Practical matters

24 February 2010

How to donate (the new cool way)

Due to some recent confusion with our (very) old donations page, I’ve recreated the donations section of this website! (I think I created the old page in 2004 – that’s a long time in website years!)

Actually, this is a continuing trend to update the whole site and migrate it into the WordPress software that we use for this blog.

The page was also in need of updating because there are now new options for donating online that we haven’t had before.

Anyway, a few quick notes about donating. The new pages on this site will give you information about donating to the work that we’re doing here in Mexico. You’ll be donating to our account through our mission.

If you want to donate to a special project, there are special details. For example, those who have been giving to the Chalco Flood Relief need to make a note that the donation is for Project #062250 (CAM’s relief fund), and a note that it’s specifically for Chalco Flood relief. Read more details about the Chalco Flood project here.

That’s not hard, is it? But simply donating to our account is a lot easier.

For more information about donating to our account, visit the brand new donation page (I’m not proud of it or anything)!

And for those who give so generously – thank you! You have such a big part in the work that’s being done here in Mexico!

5 February 2010

And for my next adventure….

Jim Mexico, Practical matters 0

You’ll be glad to hear it’s a beautiful sunny day today. The house is slowly drying out!

It hasn’t been so good everywhere else. There were at least 7 deaths in Mexico due to flooding. And the major highway near us is closed. I hear someone was in a boat… on the highway… today!

I’m just heading to the city of Puebla to spend the night at a medical clinic, for a sleep study (that is, a polysomnography). Of course I’m looking forward to a night of being probed and poked and tested – and first I have a questionnaire of 9 pages small print to fill out, so they know everything I’ve done or thought about doing for the last 6 months!

Other than that, I’m focusing on getting ready for my keyboard class on Monday (it’s a big week – we’re going to learn a LOT of chords!), finishing up the next phase of the chronological Bible study, and I’m finishing a course.

Not much on my mind – I should sleep well!

I’d better run – I have no idea what the highway is going to be like. Talk to you later! 🙂

4 November 2009

Guess who got glasses today?

Jim Family, Practical matters 2

That’s right, we went to SAM’S Club today and got Nathanael’s new – and very first pair – of glasses! ¡Que guapo!

We were happy to hear him saying how much clearer everything was. So that’s a good sign! Now we’ll try to help him get used to them over the next few days, and probably send him to school with them on Monday.

26 September 2009

Other things from our trip…

Jim Practical matters 0

The main purpose of our trip was to visit our friends and family in Ontario, and share the great things that God is doing in Mexico. We really had such a great time with so many of you (though it was too short – and we wish we could have seen more of you – have we mentioned that?)!

But we also used our trip as an opportunity to get some things that aren’t as easy to get here in Mexico. We’re very thankful for three types of things we were able to get during our visit:

Canada Resources

The Kids Book of Canadian Prime Ministers

Most of you know that Hannah and Nathanael go to Mexican schools full time (in Spanish). So we wanted to use this opportunity to get some materials that would help them in English, and help them learn about Canada.

We heard lots of people in Canada lamenting about how little people in Canada know about Canada – and that’s certainly true, but having lived outside the country we’ve come to realize that you really learn an incredible amount just by being there. There’s a lot Hannah and Nathanael don’t know – even simple things like pronouncing place names, or knowing very basic things about how things work in Canadian life.

So besides English, we got some books and games to help with geography and history and all stuff like that there. We mentioned a couple of the books we got in previous posts. We got a couple of Professor Noggin’s card games. Some colouring books, and activity books, and books like the one to the right. (If you want to add to the library, find some great reading, devotional and Canada related books on Hannah and Nathanael’s wish list!)

Technology

We’ve found that sometimes you can pay almost twice as much for technology in Mexico compared to Canada. So we saved up and got a few things to upgrade what we’ve got – basically things that will help us communicate with you better in the months ahead, and keep information flowing smoothly.

Bible Resources

New Testament Text and Translation Commentary

I’m looking forward to doing more Bible teaching as I gain confidence in the language and move on to more ministries. So I took the opportunity to get both books and software to help with Bible study – and wow, these things have already been such a wonderful resource.

I’m so thankful for these resources that will help as we continue to study and teach the Word of God.

Yes, in this case these resources were mostly (not all) in English. But they are resources that will be useful here. And I’m working on the Spanish library too. 🙂

So there’s lots to be thankful for. We’re so thankful for friends and family who are a part of this ministry in so many ways. We’re so thankful to see what God is doing through them too. And we’re thankful for the tools that God has blessed us with – may they be tools used for His glory!

And thus endeth "Ontario Week". Hope you enjoyed it!

11 September 2009

A Little, and a Big Reason to Rejoice!

Jim Practical matters, Prayer and Praise 1

Going through a rainy patch
in the state of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
First, a little reason to rejoice is that we arrived safely in the big and beautiful country of Mexico today! That represents for us the last of many border crossings over the summer.

We crossed the actual border without being stopped at all, but at the checkpoint which comes a little later we were pulled over and questioned.

Nate and Amy on the road to the hospital

The officials investigated a box and a bag, and for a while I was wondering if they were going to give us a big hassle. But thank the Lord, they let us go after a few minutes with no charges and no problems.

So we’re halfway from the border to home!

But that little reason to rejoice dwarfs next to the BIG reason – we have welcomed a new niece into the world, who was born last night at 7:01pm to Nate and Amy Kidder! Karina Rose Kidder – little girl and Mom are doing well from what we’ve heard so far. Praise the Lord!! 🙂

Thanks to all those who prayed for the little crossing into the big country, and the big birth of the little baby! Two reasons to celebrate! Is there a good taco place around here?

(Note: Yeah, okay. Although this is indeed technically a picture of Nate and Amy on the road to the hospital, it was not taken when they were actually going. I took it when we were visiting, just so we could imagine what it might be like. Just in case you thought they have a full time camera crew following them around.) 😉

24 June 2009

That’s amazing (or, have we really moved now?)

Jim Mexico, Practical matters 2

You may remember, if you have a good memory, the problems we had with the electrical company in Cuernavaca.

Oh, everything went along fine for months and months (except that often no bill arrived, but whenever the bill arrived we paid it!).

Then, suddenly out of nowhere, they claimed we owed hundreds and hundreds of dollars (thousands of pesos, that is)!

Well, our landlady had a little talk with them, and they saw the light and lowered the bill (by half I think) and let us pay it over two months.

Then, when we left over a year ago, they pulled the same trick. A HUGE bill. Then they made their mistake.

Another massive bill – for the period in which the house was empty, and no electricity was being used!

So once again our landlady talked to this person and that person and this lawyer and that higher-up.

And guess what? Today – yes, just today – over a year later – she called me up to let me know that it was all worked out.

And she owes us money. Can you believe that?

Well, it’s quite something to have a very honest – and incredibly persistent – landlady.

Unbelievable.

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