Ministry glimpses
Shari and the Apple Pies
You need to understand the difference. Baked goods are a big deal here in Mexico. Sweet bread, cakes, doughnuts, buns – and if you go to a few birthday parties you’ll see cakes baked and decorated beyond belief.
Baking, on the other hand, is not big in Mexico. You go to the store for the baked goods, you don’t pull them out of your oven. In fact, some people store dishes in their oven.
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So a bunch of the ladies of the church got together at Tania’s house to learn how to make apple pies. And boy did they have fun.
Crystal brought her Mamita’s super-duper-home-baked recipe from the USA. They managed to round up a few rolling pins from who knows where. Shari brought some mini-cookie cutters to make the crust fancy. And Tania invited some ladies from her neighbourhood.
They chopped up the apples. Crystal made sure they got the filling right. Shari got everyone making the perfect flaky crusts (in most cases!).
 Crystal with a completed apple pie |
Some of the ladies were introduced to Jesus for the first time. And everyone made new friends.
Now they’re thinking of doing an encore performance – with some of the ladies who were running things and didn’t get to see all the “pie making secrets”. So the story may not be over yet!
As a side note, it looks like there will be some other baking going on here next week. Two months or so ago, Hannah and a girl from our neighbourhood were around the house, and I offered them some apple dumplings. Ever since that day, the girl has been bugging her Mom to make her some "apple pie" like she had at Hannah’s house. So her Mom knocked on our door and talked to Shari about coming over for an apple pie/dumpling lesson.
In my opinion, there’s nothing like making friends with food involved. And if I’m not doing it myself, I’ll be hoping to catch some of the leftovers!
La boda
Yesterday we went to a wedding. Here are a few thoughts about the wedding, some of our friends, and even a clip of . . . well, you’ll see.
Happy 15th Anniversary, Peace
This past Sunday morning Shari and I sang a song that has almost become a theme song for us. I realized as I pulled it out to practise that it was almost exactly 15 years ago that I wrote it.
Though the storm clouds darken the sky
It was actually soon after I met Shari, when we were training for our year of ministry with our Friends and Followers team in 1993. I wrote it for a friend who was going through a hard time, putting it down on paper when I was supposed to be listening to one of our sessions (there’s still some critical bit of missionary training that I’m missing – that explains a lot!).
In Mexico, later that year, we worked with Becky Baron, a CAM missionary who was an accomplished musician and music translator. She translated Peace for me (Paz in Spanish), and our team used it as one of our songs through our tour.
After Shari and I were married, we started singing it as a duet, in both English and Spanish. And it still got a little extra polish earlier this year when we made some small additions in Spanish, while visiting Becky and her husband in Mexico City.
To celebrate its 15th anniversary, I thought I’d write this post and share a few of the verses that inspired the song. Singing Peace has always been a reminder to me that, even in the darkest times, Jesus is walking with us, leading us home.
Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. (John 6:16-21)
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jer 29:13)
Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. (Isa 55:6)
But as it is written:
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Heb 13:5)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28)
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. (Heb 4:9)
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. (Heb 12:22-24)
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Eph 6:10-11)
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Mat 25:13)
He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people he will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. (Isa 25:8)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (Joh 14:3)
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (Joh 14:27)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:6-7)
And walk me gently through the sand of time
Forevermore
I know Your peace is mine
September is not a boring month (in case you didn’t know)
We haven’t been bored, no. But as a result, I haven’t had much time to write! So far, September has been a full month. So let me just give you a quick update.
We’ve enjoyed some time with friends here in Ixtapaluca, though not as much time as we would like. For example, we were over at Martin and Laura’s home last week to get a glimpse of Mexican culture watching the 1947 movie Nosotros los Pobres (We the Poor).
The National Palace
Last week we fulfilled some of the requirements of our Orientation Year with a visit to downtown Mexico City.
 The building was packed for the church party |
I have lots of pictures of video to show you of that, so stay tuned. We visited the Latin American Tower, spent some time in the world’s second largest city square, and saw the world famous Ballet Folklórico. Our friends Rollie and JoAnn Smith were kind enough to let our kids sleep over at their house. 🙂
This past weekend was full of Independence Day celebrations (the actual day was the 16th). So Hannah and Nathanael got to dress up at school, and we all dressed up for a party on the 14th. Firecrackers, tacos, music, games – lots of fun! Pictures to follow. 😉
We also had our kitchen installed this month! That’s right,
 The carpenters install the kitchen |
we now have cupboards and counters. We’re still waiting on the table and chairs, and one more cabinet for the kitchen. And the drain isn’t hooked up yet. So, soon we’ll actually have most of our bins unpacked (in theory)! Praise the Lord!
On Monday we went with the Frys and our friends Crystal and Alberto to a zooish kind of place nearby. Lots of fun there. You guessed it – pictures are forthcoming.
Today we’re heading out again to spend the weekend in Querétaro with our friends Bryan and Lori Smith. We’re hoping to learn a little about the ministry there (this is also a requirement for our Orientation Year, though we’re happy for any excuse to visit the Smiths). We get home Sunday night, and then head the next morning to a one day retreat for our co-workers in the Mexico City area. I’ll be leading some music worship there.
Wow, I didn’t realize how crazy September has been until I wrote that. It pays to post once in a while!
In case you haven’t seen enough, here’s a quick video of music practice from last Sunday, courtesy of Rod Fry. Really, I was having a lot more fun than I look like I was having! 😛
Welcoming the Canadians
It was announced on Sunday morning – in the evening there was going to be a get-together, for a family of Canadians that had recently moved to the area. Know anyone like that?
Yep, it was us. 🙂 We came to the house the church meets in around 6pn on Sunday, and it was all set up with balloons, sandwiches, cake and coffee.
We had a great time with the people that came. Rod had put together a quiz on Canada (fortunately I knew all the answers – *phew* !), and then we had a game of charades featuring Mexican sayings.
I got to act out an easy one… No se puede tapar el sol con un dedo, which means You can’t cover the sun with a finger (I think this would refer to trying to hide or cover up something that really cannot be hidden so easily).
Then we shared a little about how we ended up in Mexico City (a tricky thing to explain, especially in Spanish, since God really led us here little by little through a hundred things. Safe to say it was a journey).
We had some time to talk afterwards too. It was really great to connect with people, and we’re looking forward to getting to know everyone better! There are such great people here, it’s an honour to get to spend time with them and learn from them.
Footnote: By the way – here’s a saying I don’t think we covered Sunday, but I love it. El amor es ciego pero los vecinos no. That is, Love is blind, but neighbours aren’t. 😉