More than 150 Children come to Christmas Event

On Saturday, December 22nd, members of the congregation Jesus Bread of Life held a special event at the mission Divine Grace. Many adults and more than 150 kids came to hear what Christmas is all about.

The event was held in Zaragosa Sur, an area where mission work was started earlier this year. During the past months, seminary students have held Bible classes for children and adults.

Members of a different congregation in Torreón, Jesus Bread of Life, wanted to help. They learned three Christmas hymns to sing for the people in Zaragosa Sur. They also put together bags of candy and bought a large cake to share.

On the day of the event, Missionary Mike Hartman gave a short devotion. Seminary students put on a puppet show that told the Christmas story. The choir sang, and then the members handed out treats to the children.

It was an exciting day! The children crowded close together to get a good view of the puppet show. To watch them listen so attentively to the story of Jesus' birth was a good reminder of the reason we do mission work. Here are a couple of photos from the event -

The Puppet Show...


Handing out Christmas Treats...

Feliz Navidad!

From all of us in Mexico, we wish you a Merry Christmas!! May Christ guide you during the holidays and into the New Year.

Peace to those on both sides of the border,

Missionary Mike, Rachel and Trinity Hartman

Looking Back on 2007

I baked Christmas cookies earlier this week with Rosy, a new member at Jesus Bread of Life here in Torreón.

I remember when I first met Rosy. In 2005 she came to English classes we offered at the church. She stayed for the Bible study after the class. Soon she started coming to church on Sundays.

Rosy became active in church, and took confirmation classes. When she finished the course, she said she'd rather not become a member. Raised in a Catholic family, it was hard to think about joining a different church.

She kept attending church and reading her Bible. Two years went by. Rosy brought flowers to church, helped clean it, and answered questions in Bible class. Then one Sunday, after the Lord's Supper was served, she told Missionary Hartman she was ready to become a member. The Holy Spirit had washed away the doubts she had of the Lutheran church.

One by one, the church in Mexico is growing. Whether it is a confirmation, seminary graduation, or baptism, the Lord is increasing his flock here. Following are some highlights of growth in Mexico during the last year:

First Worship Service held in Zaragoza Sur: A new mission just outside of Torreón was started in February. Over 60 people attended the first church service. Read more here.

Baptizing Trinity: Our baby girl was baptized on February 4th, when she was just three days old. God is good! More here.

Seminary Graduation: Juan Jose Olvera graduated from the seminary in July. He is now a pastor in Juarez. There are currently six Mexican pastors serving south of the border. This is the first time in years that there are no vacancies in the Mexico churches. For that, we are very thankful! Read about it here.

21 New Members Received in Puebla: a large group was confirmed in December at the congregation in Puebla. How exciting! Details here.

As we look back, it's easy to see God's hand guiding the work here. Despite our weaknesses, he carries out his will through us. We trust that he will be with Rosy and the other members in Mexico during 2008.

Nativity Scenes in Mexico

Last Christmas, when Missionary Hartman visited a couple that was interested in the Lutheran church, he had a hard time getting inside their home. It wasn't because they didn't want to see him; it was because there was hardly any space to sit! Most of their living room had been turned into a "nacimiento," or nativity scene.

A manger scene that takes up an entire room is not an uncommon site here. Nativities are a popular holiday tradition, and people take pride in putting one up in their home.

Figurines are usually hand-painted and made out of clay, wood, ceramic, or plastic. Some, like the ones in our home, are quite small. Others contain characters that are a foot or two high. The baby Jesus is added on the night of his birth - December 24th.

Nativity scenes can be very elaborate. In addition to a stable, there may be a separate pen for chickens, ducks, or other animals. Women making tortillas, farmers milking cows, and merchants selling vegetables also might be included. This year, our nativity scene has fake grass, a palm tree, a well for water, and a bridge going over a stream.

Ours is calm compared to others. At the home Missionary Hartman visited, Santa Claus, various ostriches, and monster trucks had been added to the scene. Others set up an entire village of interesting characters.

Nacimientos show the creativity of many Mexican artists. Missionary Hartman uses the idea as a teaching tool. He tells parents to share the Christmas story with their children, using the figurines. He stresses Christ as the center of the scene, and the meaning of his birth.

