Lutherans in Mexico

Leon Founding Update

2012-01-24T21:21:00.002-06:00

I mentioned last week that we were going to celebrate Leon's birthday with a cake.

Here's the result:

It was a family effort - Trin and I baked the cake and made the frosting, and then we all decorated it together (except Hans, unless taking it all in from his perch in the high chair counts as participation, which perhaps it does if you're six months old and have no teeth and very little hand coordination).

After the decorating, we sang and then...

After which we dug in, of course! Today all that remains of the lion cake are a few bits of tongue, nose, and mane.

***

In other news, the Synodical Council for the Mexican Lutheran Church is meeting here in Leon this week. Mike's been involved in this, and I'll be posting updates from the meetings, as well as happenings in Mexican congregations, in the coming posts.

Happy Founding of Leon Day!

2012-01-20T11:44:00.005-06:00

Leon city gate, featuring a lion on top (photo credit)

It's a holiday here today: the city is celebrating the Fundacion de Leon (Founding day of Leon). Our girls have off school, and there is a general buzz of celebration in town.

The origins of the city date back to 1576. Leon was founded on January 20th of that year, its full name listed as "Villa de Leon."

Leon on the map (photo credit)

Today, more than 400 years later, the city of Leon is a bustling metropolis, catering to the global leather industry and serving as a business center in the heart of Mexico.

While all of this is interesting, my three- and four-year-old's have other concerns about Leon, which translates as "lion" in English. A few notes from our conversations during the week regarding today's holiday:

Noelle: It's Leon's birthday?
me: Yes, on Friday, it is.
Noelle: Do tigers have birthdays too?

Trinity: Where's the lion?
me: Remember, it's the name of the city we live in, not the animal.
Trinity: We live in Leon?
me: Yes.

Trinity, several hours later: Can we make a cake for Leon's birthday?
me: Sure.
Trinity: I know which one I want to make! (followed by her grabbing our cake decorating book and opening it to the cake decorated as a lion).

So today, we are celebrating the founding of Leon by baking a birthday cake later this evening. I'm looking forward to the Leon/lion celebration - especially the eating part!

Final Furlough Thoughts

2012-01-16T11:34:00.005-06:00

- our family at Flandrau State Park, Minn. in early January 2012

Last night we returned to Leon, Mexico. It is great to be home!

After Mike and I tucked in the kiddos, we dove into the eight suitcases that held our things from the almost two-month trip. While we unpacked, we talked about what a special time we had in the U.S.

From English worship to delicious meals to watching cousins play together, we now have many memories to keep us going while we're back in Mexico.

And I have to say - it's good to be back. Both Mike and I feel refreshed and recharged, and ready to hit the ground running.

Here's a quick scattering of furlough pictures that made me smile when I downloaded them onto the computer this morning:

This little guy was so fun to have on furlough. During our trip, he started rolling over, sitting up, and smiling more than ever.

Have to be prepared for wintry weather in the Midwest

And Mike's love of trying new things extends to all places. Here is a German-style chimichanga he tried while in the U.S.A. It's similar to the Mexican version, which usually involves a tortilla wrapped around a filling and then fried. One difference, however: the filling in this one consisted of a bratwurst! Fun times.

Confirmations!

2012-01-02T09:03:00.006-06:00

Shortly before 2011 drew to a close, the mission congregation Cristo Resucitado (Resurrected Christ) in Leon, Mexico, welcomed its first two members: Victor (on left) and Javier.

These two men have been active in the congregation for some time now.

You may remember Javier (pictured above with wife and friends) from a WELS Connection video that came out about a year ago. In it, Javier is pictured in his auto body shop. He expresses gratitude for finding the truth and biblical teachings at the mission. For the past year, he has helped the congregation in many ways, and also looked after the missionaries, offering things from food to car fixes and, most importantly, companionship.

Victor is an active leader in the community, and has been bringing his family to church in recent months. He donated the letters you see on the wall in these pictures (they read: Yo soy la Resurrecion y la Vida - "I am the Resurrection and the Life").

We are so thankful to have these men as members! How great God is, that He would bless this mission with the gift of active leaders, right from the start.

There are others currently enrolled in confirmation classes at the mission in Leon. We ask God's blessing on them as they complete the lessons and become members in this coming year.

Christmas on Furlough

2011-12-28T00:19:00.003-06:00

On Christmas Day, we attended St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye, Minn. The lovely church, set in the a town with a population of about 3,500, was beautifully decorated on the inside. Two large Christmas trees towered in the front, complete with angels on their tops and tasteful ornaments hanging from them. Poinsettas and banners rounded out the scene.

In addition to admiring the Christmas decorations, we appreciated worshipping in person with this congregation. Although we don't usually sit in a church pew in Sleepy Eye on Sundays, St. John's has held a special place in our hearts for some time. Back in 2010, when we first arrived in Leon to start mission work, worshipped online with this congregation. We didn't have a worship location of our own yet, so we gathered in homes of the missionaries on the field and tuned in on Sundays to participate with this congregation.

It was a special treat to be with this congregation on Christmas Day. We appreciate the efforts they take to keep putting worship online. If you're in an area or situation where you can't get to church, I strongly recommend tuning in.

Thanks Sleepy Eye for the online worship efforts and for the Christmas service!

And on behalf of our family, Merry, Merry Christmas, and may God bless the remainder of 2011 for you and yours.

photo credit: Sallie Draper

Tales from Furlough - Week 2

2011-12-13T16:46:00.009-06:00

We're now up in the Midwest, and thoroughly enjoying our furlough. This break for us has been a wonderful time to see others, catch up on health care and miscellaneous to-do's, and just spend hours together as a family (this last one is probably my favorite part).

Here are a few of the recent highlights:

Seeing the Martin Luther College (MLC) Christmas Concert: this will stick with Mike and me (and Trinity!) for a long time. Mike sat with Trinity in the front row so she could have a close-up view of the event. She was in awe...later she mentioned the possibility of her one day being there, singing and playing an instrument. I can't think of a better thing to say to Mike and me. If we someday sit where she sat, and watch her sing in an MLC concert, I think we will consider it a dream come true.

We also got to see the Chapel of the Christ (where the concert was held) at MLC for the first time. Simply spectacular. We took the picture above shortly after Mike gave Trinity a mini-tour of the interior.

Catching up with Mexico acquaintances. Here's Noelle with a dear friend and former WELS Kingdom Worker in Mexico, Tim Patoka. We've had the chance to see various friends, relatives, and folks with a Mexico connection. While I've loved the chance to see them, I also know there are many we won't see on this trip. (If you're one of them, I sincerely apologize. We haven't been able to see everyone because A) child number three has thrown me for a loop and I regularly forget things/don't schedule stuff/act like I left my mind in the other room, which means I just don't get in everything these days, and B) I feel like we owe it to WELS, who has sent us to be missionaries and given us a time to come home and rest, to do just that - rest! If we don't, we'll go back to Mexico wiped out and not ready to hit the ground running, which isn't fair to anyone, especially those who are supporting the work there.)

Introducing the girls to new sights, like picturesque farms with cute houses and red barns that they've only seen in books. They were so enthralled (Look! A farmer!) that we stopped and took pictures to remember the occasion.

Setting new milestones. The baby continues to grow, and his latest achievements include rolling over (hurray!) and working on sitting up on his own. I have to say, watching the third one do it is fun in its own way: yesterday, Trinity showed me how she could, indeed, lay on the floor and roll over too :).

I'm looking forward to the coming days, especially as we approach more opportunities to worship in English. May God bless your upcoming Christmas celebration as well.

Saints Triumphant Sermon

2011-12-05T00:19:00.006-06:00

Several weeks ago, for Saints Triumphant Sunday, Missionary Brad Krause preached a funeral sermon at the mission congregation Cristo Resucitado (Resurrected Christ) in Leon, Mexico. He spoke as if he himself had passed away.

