Upcoming Series on Lutheran Women in Mexico

Here are some ladies from the church El Redentor (Redeemer) in Torreon singing at the dedication service of a new congregation in their area.

Many of the ladies here in Mexico are very active in their congregations. Since the congregations are in many different cities, thousands of kilometers separate some of these groups of women. One of their current projects is to get organized on a national level.

To do this, the Lutheran women in Mexico are planning to have a national convention next year. By God's grace, they'll gather for a weekend next summer. Both women from Mexico and some ladies from LWMS plan to attend.

In honor of the upcoming convention, I'm going to start a new series next week entitled Lutheran Women in Mexico. This will be an eight-part series, and each week we'll cover one individual.

If you're interested in coming to Mexico for the national convention, or just want to read about some strong women, keep checking here during the upcoming weeks. Many of the women I'll be covering have greatly inspired me and I know they'll touch your heart too.

So stay tuned till next week when we'll officially kickstart the series.

Until then, you can see some of my previous series here:

Series on Mexican recipes

A video series on life and work in Mexico

Things I love about Mexico series

Celebrating Mission Team Birthdays

Here's Noelle at about 7 weeks. When she was little, she loved to snuggle up on people. She regularly fell asleep in my arms.

My little snuggler just turned one last weekend. We had a party with the mission team, and actually celebrated Noelle's birthday and three others - Mike, Andrew, and Marlene, all of whom have birthdays in late October and early November.

We grilled steak and had a blast. I made a cake for the adults and cupcakes for Noelle. Here she is enjoying hers...(I don't have pictures of the others that celebrated their birthdays, sorry. I guess they didn't smash up their cake with their hands and smear it all over themselves or do something similar that drew my camera to them!).


She may be my big 20-pound girl now, but she still loves to snuggle.

Letters from West Allis, Wisconsin

This week we received a fun surprise - a package of letters from an LWMS* group in West Allis, Wisconsin. Each of the handwritten notes had a thoughtful message written on it.

If you've sent something to a missionary recently, know that they probably appreciate it more than you'll ever know. It can be easy to feel alone and isolated on a mission field. But letters like this really perk us up, and that reflects in our work and ministry. So thank you, and keep those letters coming.

*Learn more about LWMS at their site.

Tour Wrap Up

Mike returned Sunday evening from his tour to the USA to tell others about the work here in Mexico. Last week I mentioned some highlights during the time he was away. Following are a few final thoughts on his trip:

- During his 10-day trip, Mike preached five times, gave 23 presentations, and 1 Bible study. He got in touch with more than 2,000 WELS members.

- Many of the schools and congregations really got into Mexico! Here's the St. Mark's Lutheran school body in Watertown, WI, saying "Buenos Dias" (Good morning) in Spanish.



- Some places held a Mexican fiesta night for Mike, complete with salsa and piñatas!



- Mike arrived home just in time for his birthday, which we celebrated yesterday. The girls enjoyed his big day as much (maybe more) than Mike. Here they are unwrapping his presents:


- Mike's trip was mentioned in the WELS Together e-newsletter. Thank you WELS for the article, and thank you for your continuing support of our mission work here in Mexico.

- and Daddy, welcome home.

Things I Love about Mexico: Hand Blown Mexican Glassware

A few years ago, my sister and I took an overnight bus from Torreon to Guadalajara, one of Mexico's main centers for hand blown glass. After a nine-hour ride, we arrived in Tonala, a suburb of Guadalajara known for its artisan markets. We shopped all day, then hopped on a bus back to Torreon. Our findings totaled 52 pieces of glassware, and odds and ends of other artisan crafts.

But the glassware. Oh the glassware.

It's spectacular. Mexico is known for its hand blown glasses, pitchers, vases, and other decorative pieces. It's a craft that first started here as early as 1535, when the Spanish introduced it.

For a long time, the final product was called "bubble glass," referring to the many bubbles that would be made as the artisan blew it into shape. Today, the work has been refined, but almost all pieces still contain a small bubble or two. No two glasses are alike.

To make a glass, the artisan takes a long pipe and blows through it into a hot mass of molten glass. As he blows, he turns the pipe, causing the glass to take on a different shape. As the glass cools, it retains its new form.

The most common glassware here comes with a bright blue band along the top edge of the piece. Glasses also come in other colors and some even have designs, including stripes, swirls, and splattered effects. Most markets in Mexico sell some type of glassware. In cities such as Guadalajara and Los Cabos, you can visit the factory and see the artisans at work before making a purchase.

I've been building up my glassware collection during our time in Mexico. The above picture shows a few of the many pieces I own. I still have a long list, of course, of other things to get in the glass department.

Check out this website to see more examples of Mexican glassware.

Oh, and a note to Guadalajara: I'll be back.

This is part of an ongoing sporadic series on why I 'heart' Mexico. See more things that I love about Mexico here.

Tales from both sides of the border

I spoke with Mike on Tuesday and he was very pleased with the tour so far. During the first four days of his trip, he preached 4 times, gave 8 presentations, and taught 1 Bible study. So far, he's talked to more than 1,000 people about the work in Mexico.

While we miss having Mike around, the time has flown by. Here's a sampling of what we've been up to south of the border while Daddy is away -

hanging out...


taking care of stuffed animals...


celebrating birthdays*...


building forts...


catching up on our beauty sleep...


baking more birthday cakes...


laughing at good jokes...


and just being sweet...


*Trinity's birthday isn't until February, but she's been asking for birthday cakes. What can I say, I'm a softie.