Here are two more pictures of common nativity scenes here:

Christmas Party for Torreón Seminary Students

On Friday, December 14th, we held a Christmas party for the seminary students in Torreón. We ate tamales, which are a popular holiday meal here. We also served rompope, a special drink sold during the Christmas season. And we had cookies - a U.S. tradition enjoyed by all!

After the meal, the seminary students and pastors played a few games of dominoes (pictured above).

There are currently three students enrolled in the seminary. Carlos and Jorge are studying in Torreón. The third one, Alejandro, is serving his vicar year in Pachuca (more on Pachuca here).

These men continue to amaze me. They face obstacles of leaving the Catholic church, being far from their families, and small class sizes. Deciding to be a pastor here is like starting a long hike up a steep mountain.

Every Christmas, we have a special party in their honor. It is a small way to say "thank you" to them for their hard work and dedication.

And God is blessing their efforts. We now have six Mexican pastors, and more candidates for the seminary.

The seminary students, vicars and fellow missionaries here are really part of our family. We treasure the time we get to spend with them. May God look after this group in the coming year.
...

A Brief History of Poinsettias

These pictures were taken at our Lutheran church in Puebla. Poinsettia bushes fill the patio there, and to see them in bloom is a colorful sight.

Poinsettias, or "nochebuenas" in Spanish, can be found growing throughout the country. The plant is native to Mexico. The Aztecs cultivated it long before Europeans arrived on the scene.

The Aztecs used the pretty leaves for decoration. They also made dyes from the plant, and used its sap to treat fevers.

After the Spanish entered Mexico, they soon discovered the poinsettia. Priests used the bright leaves to decorate nativity scenes at Christmas time. This became a tradition, and today poinsettias abound during the holiday season. An average-sized plant sells for about 50 pesos here ($4.50 USD).

Poinsettias came to the U.S. courtesy of Joel Roberto Poinsett. Poinsett served as ambassador to Mexico in the early 1800s. In 1823, he noticed the red-leaved plant in Taxco, Mexico. He sent some back to decorate his home in Charlestonville, South Carolina. When he arrived there several years later, the whole town was growing poinsettias!

Due to U.S. soil regulations, the poinsettias grown in Mexico usually cannot be exported to the United States. Still, the production of them on both sides of the border has become a large business.

The Aztec word for poinsettias translates as "the flower that wilts." When cut off from the plant, the leaves quickly wither. This is why they are kept in pots, and many throw out the plant after the season.

Poinsettias create a festive mood during the holidays, but they quickly fade. We give thanks for the real reason of the season - Jesus - and his lasting faithfulness.

21 New Members in Puebla

On Sunday, December 2nd, 21 souls became members of the Lutheran church in Puebla. It was an exhilirating day for all involved.

This group had been studying with Pastor Mario Dominguez and Señor Gonzalo Rodriguez, the president of the congregation, for about a year.

These new members live far from the church building in Puebla. They rented a bus on Sunday to be able to come to church. Due to the distance factor, Pastor Mario will travel to where they live to serve them. The plan is to start a new mission congregation in the area of town where these new members live.

The congregation in Puebla welcomed in the new members. After the service, they served a special meal. Here are a few more pictures of the great day:

The confirmations...


The women dishing up mole for everyone to eat... (more on mole here)

Fellowship...

Trinity welcoming a new member...

Five Years Ago...

Missionary Hartman baptized this little girl. Her mother had learned of the church through English classes taught by WELS Kingdom Worker volunteers. She soon became a member of the church and asked to have her child baptized.

Today, this child, Alejandra (pictured above) and her family are all active members of the congregation in Puebla. We visited with them last Sunday at a special church service. And Trinity got to meet their youngest daughter (pictured below).
Since we live in Torreón (about 16 hours by bus from Puebla) we do not get to see the members in Puebla often. Going there last Sunday and seeing members that are still active was a moving experience.

Coming as a family to church not only strengthens the parents; it also allows the children's faith to blossom.

Read more about the mission work in Puebla here.