Preaching a sermon on your own death may be a sobering thought, but Missionary Krause had a strong motivating factor behind it. Not long before, he had attended a funeral service in Mexico. "There was a complete lack of Biblical truth or comfort throughout the sermon," he recalls. "I thought, 'It would be nice if people could hear a biblical, Lutheran sermon to see the true comfort that God gives us in His Word.'"

Krause had also come across confusion regarding what happens after death. "Many believe you need to pray for the deceased person so that God will receive them into heaven, and if you don't pray for them, their spirit will stay around and haunt you and make your life difficult," he explains.

Another popular belief involves focusing on the good things the person who has passed away carried out during his or her time on Earth. This type of comfort doesn't work for two reasons, says Krause. First and foremost, it's false doctrine. Second, those sitting in the pew know the person better than the priest and know all of the sins in that particular person's life.

The funeral sermon Krause shared was a good opportunity to proclaim the Christian's hope and confidence. It focused on the perfect life, innocent death and resurrection of Christ. It also spoke of how God made Krause His child in baptism, how Christ gave him his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins in the Lord's Supper, and how God's law and Gospel strengthened him in the faith of Jesus Christ. "We find comfort in God's actions for us, not in our actions for God," he says.

In addition to preaching the sermon on Sunday, Krause distributed copies of it to about 70 people. "That opened the door for questions they might have had."

Thanks for the sermon, Missionary Krause, and we pray that more in Mexico may learn of the blessed Christian hope we have for life after death, thanks to Jesus Christ.

Tales from Furlough - Week 1

2011-11-30T21:19:00.004-06:00

We're about 10 days into our 7-week stay here in the U.S., and wow, has it been great to be here.

Let's go over a few of the highlights so far:

- English worship. We've been to two churches: Victory of the Lamb in Katy, TX, and Christ our Redeemer in El Paso, TX. Mike had the chance to preach at both of these places, and he also gave a presentation at each one. Going through the liturgy in English, and singing some of our favorite hymns in our native language is always a special blessing for us.

- Congregational support. We are continually thankful for the way congregations like the ones we visited show such a strong interest in mission work. Many advances in the work in Mexico have been made during the last years as a direct result of their prayers and offerings.

- Smooth roads! Somehow I forgot how big of a difference it makes to drive down non-potholed roads for long stretches of time. The Interstates here are amazing, and something I'm thankful for (also, our children are complaining less of carsickness, which could perhaps be due to less bumping and jolting as we travel for long periods of time).

- Sweater weather. In Mexico, we live in a wonderfully moderate climate: highs between 70 and 80F, lows around 50 and 60 nearly year round. But I have to say, as we travel north (we're dividing our furlough time between the Southwest and Midwest) it's really fun to bundle up.

- Snow! Along the same lines, we're having fun introducing our kids (or in the case of Trinity, reintroducing) to snow.

- U.S. niceties. We've been having fun going to the grocery stores and picking out foods like dill pickles and snack mix to eat - lots of treats to enjoy!

And We're Off!

2011-11-28T00:39:00.004-06:00

Remember the paper chain link countdown we had to track the number of days left until we left on furlough?

It's gone!

Above you can see Trinity holding the last link. We took that picture eight days ago, shortly before heading out the door to start our journey to the U.S.

Here we are later that day. Mike took this picture as we stood outside of the Houston International airport, waiting to get picked up to "officially" start our furlough by seeing family and friends. I asked him to take the picture to record our son's first time in the United States!

It was past his bedtime, but part of me was certain the baby stayed awake that night just to see what all this talk of the U.S. was about.

Now we've spent a week visiting family in Texas, and are thoroughly enjoying our time back in the U.S. As usual, we're feeling the differences that exist between the two countries we consider home, and are noticing all the changes that have taken place in the U.S. recently. When Mike went to the grocery store for the first time on our trip to pick up a few things, he had three different people ask him if he needed help (most likely due to the expression on his face from taking in the overwhelming amount of selection and choices for nearly every item). I stepped into a store here for the first time on Black Friday - wow! was about all I could say for the first hour :).

We're looking forward to some quality family time in the coming weeks, and the chance to relax and unwind. Our girls are keeping track of where they hear English and Spanish spoken, as well as the states we plan to visit on the trip. As Mike says, "Playing America" is lots of fun!

As of 11/11, I'm ready to travel

2011-11-13T07:35:00.008-06:00

Today's update comes to you courtesy of the youngest member of the mission field:

Here's what he says:

"I've been out and about, having my people get all of the documents I need to travel to the U.S. and back. (Mom wrote about one of these here).

For my U.S. passport and certificate of birth abroad, I flew to Mexico City:

Here I am outside of the U.S. embassy in Mexico City, shortly after being declared a U.S. citizen for the first time in my three months of life:

Last Friday I spent 3.5 hours in an official building near my home waiting for my Mexican passport - which I now have.

Which means - I'm ready to go! Just days from now, I'll be heading up to the U.S. for about seven weeks. Here are a few of the things I plan to do on the trip:

the essentials...

some business...

plenty of r and r...

and lots of this...

See many of you soon!"

Tales from the Convention Series, Part Six: Convention Wrap-Up

2011-11-09T11:52:00.010-06:00

Welcome to our final update on the Convention series. This week we're looking at a recap of the convention and some of the advances it brought both for the pastors and delegates who attended, as well as the Mexican Lutheran Church body as a whole.

I recently spoke with Pastor Juan Jose Olvera, who serves a congregation in Torreon, about the convention. I'm interspersing our conversation and some final pictures below. Enjoy!

Rachel: What are some of the personal blessings you received from the convention?

Pastor Olvera: It was a good chance for me to listen to what some of the other pastors are doing and apply some of their ideas to my own field. I talked to Pastor Jorge Briones, who is currently doing door-to-door evangelism in the mission he's serving; I had come to the convention with big ideas of what I wanted to do in my own area of Torreon. Pastor Briones inspired me to return to the basics: I've started visiting people one-on-one near my church, and am giving a simple Bible study for another group.

What about blessings for the pastors?

Usually as pastors we're up in front, preaching and sharing God's message with others. At the convention, we got a chance to sit and listen to God's Word, sit in on Bible Studies, and absorb it.

I also saw that many of our new pastors are now taking on leadership roles and sharing their ideas - this shows a step forward for all of us, that others are stepping up and helping lead the church.

What blessings for the Mexican Lutheran Church did you see?

At this convention, there were more lay leaders who attended. Not only that, but they also spoke up, shared their ideas, and are helping out with projects. This again is a step forward for the church, to see more participating and leading on.

When is the next convention planned?

In the summer of 2012, we're having a convention in Mexico City.

Thanks to all who participated in this year's meetings in Monterrey. This wraps up our series on the 2011 Mexican Lutheran Church Convention. We're looking forward to seeing what blessings God brings the church during the coming year.

Quick Note on Comments

2011-11-03T18:38:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to share that I recently changed how comments are published on this site. With the new setup, it should be easier to leave a comment. Simply click on the "comments" link below a post and follow the instructions if you have thoughts to share. And if you try and still have a problem, let me know!

Thanks for reading this service announcement :) and I'll be back soon with a regular scheduled post.

Mission Tour Brings Blessings, Encouragement, and Energy

2011-11-02T09:29:00.006-06:00

On October 8th, Missionary Brad Krause and his wife Heidi headed from their home in Leon, Mexico, to the Midwest. They spent the next week-plus visiting schools and congregations in the area. Their purpose: to tell others the good news of what's going on in Mexico.

Here are a few pictures* from their October 2011 mission tour**:

I love it when places get into Mexico! Note the flag...

and pinata...

and the potlucks! Always appreciated...

The Krauses gave presentations in congregations and schools during their week-plus visit. While they loved the chance to get back and experience a bit of the U.S.A., they found the fellowship with other Christians especially uplifting.

"As part of a church body, and publicly serving on behalf of them, it was a good chance to show others what God is doing with their offerings," says Krause. "I felt privileged to be able to go back and do that."

Heidi also had a chance to share in the presentations, focusing on life in Mexico. "The day to day here can seem mundane," she says. "But sharing with others get me excited to go back. I feel so privileged that God would choose us, of all people, to go to Mexico."

The visit was made complete with a few other favorites: the Krauses got to be Stateside while their favorite baseball team - the Brewers - were in the playoffs of the World Series. And they enjoyed long-missed foods not available in Mexico. "We went to Dairy Queen about three times," they recall. "The pumpkin blizzards - they can't be beat!"

Special thanks to the congregations and schools that warmly accepted the Krauses while they were back. And thanks to the Krauses for sharing news of Mexico with others, and we wish you continued blessings as you serve south of the border.

* photos courtesy of Cindy Krause and Missionary Brad Krause

**comments of photos courtesy of me :)

On Mexico, Falling in Love, and Missionary Memories

2011-10-25T20:37:00.005-06:00

Eleven years ago this week, I took a walk, accepted a date invitation, and got engaged to a nice guy I call Mike. Today I'm celebrating the anniversary of this life-changing period by sharing 11 memories that have taken place since then. All happened right here - in the country south of the United States, in Mexico, the place I've called home since 2000.

(quick interlude: many of you know my story. For those who don't, I came to Mexico as a volunteer, met Mike the missionary, liked him so much I married him, and we've spent our entire marriage here in Mexico).

Okay, on with the list:

January 2002: Mike and I trek through the jungle to scale the ancient ruins of Palenque. This mystical place so enchants me that to this day, part of what I saw remains in my memory as almost a surreal experience.

July 2002: we go to an ice cream fair in Mexico City. Mike eagerly tries flavors ranging from pinto bean to avocado to lettuce and - one of his favorites - corn.

November 2003: we move from Mexico City to Torreon. I gradually grow to appreciate the beauty of the desert landscape, a dry climate, and being far from everything. But the gorditas - ah the gorditas! One bite and I decide I could live here forever.

February 2006: I graduate from college (and pat myself on the back - only took me eight years!) and Mike takes me to Zacatecas to celebrate. We stay in a hotel that was once a bullfighting stadium but now has geraniums, rather than horns, gracing its interior.

February 2007: first child - a girl! - is born. Mike and I squeal with delight, marvel at the miracle of life, and get her ears pierced before she's 24 hours old.

May 2008: we take a family vacation to Cancun, a first for both Mike and me. We see why it draws huge crowds, thoroughly relax, and take pictures of our toddler by her first pyramid.

November 2008: another girl! This one cries more than the first, doesn't sleep as well, and makes me feel like I'm going a little batty with two kids under the age of two. But her hair - her sweet, fuzzy, crazy wild hair - makes up for the fussies. And her ears: pierced upon birth, of course.

April 2010: we move to Leon, a bustling city known for its leather. For my birthday, Mike takes me to the leather district and I inform (warn?) him that my shoe and purse collection will be growing in the near future.

July 2011: our first son arrives. Mike accuses me of falling for another man, but how could I not? He is actually Mike, in size miniature. I look at him and wonder, just how did I end up having three kids in Mexico?

October 2011: we go out for brunch as a family at one of Mexico's popular chain restaurants. The middle child sees molletes on the menu (bread with beans and white cheese) and orders it immediately. The older girl asks for American-style eggs. We talk in English until the girls start reciting some of the new finger plays they've learned at school, upon which they switch - midstream - to Spanish.

October 25, 2011: I sit down to write this and wonder if other missionaries have become so fiercely attached to a country after living there for a decade-plus. I think we often look at mission life as one of "living out there" as a foreigner - which is true, of course - but we don't usually think about how as time passes in one place, we grow as a family, rack up experiences, and build memories that become not just part of our past, but a defining point of our future as well.

Tales from the Convention Series, Part Five: Radiotelephones

2011-10-21T09:48:00.005-06:00

Welcome to this week's installment of our six-part Tales from the Convention series.

During this year's national convention for the Mexican Lutheran Church in Monterrey, Pastor Israel Rodriguez presented an idea. He wanted to get some of the pastors involved in a radiotelephone system.

This type of communication system is a fairly common one in Mexico. Customers purchase a phone and a plan to go with it. Then they create a network of other users they can talk to. "It looks like a cell phone, but you talk on it as if it were a walkie talkie," Mike explains.

Pastor Rodriguez came up with the idea for several reasons. "It can be tough for our pastors to communicate," he says. "Some don't have a phone, and for those that do have a phone, calling long distance to talk to another pastor is very expensive."

The advantage of using "radio phones," as they are often called, is that getting a nationwide plan is less expensive than a cell phone plan with the same coverage. "This makes it easier and cheaper for our pastors to communicate," notes Pastor Rodriguez.

As soon as Mike heard of the idea, he was on board. "I thought it was a worthwhile thing to get going. Four of the pastors in the Mexican Lutheran Church are young, and they live on opposite ends of the country in isolated areas." Internet connection in one of these areas is only available at a speed of 2k! The radio network, however, is readily available in all of the places where these pastors live.

The Mexican Lutheran Church received special funds to get the project off the ground. The initial equipment needed will be provided through this gift. The pastors will then cover the regular monthly expense.

"This is an example of how special offerings that come through WELS are used to support the work," says Mike. "When we have projects come up unexpectedly, these offerings help us take advantage of them and get them off to a good start."

Perhaps the biggest blessing of these radio phones will come in the form of increased camaraderie. "These pastors will now be able to call each other up and offer both encouragement and advice to one another," says Mike. "I see them as our future leaders, and this is a great way to build up their fellowship and communication."

The project has been approved and the pastors are in the process of setting up the radio phones. I'll let you know when they are in action!

Random Things Missionary Kids Say

2011-10-18T17:27:00.005-06:00

Let's go from oldest to youngest...

Trinity:

- Mommy, can I have horchata?

- I like grasshopper tacos!

- dos pasos adelante, dos pasos hacia atras, y pas pas pas! (singing: two steps forward, two steps back, and clap clap clap!)

Noelle:

- I want beans (spoken at breakfast this morning)

- (pointing to a Mexican flag) Mexico!

- I want pray en espanol (at lunch - she prefers to say table prayers in Spanish)

And Hans:

- Goo

- Ahhh

- (and my personal favorite) AhhhGoo...

Tales from the Convention Series, Part Four: Iglesia Internacional

2011-10-14T11:29:00.002-06:00

This week we're looking at the fourth installment of our six-part series entitled Tales from the Convention.

This post's focus is on the Iglesia Internacional (International Church).

Several years ago, Jose Angel Jimenez, a member of the Monterrey congregation La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross), moved to Europe for work reasons.

For Jose Angel, who currently resides in Germany, the closest Lutheran church in our fellowship is two and a half hours away. He only gets there several times a year. So what does he do on the other Sundays?

He turns on his computer and worships in Spanish with people around the world. "I can be sitting in the park with my iPhone, listening through Skype," he says.

Jose Angel currently serves as president of the Iglesia Internacional, an online church with people participating from Colombia, France, and China, among other countries (the map above shows all of the places people have joined in from).

During its years of existence, the Iglesia Internacional has been a huge benefit for people like Jose Angel. The church started in 2007 as a result of distributing materials known as the Bible Teaching Series. "We handed them out and people came to us, asking for more," notes Pastor Gonzalo Delgadillo, the Spanish Publications Director of Multi-Language Publications.

The next step to serve these people came in an online format: services offered in Spanish through Skype, and Bible studies and counseling available nearly 24/7.

Over the next years, things really got rolling. "It's indescribable the way God has blessed it," notes Pastor Delgadillo. "People just come, and come, and come, looking for advice - it's hard to keep track of all the names!"

One of the next steps the church is working on is to raise money to be able to purchase computers and Internet service for individuals who could them use the equipment to participate in the online church. Pastor Delgadillo recognizes the risks involved, but says it's worth it. "The Iglesia Internacional itself only started as a result of distributing books."

I participated in the online Spanish service last Sunday and found it fascinating. Perhaps the best part was how personal the atmosphere was. After church, most stayed around to greet each other and chat. According to Jose Angel, it's a pretty close knit group: he's even made friends with others who participate and gets together with them now in person.

