Team Coming, Health Update, and Other News (Podcast)
An update on the team coming from Canada in three weeks, family health update, and some news about other things we’ve been up to. Just a chat on my way home from a meeting.
Family
Spinning Tops (video)
A popular pastime for kids here is playing with spinning tops, otherwise known as trompos. This afternoon Nathanael was playing with some boys on the street, while some of us parents watched. So, I whipped out my iPod and took some video, so you could see it in action.
The idea was to see whose trompo would spin the longest. But the other boys had a problem – Nathanael is starting to get pretty good. Even though they tried to get him to start first (so that his was stop spinning first), he kept winning (or almost winning) almost every time…
Brief Camp Video
I had my computer automatically generate a brief video based on video I took at the spiritual emphasis camp that Nathanael and I went to last week – which means the computer chooses the clips and the length of them. Crude, but quick! So here are a few glimpses of the camp for you…
Camp – MKs and Bloggers
Late Saturday afternoon we returned from camp (and were greeted by a hailstorm in Ixtapaluca – go figure! Just a mild one, though…). A good time was had by all.
 Topp Talk – Chuck and Karla Topp did a great job in the younger kids’ chapels |
Nathanael had a great time, and I’m sure he’ll be talking about it for weeks. Even though he did fall out of the top bunk onto the cement. And there was that freak swing accident – ***kerTHUMP*** right on his face. So now when people greet him, they say,"Hi Nathana… what happened to you?!"
But it was fun. We learnt verses, songs, stories… had great food (I kept asking them when were were going to get the "yucky camp food", but they never served it), played great games (thanks to Tina)… I even got to lead an activity, and help with crafts, and help with the younger boys cabin.
 Nathanael was introduced to kick-ball |
One thing I noticed about this camp was that there were a lot of bloggers (and former or delinquent bloggers – but we won’t talk about them!) there. So let me see if I can remember them all, and not get nasty comments from the people I forget.
Helping in the kitchen among other things was The Ice Cream Grandma. The camp director is the man known by Knowing Your ABCDs.
Since it’s a family blog, I’ll mention The Smith Connection – the kids were at camp, and their parents showed up on the last day.
And we had someone in avoidance of the perfunctory who was also a great counsellor and game-leader. And we enjoyed getting to know the person who posts about This and That. The Aguirres helped with the youth chapel.
And, of course, yours truly.
So now we’re home recovering… Nathanael had a slight fever last night, but seems to be feeling better. And – did I hear a rumour that we’re supposed to check for lice?
I love camp.
The young boys cabin. Jonathan Baker and I are young boys at heart.
Nathanael and I are going to Camp.
Today (Lord willing) Nathanael and I will be making the long and arduous journey of about 200km (124mi) to Campamento Koinonia (Camp Koinonia). We’ll be at the camp with a few other missionaries and MKs (well, most of the MKs are missionaries too – but you know what I mean) from CAM (and perhaps the occasional other mission – I think some are coming from Pioneers).
The purpose of the camp – well, apparently it’s somewhat in a state of evolution (and in the State of Querétaro), but it’s mainly for MKs who are homeschooled – and some of their parents – to get together and worship and play and all stuff like that there.
All right, so we’re not 100% clear about what it’s all about. But we know most of the people who are going and organizing it, and they’re cool, so how can we go wrong?
Tina Barham (the mid-missionary who is running the community centre Centro Cultural Tiempo de Vivir in Jesús María) will be going with us. She’s going to add her rather considerable camp experience to the venture, and lead some games and stuff.
They tell us it’s going to be cold at night – I believe these are unheated cabins – so we’ll see if we can find something warm enough to wrap ourselves in when we need it! (Then again, if we were camping somewhere like around Buffalo Narrows, SK, it would be about 18C colder. Except that the buildings would be heated!)
Shari and Hannah are having their own girls’ camp back home. They have some neat things planned, so they should have a fun time too.
So – here we go!
30 Photos in 30 Days – Overview
So I did it – I took and posted 30 photos in 30 days. Looking them over, I thought they presented an interesting glimpse into life here.
Of course they didn’t always represent what we were doing on a certain day, though I often talked about that. But it’s a good mix of ministry, culture, and daily life, over the course of a month in Mexico. A typically untypical month, I suppose!
So here they are, all together. Just click the image to go to the post. If you want to go in order, go down the left column then the right column.
Just for your interest, I put in bold the 5 which have been the most popular so far.
| Ismael and Marta |  |
Guilty Pleasure? |  |
| The Lime |  |
The Moon at 23% |  |
| Prayer Meeting |  |
Arroz con Leche |  |
| Sergio and Elizabeth |  |
Joint Service in Santa Barbara |  |
| A Sunday Morning in January |  |
Gas! |  |
| Half Ollie? |  |
José Teaches (exam night!) |  |
| The Growing Community Centre |  |
Yogourt Drinks Galore! |  |
| Our Mini Street |  |
Tigers going to Church? |  |
| Out to Lunch |  |
Ixtapaluca Monument (and a taco stand) |  |
| Terminal 2 |  |
Coffee Shop – Grand Opening! |  |
| Violin Class |  |
Temporary Meeting Place |  |
| Three Guitarists |  |
Our Team (I finally took a picture) |  |
| The Captive Child |  |
Freshly Squeezed |  |
| Priorities |  |
Volcano Popocatépetl Appears |  |
| Pigeons in Puebla |  |
Ixtapaluca at Night |  |