Recipe for Beef-Topped Bean Enchiladas

Even though I completed the recipe series for this blog (see it here), I am going to add two more bonus recipes. This is due to the fact that a few places where Mike is visiting in the next week or so are having fiesta nights to welcome him (check his tour schedule here). So if you're looking for a recipe for a fun Mexican potluck, one of these might be a good one. I usually serve them to company or crowds.

Here's the first one, called Beef-Topped Bean Enchiladas. I got the recipe from my mom, but I believe she originally got it from Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Cookbook (2000). It really is a Tex-Mex meal. Here's the recipe, with my notes below. And the second bonus recipe is below that.


Beef-Topped Bean Enchiladas

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
12 flour tortillas (7-inch ones)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced olives, drained and divided

Preparation
In a skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa, tomato sauce, cumin and garlic salt. Cook for 3 minutes or until heated through.

Meanwhile, spread 2-3 tablespoons refried beans over each tortilla. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon of Monterrey Jack cheese and 1 tablespoon olives. Roll up. Place seam side down in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Top with beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and olives. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 6 servings.

Notes
- I generally use more tortillas than the suggested 12. Then I pack them in a bigger pan. Perhaps I am just trying to spread out the meal(!), but you can use however many you like.

- I only use white cheese, since it is easier to find here than yellow cheese. And I usually use more than the recipe suggests.

- For extra spice, through in some canned chile peppers. I usually put in chopped jalapeños from a can or serve them on the side (along with extra salsa) for those who, like me, enjoy the heat.

Recipe for Fun Bean Dip

This is a dip I make every year for the Super Bowl. Mike loves it, and I occasionally make it at other times. It goes a long way, and is usually a crowd-pleaser. I think the secret is cheese, and lots of it! At least that's what I like about it :).

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
2 (16 oz) cans of refried beans
1 or 2 cans (4 oz) chopped green chiles, depending on your taste
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, sliced
3 cups cheddar or white cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips

To Make
Preheat oven to 400F.

Place ground beef and onions in a large frying pan. Cook over medium heat until onions are tender and beef is browned.

Drain the mixture; then add the salsa, beans, and chiles. Place mixture in a 9x13 baking dish. Layer with cream cheese slices and top with cheese (this is my favorite part).

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with chips.

Heading up North - Watch for Mike!

This Friday Mike heads to the U.S. for a mission tour. He'll be spending a little over a week in the Wisconsin and Minnesota area. During his time there, he will give various presentations on life and work in Mexico.

Click on this link to see his tour schedule. For instance, this coming Sunday, October 11th, he'll be in Lomira, WI. The following Sunday, October 18th, he'll be in Kaukauna, WI. He'll be other places during the week.

So if you're in the area or have a chance to go, please do! This morning he's finishing up his power point presentations - I just had a look and they are very snazzy. (Plus he put in nice pictures of the girls and me - thanks!)

While I miss Mike when he's on the road (what can I say, he's my best friend, of course I like to have him around!), I know what he's doing is very important and meaningful. And besides giving fun presentations, he's a really nice guy :). So if you have a chance to go, introduce yourself to him. He'd love to chat with you.

If you have problems loading this or viewing his tour, leave a comment below and I'll get it to you a different way. Gracias!

quick note: I did not list some of the private meetings with pastors and lay leaders that Mike will have while he's in the U.S., so if you're reading this and don't see your time slot with him listed, don't worry, he's still planning on seeing you.

Guest Post from Brad Krause

I'm excited about today's post, which is taken from a note we recently received from Brad Krause (pictured above on left). His words were so interesting we asked if we could share them here. Fortunately, he said yes :). Before you read his story, here's a little info about Brad:

Brad and his wife Heidi are serving for a year in Mahahual, a small beach town located about four hours, by bus, from Cancun. They're working on starting a mission congregation there, and currently hold Sunday services in a restaurant. Brad and Heidi are really doing this on their own as volunteers - receiving no funds from WELS or other organizations - and we applaud their efforts.

Brad read a devotion from 2 Corinthians to the man pictured above. Here are a few highlights from it, followed by Brad's comments.

"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven...We live by faith, not by sight. " (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)

Today I had the privilege to read these words to Mateo, a poor Mexican-Mayan man living in a little shack right along the ocean at Uvero Beach. We've been meeting with Mateo once a week for the past 5 weeks and have developed a relationship with him.

He's probably in his upper 60s and his health is not very strong. He lives alone except for his mangy dogs that guard his shack. He's been a Christian for quite a while I think, as he has a pretty good knowledge of different Bible History Stories. But he hasn't had a way of getting to church in a while. We usually read the Bible to him for a half hour (in Spanish) and then talk to him for a little bit.

After I read this section of Scripture to Him, Heidi and I saw the power of God's Word on His heart. He began to cry. As tears were coming down his face, he said, "I have nothing. I have nothing here, but I have trust in Jesus, I have trust in God. This part of God's Word went to my heart."

This was probably the coolest thing I've seen in Mexico. Hearing this poor man say these words really was a demonstration of the power of God's Word. Pastors have different stories similar to these, and they also have seen the power of the Gospel in the face of death, sickness and injury. But Heidi and I were thankful to see this today. Mahahual is beautiful with jungles, lagoons, mangroves, palm trees and the ocean, but hearing this man say this was so much more beautiful.

Sometimes when you're doing ministry you can reach a point when it seem as if nothing is happening – maybe not as many people are coming to church on Sunday as you would like, or someone just doesn’t seem interested. Seeing this, however, was just a visual reminder of what God says so clearly, "My word will not return to me empty." Thanks for letting Heidi and me share this with you.

by Brad Krause, serving in Mahahual, Mexico