In August of this year, during the convention in Monterrey, Jose Angel met one person who's been supportive of the church since it got its start: Pastor Delgadillo. The two have known each other for years through the Iglesia Internacional. They both attended the Mexican Lutheran Church convention in Monterrey and met in person for the first time. Here they are in the hotel shortly after greeting each other:

Mike got to be present at the hotel for the event. "It was a really touching moment to see the two of them meet face to face for the first time," he says.

The Iglesia Internacional is such a wonderful tool for any Spanish-speaker, anywhere, who's having a hard time getting to church, whether that be due to location, a health situation, or travel reasons.

If you or anyone you know would benefit from the Iglesia Internacional, let us know! Leave a comment below, or click on the contact tab above, and tell us of your interest. We'll share the Skype username you need to touch base with in order to participate. It's easy, and the benefits - lasting.

p.s. Learn more about the Iglesia Internacional here.

Spanish Word Defined

2011-10-10T19:55:00.006-06:00

There's a word here in Mexico - tramite - that doesn't have a solid English translation. It roughly translates as "paperwork," but everyone who's ever done a tramite knows that it implies so, so much more than a mere stack of neatly filled out forms.

To offer a closer, truer definition, allow me to go over the most recent tramite we carried out here in Mexico. Ready? Here we go:

Our son was born on July 21, 2011. Because we live in Mexico, he needed to get a birth certificate from here. I'm going to note that we got Mexican birth certificates for our girls sin problema, but that was in a different part of the country.

Where we live now, they like tramites. Very very much.

Off Mike went to the official Registrar's office for our area to find out what we would need to carry out this tramite. He was told we first had to get my visa renewed before we could continue on to the next step.

We had started my visa renewal (another tramite) in May of this year. It was now July and we were still waiting to get it back from the Mexican government. It arrived in early September. Hurray! On to the next step...

Mike went again to the Registrar's office, where he was told we would need to get both of our birth certificates (Mike's and mine) signed by the Secretary of State in the state we were born in - this is called an apostille.

Mike made some phone calls and ordered our birth certificates with apostilles. Once they arrived to our home in Mexico, he took them in and was met with some scowls. Apparently, they did not like the fact that my last name is now "Hartman" and not my maiden name "Moldenhauer." (In Mexico women do not change their names when they get married, and children take on two last names: first the father's, and then the mother's.)

Since my birth certificate has my maiden name, and my passport has my married name, Mike was asked for a marriage license, which he happily showed. They wanted it okayed by the Secretary of State of the state we were married in, and also translated into Spanish.

All of this we did, at a cost of more than 200 dollars. When we had gathered all the needed documents, Mike and I took our son down to the Registrar's office, which is in an open air setting along a busy street. We sat among many other mothers with small babies, waiting our turn.

When we were called, we found out that they still didn't like the officially signed, translated marriage certificate that said my name had been changed.

Here's a better plan, we were told. Go down to the city hall with your birth certificate, a copy of your telephone bill in your husband's name, and marriage license. They will give you - for $4.50 - an official document saying your name is whatever you want it to be. In my case, my maiden name.

Hmm...we followed through with that plan, and then headed back to the Registrar's office once more. This time we were all clear, until they noticed that the immunization card I have for our son had not been officially stamped at the hospital. He had had all of the required shots, but apparently someone forgot to stamp it along the way.

Off we went in search of an official vaccination stamp. Mike spotted a hospital just two blocks from the Registrar's office, walked inside, went to the cash register and asked to have the card stamp.

Armed with a stamped immunization card, we went back - again - and this time, were granted the birth certificate.

The date: October 7.

The process had taken two and a half months; an average amount of time and work for a tramite.

One birth certificate down...now on to the other pending tramites for the rest of the family!

New Pages Added

2011-10-07T23:01:00.004-06:00

photo credit

I'm taking a week off of the convention series we've been featuring on Fridays to point out some of the blog's new features. We've added a number of pages on top; feel free to browse through them. I'm hoping they can serve as an ongoing resource for anyone interested in learning about mission work in Mexico.

And if there's more information you'd like to see on the blog, let us know! We're always looking for ways to make it better.

Thanks and we'll head back to the series next Friday.

Pan de Muerto

2011-10-04T22:05:00.002-06:00

Day of the Dead bread, known in Mexico as pan de muerto, has hit the stores. This type of bread is sweet and rolls of it are usually sprinkled with sugar.

The bread is a common sight here as the Day of the Dead (celebrated November 1-2) approaches. I've also seen candy skulls, skeletons, and marigolds popping up around town - all more indications of the upcoming festival.

For the actual holiday, those celebrating the Day of the Dead often set up an altar in their home to remember a deceased loved one. Food and other adornments, including the ones I just listed above, also decorate the altar. Most schools and some businesses close for the event.

Day of the Dead coincides with All Saints' Day. In fact, the Mexican holiday developed as a result of the combining of the Catholic holiday (All Saints' Day) with various indigenous traditions several hundred years ago. The meshed celebration stuck, and many Mexicans still remember it today.

We won't be setting up an altar in our home, or taking part in Day of the Dead celebrations here. Like many things on a mission field, however, it is important to understand the holidays in the country you're living in and know their roots. It is especially helpful when others ask us about our beliefs, which they often do around this time as they notice I don't celebrate the holiday. This, in turn, lends itself to a great opportunity to talk about our own beliefs centered on Christ and the resurrection of the saints.

photo credit

Expansion Project Complete

2011-09-28T18:54:00.004-06:00

This wall...

is gone!

You may recall me mentioning space was getting tight in the room used for worship at the mission Cristo Resucitado (Resurrected Christ) in León (see a post about it here).

Last weekend the wall that divided two rooms at the mission center was knocked down, creating one large area for worship. A set of stairs was also removed.

It was so much easier to move around on Sunday! The added space also facilitates fellowship after the service.

We're thankful for the blessing of filled chairs - and a space to fit them in - on Sunday mornings.

Tales from the Convention Series, Part Three: Fellowship Blessings

2011-09-23T11:53:00.006-06:00

Welcome to another edition of the series I'm currently running, This series focuses on stories from the Mexican Lutheran Church convention held this past August in Monterrey (find previous installments here).

This week we're focusing on the blessings of fellowship that the participants enjoyed.

I think we often talk about how great it is to get together with other Christians, but for some of the pastors here in Mexico, this chance to bond with fellow co-workers doesn't happen often. We have several churches in out-of-the-way places in Mexico - places where the Word certainly needs to be preached, but in areas that don't have a large smattering of churches built up yet. This means the pastors living in these places are on their own. A lot.

Perhaps a good example of this can be seen by considering two of our Mexican pastors: Pastor Alejandro Sanchez (above left) and Pastor Jorge Briones (above right). They studied together at the Mexican Lutheran Seminary. "Now they live in isolated locations on opposite ends of the country," explains Mike.

Pastor Briones currently serves in Mahahual, located near Cancun in southern Mexico. To get to the convention, he spent more than 30 hours on a bus! Pastor Sanchez lives in a desert town along Mexico's northern border, and clocked nearly 1,000 miles to reach Monterrey.

Imagine their appreciation for being together again! The convention "was such a great opportunity to see my classmates, especially Alejandro," notes Pastor Briones. "I also had the chance to talk about ministry-related issues with other pastors. The whole experience was very edifying."

This chance to be built up and encouraged was felt by others too. "I'm quite isolated where I live," notes Pastor Sanchez. "Not that I'm lonely, but I don't often get a chance to talk to fellow pastors. At the convention, I could ask for advice from the other pastors and learn from listening to their experiences."

What a great gift! For these pastors, the convention - and the fellowship they received there - will stay with them as they dig in to work in the areas they've been called to serve.

On the perks of chatting with people when traveling, and also why I love my husband

2011-09-20T14:45:00.004-06:00

Sorry, no picture to go with this post! Read on to learn why...

This past weekend was a holiday one here in Mexico. Most of the country took Thursday night and all day Friday off to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day (think Fourth of July only with red, white, and green decorations). Most cities start the festivities on the night of September 15th, and then take off work on the 16th.

