10 years ago today, the Path of Life Bible Church of Jesús MarÃa (Iglesia BÃblica Sendero de Vida Jesús MarÃa) had its first service. Below are a few somewhat random photos that I put up on Facebook earlier this month (just click the collage for a larger version).
We are so thankful for these people, and the way the church continues to grow and reach out! To God be the glory!
March 2010 was a busy ministry month. We held the very first service for the church in the community of Jesús MarÃa – ten years ago this month!
But everyone needs to get away – and we did, about two weeks earlier. We went up to the Paso de Cortés (Cortés Pass) between the volcanoes. And we got this classic photo of “the kids” – our kids, the Fry kids, and the Valtierra kids (a family we worked with in the Jesús MarÃa church plant).
So here they all are – 10 years ago today!
Ten years ago today, Shari was serving breakfast to the community affected by the Chalco flood.
It was February 2010 when the sewage canal burst open, pouring water into the valley of Chalco. The water kept pouring out day after day, filling the lower floor of people’s homes, destroying appliances, books, and clothes.
With our brothers and sisters from the church in Santa Bárbara, we began serving breakfast each morning at the edge of the flood, which was only 5 minutes from our home. We also provided water and some other essentials for the community at this time.
So – today’s photo – serving breakfast! Shari is on the right.
This was a few metres from the edge of the flood. Here’s an idea of what it looked like:
I took a lot of video/photos during this time. Some of that footage ended up in in the documentary series “Trashopolis”, which at the moment can be watched on Youtube – here it is: Trashopolis S02 E01: Mexico
Ten years ago today, Hannah and Nathanael were sending balloons to the three Kings.
So, if you don’t know the tradition – in Mexico, children get gifts on the 6th of January, which is Epiphany. That’s the time when people remember the visit of the wise men. They gave gifts – so we give gifts. 🙂
But it’s nice to let them know what you want to receive ahead of time, right? So you buy a balloon, you attach your note to it, and you send it up into the sky. So here’s a photo from 10 years ago today – Hannah had already sent up her balloon, and Nathanael was ready to go!
(An update for a new decade – balloons are starting to become rarer, because of environmental sensibilities. Many children are leaving a note for the kings in their shoes, which is where the gifts are traditionally left. 🙂 )
Shout with the Shepherds, shake them blues!
Ten years ago today we were doing a Christmas program at the community centre in the community of Jesús MarÃa. It included a pastorela (a Christmas play) (see the actors on the right), some sing-a-long music, presentations to students, and a devotional from Rod. And, of course, some hot ponche for all at the end!
We were actually brand new in Jesús MarÃa at the time. There was no church in the community (that would start in March). So the participants were made up of people from our church planting team, people from the church in Santa Bárbara, and people that we had met through the community centre.
We invited family and friends of our students to attend, and had a great time.
Baking classes and English classes were big, and so the music was intentionally bilingual. Shari and I did some special music, singing “Good News” by our friend Mark Sorell, with one chorus translated into Spanish (one line quoted at the beginning of this post, of course!). So – here we are – ten years ago tonight!
Going through some old receipts earlier this year, I was wondering if I could figure out what our first purchase was after moving to Mexico. Other than legal stuff at the border, of course. Must be food, right? What could it be? Tacos? Churros? Burritos?
Well, we think we figured it out. 13 years ago today, on our way driving down, we stopped at Church’s Chicken. Shame on us.
I don’t know if there is any irony stopping at an American restaurant chain, which was originally started across the street from the Alamo. I do know, however, that we were shortly sicker than we had ever been in our lives with some stomach bug. I doubt it was Church’s Chicken – the theory at the time was that it was peanut butter that we ate later (another very non-Mexican food!), but we may never know.
Anyway, there’s the receipt to prove it. A couple of combos with fries, an apple pop and a Coke. Well, those sound like us, anyway. 🙂
I’m not sure I’ve eaten at Church’s Chicken since. But thanks for the memories!
I could be wrong, but I think this is the place: