing in some very difficult circumstances. Laughter and tears, let me tell you.
Shari is getting ready for a baking class on Thursday. The kids have been involved in a kids’ club and Hannah’s been going to a study and another kids’ activity (baking and crafts)… Yes, there has been a lot going on!
Just wanted to update you. But I’d better get some rest so I can get over this bug.
Remembering Aunt Dianne
Just before Christmas, I was in Toronto with some members of the family to remember my Aunt Dianne. My mother was able to fly to Toronto as well. Several people said a few words as we gathered at the funeral home near the house where my Aunt had lived for about 50 years. I was asked to say something to close. I won’t reproduce what I said here word for word, but what follows is the basic idea.
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Aunt Dianne was actually the only sibling between both my parents. Yes, small family. My Uncle Dave died about 28 years ago.
We loved Aunt Dianne and there are a lot of great things I could say about her. But one thing that always struck me about her was her concern for her community.
This came out in things that other people said when we gathered to remember her. In fact, the gathering itself – with more people than expected – was a testimony to her love of community.
Of course she cared about her neighbours and her immediate community. But she also cared about her city, and the country and world beyond. She was always interested politics, and in customs and culture in other provinces and in other countries, like Mexico. We sometimes tried to send her things that would give her a glimpse into the community in which we lived.
 Sisters – Dianne and Beth |
She also cared for her family. Again, not just her immediate family – such as her children Jim and Trish – and Trish’s husband Rob and their son Aaron. But also her more extended family – like her nephew (me), and my wife and children.
So even though my family has lived far away over the past few years, we will miss Aunt Dianne very much.
It’s worth saying that Aunt Dianne’s concern for family and community has inspired me in my own life. And here I am, serving in a new community in Mexico, where we help in a community centre. Yes, her influence goes far beyond one street in Toronto.
The family suggested that I close the time with the Lord’s prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples to pray. Really, it’s an “every-day” prayer – a template for our regular prayers to God. It deals with such common things as asking for forgiveness, and asking that God would provide for our everyday needs.
But as I thought about Aunt Dianne, one thing from the prayer stood out. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Anyone who has been watching the news will know that there’s a lot wrong with the world. Just before we gathered in Toronto, the world was rocked with the news of the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, USA.
What would the world be like if more people took the time to care about their communities – instead of caring only about themselves, or maybe not caring about anyone at all?
I think if Aunt Dianne could say anything to us today, it would be “Take the time to care about your community”. That, and “Don’t miss Heaven”.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.*
(Matthew 6:9-13)
You can read Dianne’s obituary here. There’s an online “Book of Memories” courtesy of the funeral home here.
Some of Dianne’s family: Aaron (grandson), Jim (nephew), Trish (daughter), Beth (sister), Jim (son), Rob (son-in-law)
* This last part of the prayer is often left out of modern translations. The textual evidence suggests that it may have been added by later scribes to make the prayer useful for public worship. Either way, the last part reflects truths clearly found elsewhere in the Bible.