This year, on the 14th, Mike suggested taking the family on a getaway for part of the weekend. I couldn't have agreed more!

As I packed up our things, I realized this was our first overnight getaway with three kids. Packing for everyone - plus all the baby things - left me feeling a bit overwhelmed. After we loaded everything into the car, and were pulling out of the driveway, we realized the camera was still inside.

"Do you want to go back and get it?" Mike asked.

I declined, saying I didn't think I'd have a free hand - let alone moment - to take a picture (later, as the kids did cute things while at least one of my hands was free, I regretted taking it! Note to self: next time, go back for the camera!).

Anyway, Mike took us to a nice hotel in the colonial city of Queretaro, just a few hours' drive from where we live. We had a wonderful afternoon and evening in Queretaro.

The next morning, we went to get breakfast in the hotel lobby. While Noelle chowed down on a plate of refried beans, she spotted a friendly American. Before we knew it, she had struck up a conversation with him.

Turns out, our new friend had spent a number of years in Queretaro and was full of recommendations for us. We had lunch - per his suggestion - at a quaint place on a lake outside of town. We also checked out a hotel he recommended. It was more like a private resort than hotel - with horses, mini golf, a large heated outdoor pool, plenty of play areas for kids, etc. We know where we're staying next time we go!

Special thanks to Mike for taking us on an adventure, and to Noelle for helping us find new places to try!

We had a great time and came back feeling relaxed. Oh, and traveling with the third child went well. After my initial freak out over the amount of extra stuff to take for such a small bundle, he was a perfect traveler. We found ourselves saying things like, "Don't forget the baby!" as we left the hotel because he was so content wherever we set him down! Perhaps we have another traveler in training :).

Tales from the Convention Series, Part Two: Active Congregations

2011-09-16T11:18:00.007-06:00

Today we're looking at more from the series I started last week that covers news from this year's Mexican Lutheran Church convention (read about it here).

This time we'll focus on two congregations in very different parts of Mexico. One is located in the huge, bustling metropolis of Monterrey. The other is located in Sasabe, a small unincorporated community close to the Arizona border. While their geographical locations may differ greatly, they both share one thing in common: activity!

In Monterrey, things are rolling along at the congregation Santa Cruz (Holy Cross). One of its notable activities involves its youth group. Currently, young members of the congregation have the chance to participate in at least four activities per month, notes Pastor Israel Rodriguez.

A special service for the youth is held once a month. The group also gets together for a prayer service, heads on an outing, and celebrates birthdays together. Plans are underway to begin visiting a hospital located two blocks from the church. Pastor Rodriguez will take the youth group there once a month to donate food and witness to those in need.

Miles away, great things are going on in Sasabe. Pastor Alejandro Sanchez, who oversees the congregation Cordero de Dios (Lamb of God) there, notes that the congregation is outgrowing their current facility. They are working on an expansion project to create more space for worship and fellowship. They are also working on getting a baptismal font to place in the church.

Earlier this year, 36 new visitors attended a baptism held in the church. Pastor Sanchez stays busy teaching confirmation classes, Bible Information Classes, and holding Bible studies. The church has had a steady stream of baptisms and confirmations in the last year.

"On Sundays, we have a good mix of members, visitors, and people studying to become members in attendance," adds Pastor Sanchez.

We give thanks that God is blessing the congregations in Mexico in such diverse ways. We pray that he continue to do so. Next week we'll look at another tale from this year's convention. Have a good weekend!

Needing More Room

2011-09-13T11:13:00.005-06:00

Here's a picture from worship this last Sunday at the mission congregation Cristo Resucitado (Resurrected Christ) here in León. As you can see, we had a full house! 34 were in attendance, according to Mike's count.

Worship is currently held in the largest room of a house being rented as a mission center. Most Sundays, the room is full; we've even had Sundays with visitors standing because we've run out of chairs and space in the worship area.

In view of the need for more space to accommodate those who attend on Sundays, two things are being done. First and foremost, we give thanks! Outgrowing an area in such a short time is a wonderful blessing.

Second, Missionary Brad Krause, who oversees Cristo Resucitado, has discussed this with others involved in the congregation. Together they have found a way to expand the worship area.

Pictured above is the wall that closes off the current rear of the area where worship is held. It will soon be knocked down to create more space for worship.

Once the wall is taken down and some rearranging takes place, chairs will be set up in this area. God willing, it will be a solid solution to help fit more people into church.

Again, we give thanks for the need to expand and look forward to having more room for those who come to hear the Word. In the coming weeks, I'll keep you posted on the project's progress. Stay tuned!

Tales from the Convention Series, Part One: The Twitter Connection

2011-09-09T14:47:00.005-06:00

Last week the Mexican Lutheran Church held its annual national convention. Pastors and lay leaders from various parts of Mexico gathered in Monterrey to worship together, enjoy fellowship, and discuss matters related to the operating and growth of the synod body.

Mike attended (random side note: this was the 13th national convention here in Mexico that Mike went to, I can't believe how long we've been here!) and came home this week fully energized from it. Much activity is going on in various parts of Mexico, and it's encouraging to hear what the churches and members are doing.

With that in mind, I'm going to start a series today in which we'll share some of the stories of ongoing church work that Mike gathered during the convention.

The first of these deals with Twitter. Since the beginning of this year, the church La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross - pictured above)has been actively using Twitter (find them here). The congregation sends out messages regarding upcoming events, changes in the church's Facebook page (e.g. notifications of new pictures added of recent events), greetings and Bible passages.

Two key ways Twitter has already paid off: earlier this year, the church sent out an invitation to its Ash Wednesday service. 10 new visitors attended. They had seen the Twitter invitation and came to check out the church. A second tool involves prayers. The congregation regularly sends out tweets asking for prayer requests, and people can send a private message through Twitter with petitions.

Since this is open to the public, anyone can follow along with the church's activities. "It's a good way to reach those who may not have heard about the church otherwise," says Pastor Israel Rodriguez, who oversees the Monterrey congregation.

Using Twitter this way has been a blessing for the church, and shows how technology can be used to reach even more people. We'll look at more stories from the convention in the next weeks in this six-part series. For now, have a good weekend!

Thank you to St. Paul Lutheran Church

2011-09-06T21:12:00.005-06:00

We had a fun surprise today. In the morning, the mailman knocked on the door and handed me a package. I opened it and found some wonderful treats from members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, Wis.

I was extra excited because the package contained personalized gifts for the kids: ornaments for Trinity (a letter T - perfect, because she is "into" letters at the moment) and Noelle (a shiny N), and a blue blanket for Hans, complete with his name.

I wanted the girls to share in my excitement, so I put the treats in two gift bags for them to open when they came home from school. Here's what happened shortly after we walked in the door this afternoon:

Like most things, this came at the perfect time. I've been single-parenting (three kids - four and under - vs. one me) for the past week while Mike has been on the road. While he's been gone, the mission team here has helped me tremendously; I could not ask for a better support team that really feels like family.

But it's also nice to hear from other fellow Lutherans. I know that so many people in the U.S. pray for us and do things to support the work, and it really helps! Besides making for happy kids (see video above), this gift really made my day.

Oh, and Trinity and I are going to bake some treats for the mission team with the fun baking chips that we got (some of them - like the cinnamon chips - I had never heard of before. I've been gone for too long! Can't wait to use them in a recipe - I'll let you know how they turn out).

So mission team...you're officially invited over here for some goodies! Just as soon as Mike gets home and I get a few more z's under my belt.

* I should note here that while we love getting packages, Mike's policy is usually to forewarn those interested in sending things that Mexico's mail system is often times unreliable (I have stories such as us receiving an empty box - the contents were stolen on the way - or worse, not receiving it at all!). While I don't want to discourage sending things (and obviously, we love it), I also feel terrible when packages are sent and don't make it to our door. A final note on sending packages to Mexico: A list of restrictions and requirements for sending packages to Mexico can be found here.

September and New Series

2011-09-02T10:41:00.004-06:00

These colors are hitting the streets around town. Everyone's getting ready for the celebration of Mexico's Independence from Spain, which is typically remembered on September 15th and 16th.

This is a big holiday here - probably the most widely celebrated patriotic event in Mexico. In cities and towns throughout Mexico, there will be fireworks displays, parades, and the traditional "Grito." For the grito, the city's mayor (or in some cases, a state governor or even the president) presents himself to a crowd at about 11 p.m. on September 15th and yells, "Viva Mexico!" (Long live Mexico!). Everyone responds with an enthusiastic, "Viva!" The back-and-forth canter goes on to remember key historical figures and events related to Mexico's independence. It's always a moving experience!

In addition to gearing up for the Independence celebration, we're going to kickstart a new series here next Friday. I'll put up more details in the coming week, so stay tuned for some fun stories!

Introducing the New Volunteers

2011-08-30T07:28:00.005-06:00

Earlier this summer, we welcomed two new WELS Kingdom Worker volunteers: Lucas Fricke (left) from Mauston, Wis.; and Joel Hering from Dallas, Texas.

Both are taking a break from their studies at Martin Luther College to participate in the Kingdom Worker program and live in Mexico for a year.

Lucas and Joel currently teach free English classes offered at the mission congregation here in León. They are also helping out with evangelism efforts.

Both volunteers are settling in well to teaching, church work, and foreign living. In addition to the classes they teach, Joel and Lucas are taking weekly horseback riding lessons from an English students.

They also join the mission team every Thursday for an English Bible study and fellowship time. This time has been a real blessing, notes Joel. "It helps keep you sane, and it's very encouraging."

As they go about their activities, others have noticed the volunteers' faith life in action. "We've had a lot of comments from people who say they can tell we have a religion and also practice it," explains Lucas.

While it has been an adjustment getting used to living on their own, both Joel and Lucas are enjoying the experience - and the food. "Tacos are so good!" they both say. "And the people are friendly; they're always looking for a way to say thank you."

Welcome to the team, Joel and Lucas, and we're looking forward to sharing the coming year with you here.

Countdown to Furlough

2011-08-23T14:46:00.005-06:00

I spent the first half of this year fairly focused on one thing: adding a new baby to the family!

Now that the baby is here, Mike and I have started to look ahead (though Mike tends to always do this better than me, so I guess I should say I'm starting to look ahead with him now). We looked at the calendar and realized...furlough is coming up for us - and soon!

While I generally love the missionary life, I also fully appreciate the furlough aspect of it. Since we started living in Mexico, we have been able to take a two-month break every two years. We've also had the option of taking a three-month hiatus after three years on the field, which we did one time.

This year, as our schedule plays out, we're going to take about six weeks around the holidays to head back the U.S. and unwind. I anticipate our time in the States to be similar to our past furloughs: refreshing, relaxing, and a great time to see family and friends.

The best part of furlough - for both Mike and me - is the chance to worship with so many other Lutherans. This time, we'll be able to attend a concert (if you're at the MLC Christmas concert, look for us!) and participate in some other precious Advent and Christmas gatherings.

To celebrate the upcoming trip, the girls and I made a paper link chain. Each day, one of the girls takes off a link. As of today, there are just 89 days to go!

Getting Fun Treats

2011-08-19T06:00:00.001-06:00

We're in the process of adjusting to life with three kiddos. I still find myself looking around most days and asking Mike at a certain point, "Where did they all come from?" It seems like there are kids everywhere. And really, with three kids under the age of five, my hands are usually busy helping them.

One of the changes we've made during the time that I'm taking care of a newborn is that Mike often ends up being the one to go to the grocery store (typically my job).

I'm so thankful that he's picked this up and will probably continue going for the next couple of weeks, when hopefully I'll be able to resume the grocery shopper title.

But in the meantime, it means that he usually brings home more interesting things from the store than I do (I tend to get stuck in ruts, and buy more or less the same thing every week - can anyone say rice and beans?).

In the picture above, you can see a few of the fun items he and the girls picked out at the store. He let each child pick out a snack, and Noelle chose her favorite kind of chip: pork-rind-flavored chips. The big white ball in the front is a fresh coconut that Trinity helped pick out. And Mike found a new kind of tortilla to try. The tortillas are made of corn and nopal, or cactus leaves.

Should be fun trying new foods in the house!

Hans is Baptized!

2011-08-16T08:27:00.003-06:00

On July 31st, we baptized our new baby at the mission "Cristo Resucitado" (Resurrected Christ) here in León. Hans's baptism was the first to take place at the church.

Since this was the first baptism in our Lutheran church here, many parts of the service focused on the significance behind baptism and what it means.

We are very thankful to have Hans as a child of God, and were also thankful for all of those who shared the day with us. As Trinity says, "Now Hans has Jesus in his heart."

The Newest Mission Team Member

2011-07-26T09:18:00.004-06:00

Last week Thursday, July 21st, we welcomed a new son into our family. Hans August was born in the afternoon, and we are happy to report he is in good health and now back home. God be praised!

The girls were especially excited to meet their new brother -

We have family members coming to visit us in the next couple of weeks to meet the new baby and enjoy this special time in our lives together.

We also have been blessed with a superb mission team family here in León. They have helped us in countless ways as we prepared for the birth and then went to the hospital. They are continuing to lend hands as we adjust to life as a family of five.

I am especially thankful for such a strong mission team during times like this. As the kids grow up, they are coming to see the other missionaries here as family, and even call them "aunt" and "uncle." To have such close ties with others when we are far from home is a tremendous blessing, and for that we are grateful.

Join us in rejoicing over our new gift, and giving thanks to God, for He is indeed gracious.

Circuit Pastor Workshop

2011-07-19T06:18:00.004-06:00

Last week Mike hosted a workshop here in León. The goal of the workshop was to take to the first steps toward training Mexican pastors to serve in a position that is similar to circuit pastors in WELS. In other words, teaching them to be a pastor of other pastors.

Three Mexican pastors attended the workshop (pictured above, left to right: Pastor Israel Rodriguez, Pastor Carlos Cajas, Pastor Esequiel Sanchez). Together they developed a plan of how to counsel pastors and guide congregations through challenging times, such as when there is a vacancy. They'll present this plan at the Mexican Lutheran Church's national convention in September. At that time, the next steps, such as adopting the plan, will be taken.

In addition to developing the plan, the pastors sat in on daily devotions and Bible studies given by the other missionaries here in León.

Those who participated in the workshop found it to be a valuable experience. "It was well worthwhile to set things aside for five days, study Scripture and grow in the Word together," says Mike. "Guided by His Word, we developed a plan to better serve God's people here."

"This workshop gave us a chance to get many steps accomplished in a short amount of time," adds Pastor Esequiel Sanchez. "Thanks to the week we spent together, we'll be able to avoid many future meetings and other potential delays with this project."

And it sounds like the pastors dedicated themselves thoroughly to the workshop: Pastor Sanchez adds he slept about 11 hours in the five days he was here! Lots of studying, planning, and participating!

We're thankful for the workshop, and ask that God continue to guide the Mexican Lutheran Church in their efforts to create circuit pastor positions.

Saying Good-Bye, Adios, Hasta Luego

2011-07-10T05:29:00.011-06:00

Last week we bid two WELS Kingdom Workers - Ryan Kolander and Tim Patoka - good-bye.

Ryan and Tim (pictured above with Trinity and Noelle - Tim on left) served during the last year as English teachers here in León. They taught free English classes right inside the building currently used for mission efforts and worship. Ryan and Tim often shared their faith with the people they met through English classes.

God worked through the efforts of these volunteers, and as a result, a large portion of our visitors on Sundays are often English students.

And while bringing more to church has been great for the mission, Ryan and Tim received personal blessings from their experience here as well. I took a few minutes to chat with them last week and ask about their reflections on the year. Below are a few highlights from our conversation:

Name a key lesson you'll take away from your year in Mexico -

Ryan: Confidence to share my faith. Talking about my faith in another language is so hard, but knowing I can do it makes the idea of sharing my faith in English all that much easier.

Tim: Gaining an appreciation for another culture. Also, seeing how strong and pervasive God's Gospel is across all nations.

What was a challenge you faced during your time here?

Ryan: Not seeing immediate results. Sometimes I'd spend a lot of time and effort sharing the Gospel with someone, and there seemed to be little effect. God says it's not in your hands; I learned to remember that He's the one who plants and makes faith grow.

Tim: Being the outsider, and trying to reach others of a different religion and culture.

What about the blessings?

Ryan: The English program is a great way to reach others, and it was a huge blessing to touch people's lives, especially in a setting where we're outsiders.

Tim: Being able to get into God's Word and have the Bible in my hand. Doing so gave me a lot of encouragement, and helps me remember that God will guide my future.

Tim and Ryan, from all of us in Mexico, thank you! Thanks for your dedicated work and effort during the last year. We wish you God's blessings as you both continue your studies, and if you're ever craving good Mexican food from León, you have a place to stay :).

***

Even though Ryan and Tim have now left León, the WELS Kingdom Worker program here continues. Last week we welcomed two new volunteers: Lucas Fricke and Joel Hering. In the coming weeks, we'll take a closer look at their backgrounds, goals, and first impressions of Mexico.

The Rainy Season has Arrived!

2011-07-05T09:29:00.008-06:00

checking out freshly planted carrot seeds...

thanks to the rain, the carrots have sprouted!

After a warm spring, the temps have cooled considerably in the last few weeks. This has coincided with the onstart of the rainy season in our area of Mexico. León is located in a semi-arid climate, and the two seasons here could be listed as "rainy" and "dry."

The dry season usually lasts from October to May. This past year, however, has been drier than normal. In fact, a local newspaper recently reported that the reservoir in town is holding just 10 percent of the average amount of water it usually stores.

So the rain that we've had since the middle of June has come as a big relief. I love watching the clouds roll in and enjoy the sprinkles, showers, or storms that they bring. The girls have also been excited and look for chances to stomp in puddles and grab an umbrella when the rain sets in.

The rainy season here usually lasts from June through September. During this time, it rains once a day, or every other day, on average. We're hoping that the steady showers help bring more green to the city. We're also expecting our vegetables - this year we have tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and cilantro planted - to do well during this time.

We give thanks for the rain and comfortable temperatures, and pray that this rainy season is exactly that - rainy!

Still in School

2011-06-30T08:21:00.007-06:00

I took this picture earlier in the week, after Trinity came home from a day of school. She's holding a piece of paper that she used to practice cutting - she's very proud of her new scissors skills.

I keep forgetting that "school's out for the summer" in the U.S. That's probably because in Mexico, school is still rolling along. Though most places, including Trinity's, are winding things down now that it's July.

School will end for Trinity, and the majority of schools here in Mexico, on July 8th.

I don't know how much homework other schools are still dishing out. At the kindergarten Trinity goes to, she has had a minimum amount of homework these last couple of weeks. And yesterday she told me that in school they got to watch two movies: Mickey Mouse and Toy Story 3. This makes me think the teachers are ready for summer vacation!

Most kids in Mexico will have about six weeks of summer vacation. While that seems a little short to Mike and me, Trinity has had no qualms about it. She loves school and hasn't been asking about vacation - in fact, she's a little sad at the thought of leaving her dearly beloved teacher when the school year ends.

The good news is that Noelle will have Trinity's teacher next year, as she will start her first year of kindergarten (kids start kindergarten at the age of three here). And Mike and I couldn't be more thankful to have found the school that we did. Trinity is so happy there, and Noelle can't wait to get started in August - God is good!

LWMS from afar

2011-06-29T08:53:00.009-06:00

Trinity at the 2009 LWMS convention - Denver, Colorado

Once upon a time, we had planned to attend the 2011 LWMS convention in Milwaukee, Wis., this summer.

Actually, let me rephrase that. We were going to go to the convention, and Mike was going to attend a few other conferences in the Midwest. We were also going to visit family and friends, and spend a total of two months in the U.S. on our furlough.

But things changed, and to make a long (though fairly obvious) story short, we're not traveling this summer. We're staying in León and awaiting the arrival of baby #3*, who's due in the next couple of weeks.

Of all the things we missed this summer, I think Mike and I were the most disappointed about the LWMS convention. We've been to two of these annual conventions so far during our missionary years (one in Madison, Wis., and one in Denver, Col.), and both of them remain highlights in our years of missionary life. They have been so uplifting, encouraging, and energizing in a way that is hard to describe - just being there seems to result in a missionary makeover.

This year's LWMS convention, which was held last week, sounds like it was a smashing success. What I found most exciting about it is that Sallie Draper made these recaps of it. They give such a nice overview of the convention. Both Mike and I watched them and found them very encouraging. These videos don't just give a play-by-play summary; they're made in way that helps you capture the whole experience of the convention.

So thank you Sallie! And thanks to all of those who participated in the 2011 LWMS Convention - we were with you from afar!

* and I should note, we're very excited about baby #3! We can't wait to meet him, and will share pictures once he arrives.

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 7

2011-06-24T07:49:00.005-06:00

Today we'll look at the seventh and final installment of our series on the history of mission work in Mexico (see previous installments here).

This series is based on the book "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico," written by former vicar (and now a pastor in Florida) Phil Gurgel. The selection for today comes from the last part of the sixth chapter in the book:

Chapter 6: A Thriving Mission (1999-2010)

Beginning in 2008, drug violence became a significant problem in the Mexican mission. Due to the violence in the city of Juárez, the Mexican pastor serving the congregation there took a call to the mission in Gomez Palacio.

However, 2008 was not without good news. In June of that year, two significant events took place. In the city of Altar, the mission El Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd) was dedicated. Later that month a group of 32 people joined Jesús Pan de Vida in Torreón. Within this group were two men who began to take classes at the seminary.

2009 was another banner year for the Mexican mission. The mission finally received a second missionary with the arrival of Missionary Ralph Martens. Missionary Wagenknecht, who together with Missionary Schlomer serve on the Latin America Traveling Theological Educators team LATTE, also joined the mission team in Mexico. Later another missionary, Brad Krause, arrived to serve an exploratory mission in Mahahual.

Missionary Brad Krause carrying out a baptism in Mahahual

The year also featured two more church dedications. The church Cordero de Dios (Lamb of God) in Sasabe was dedicated on May 3rd. A few months later, Cristo Rey (Christ the King) in Zaragoza Sur was dedicated.

In addition to the dedications in that year, Alejandro Sánchez graduated from the seminary and received a call to Cordero de Dios in Sasabe. Pastor Juan de León, one of students that had joined the church body in 2008, was also installed as a student-pastor at Cristo Rey in Zaragoza Sur.

The violence continued to be a growing problem in the city of Torreón, and it eventually reached the point where the missionaries made the decision to leave the city of Torreón and begin work in the city of León.

2010 was another transitional year. With the mission team moving down to León, Pastor Juan Olvera took over the responsibilities of serving Jesús Pan de Vida in Torreón. Seminary student, Carlos Rosales, graduated in January and was installed at El Buen Pastor in Altar.

Another major change took place in May when Brad Krause received the call to serve permanently in Mexico. He then joined the mission team in León, while Missionary Martens moved to Mahahual to continue the work there.

Women's Convention - Summer 2010

Even in the midst of all the changes, the Mexican mission celebrated another big milestone at the end of July. For the first time in their history the women gathered together for a women's mission convention.

Despite the missionaries moving away from Torreón, Jesús Pan de Vida dedicated a new church building on September 19th.

The Mexican mission has really begun to thrive over the past decade. In 1998, the mission was down to one ordained pastor. In January 2011, that number increased to eight, with the graduation of another seminary student, Jorge Briones. God has blessed the mission as it has spread to the north, with missions opening in Sasabe and Altar, and to the south with a mission opening in Mahahual.

Looking back over the more than four decades of work in Mexico, one can see God's guiding hand. Through times of struggle and times of growth, the goal of bringing God's saving message to those who have not heard it has remained the constant focus of the mission. May God bless this work as it continues on into the future!

* this concludes our series on the history of mission work in Mexico. Once again, a special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

** if you're interested in purchasing Phil's book, copies are available here. The price of the book covers publication costs of the material.

Mexico and the Family Paradox

2011-06-21T09:38:00.005-06:00

I took this picture nearly two years ago, shortly after Noelle was born. Mike is helping Trinity open a card, though to be honest, I'm not sure what the occasion is. I chose it to show that we have lots of pictures like this one, capturing Mike's interaction with the girls from early on.

I've often commented on how Mexican culture holds up families in high esteem. In face, a quick Internet search will tell you how important family is in Mexico. Here's a quick example from the Encyclopedia Brittanica -

Family remains the most important element of Mexican society, both in private and in public life. An individual’s status and opportunities are strongly influenced by family ties, from infancy to old age. Many households, in both rural and urban areas, are inhabited by three or more generations because of the economic advantage (or necessity) of sharing a roof as well as traditionally close relationships. Mexicans generally maintain strong links with members of their extended families, including in-laws and “adoptive” relatives—that is, friends of the family who are generally regarded as “aunts” and “uncles.” (link here)

Now that I'm raising children in Mexico, I am coming to realize that an emphasis on family is not an automatic recipe for strong, well-disciplined relationships between children and parents. Prevalent issues in Mexico such as broken homes, parents who work long hours, and a tendency to avoid discipline can quickly break up the idea of a strong family unit.

Trinity's school this year, perhaps in an effort to encourage family relationships, sent out cards to fathers asking them to spend more time with their kids (no "Happy Father's Day!" or "Thanks for being a great dad!" - just a note that recommended being around more for their child).

While a blanket statement - either positive or negative - is perhaps unsuitable to fully describe families in Mexico's society, I do believe that many households here do not know about the importance of basing family life on Christ and His Word.

This Father's Day, the girls and I told Mike how thankful we are to have him as the Christian head of our household. My prayer this year, however, extends beyond our family. I ask that God use Mike to mentor, strengthen, and teach many other parents here; that they might, in turn, pass on Christian values to their children.

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 6

2011-06-17T08:06:00.008-06:00

Today we'll look at the sixth installment of our series on the history of mission work in Mexico (see previous installments here).

This series is based on the book "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico," written by former vicar (and now a pastor in Florida) Phil Gurgel. The selection for today comes from the first part of the sixth chapter in the book:

Chapter 6: A Thriving Mission (1999-2010)

1999 was a landmark year in the history of the Mexico mission. Missionary Steven Wagenknecht took a call away from the mission. Upon his departure, Michael Hartman was assigned to Mexico as a graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. In addition to Missionary Hartman, Pastor Timothy Flunker accepted a call to serve as missionary to Mexico in July of 1999. The entire mission team then moved down to Mexico City with the purpose of thoroughly establishing the mission there.

In that same year, lay mission work began in Mexico. WELS Kingdom Worker Rachel Buschkopf and missionary wife Marlene Schlomer began offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. These classes soon became one of the primary outreach methods for the mission work in Mexico. Over the course of the next decade, an ever-changing group of volunteers helped establish and strengthen outreach efforts in Mexico City, Puebla, Torreón, Monterrey, Pachuca, and León.

These classes had a profound effect on the church as a whole. In a 2010 reflection on the program, Missionary Michael Hartman commented that 40 percent of those involved in the national church leadership had come to the mission through the ESL classes, including one of the church body's current pastors.

Pastor Sánchez and family

Also in 1999, the Mexican church was blessed with the graduation of two seminary students: Esequiel Sánchez and Eduardo Vázquez. Rachel Hartman, wife of missionary Michael Hartman, commented on their graduation saying, "Pastor Vázquez, together with his classmate Pastor Esequiel Sánchez, paved the way for a new phase to begin in Mexico, one marked by well trained, evangelism-minded pastors. This is why Pastor Vázquez and Pastor Sánchez are often referred to as the founding fathers of today's Mexican Lutheran Church."

Pastor Eduardo Vázquez, upon graduating, served at La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) in Monterrey. Pastor Sánchez, following a brief period serving Cristo Glorificado (Glorified Christ) in Puebla, accepted a call to serve El Redentor (Redeemer) in Torreón in 2000.

By 2001, communicant members in the mission eclipsed 300.

2003 began another time of transition for the Mexico mission team. Missionary Schlomer received a call to serve as the coordinator for the Latin America Traveling Theological Educators (LATTE) program. Missionary Flunker also took a call to serve a congregation in Green Bay, Wis.

Finally, 2003 ended with the Hartmans moving from Mexico City to Torreón. In Torreón, the mission team helped found another mission congregation, Jesús Pan de Vida (Jesus Bread of Life).

In 2004, Mexico received a new missionary, Paul Rydecki. In addition to the new missionary, another student graduated from the seminary, Pastor Carlos Cajas. Pastor Cajas was assigned to the congregation in Mexico City.

In 2005, the mission finished construction on a seminary building. The site would serve as the location of the Mexican seminary until 2010. That same year, yet another student graduated from the seminary. This student, Israel Rodriguez, was installed on September 18, 2005, in Juárez. Less than two years later, he received the call to serve at La Santa Cruz in Monterrey.

Pastor Israel Rodriguez in Monterrey

2007 was another significant year for the mission. Missionary Rydecki accepted a call to serve a congregation in New Mexico, and so, once again, Missionary Hartman was left as the sole missionary in Mexico.

Yet the mission continued forward. In January of 2007, a new mission began in the city of Pachuca. They celebrated their first worship service on May 13 of that year. A few months earlier, another mission was started in a poverty stricken area of Torreón called Zaragoza Sur.

Dedication at Zaragoza Sur

In 2007, another student graduated from the seminary, Pastor Juan José Olvera. Pastor Olvera was called to serve the congregation in Juárez, Mexico.

* special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

** next week, we'll wrap up this series with the final excerpts from Phil's book. Have a good weekend!

*** if you're interested in purchasing Phil's book, copies are available here. The price of the book covers publication costs of the material.

Every Day Foods in Mexico

2011-06-14T20:54:00.003-06:00

I can remember eating refried beans around the age of six or so. We must have had a Mexico-style dinner, and refried beans were served alongside some tortillas, taco meat, and salsa. I thought the beans tasted terrible. The following day, I broke out in a rash. I was convinced I was allergic to beans, and didn't try them for another decade or so.

When I came to Mexico, I realized two good things: 1) I am not allergic to refried beans (it must have been some sort of coincidence that I got a rash. To this day I don't know what caused it). And 2) homemade refried beans taste great! (the ones I tried as a girl were from a can...though I haven't had canned refried beans in years. Perhaps they taste better now?).

I've written before about how much our kids love beans. When we were on vacation in Mexico last month, they regularly ate refried beans - and nothing else - for breakfast. One morning, when Mike and I were trying to subtly encourage other foods (would you like some tortillas with your beans? how about some juice?) Trinity turned to me and said, in her best, most authoritative oldest child voice, "Mom, we just want beans."

Point taken. Bring on a plate of beans, it's what's for dinner - or breakfast - here in Mexico.

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 5

2011-06-10T08:16:00.005-06:00

Today we'll look at the fifth installment of our series on the history of mission work in Mexico (see previous installments here).

This series is based on the book "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico," written by former vicar (and now a pastor in Florida) Phil Gurgel. The selection for today comes from the fifth chapter of the book:

Chapter 5: A Foreign Mission (1991-1998)

The title for this chapter may seem strange. After all, no one would argue the fact that the WELS mission to Mexico was a foreign mission prior to 1991. However, despite the fact that our missionaries were working with the Mexican congregations, the mission was somewhat unique in that none of the missionaries were actually living in Mexico.

Until 1991, the mission headquarters were centered in El Paso, Texas. There were many reasons for this, the primary one being that the Mexican government made living as a missionary in Mexico quite difficult.

All of this changed in the early 1990's. The Mexican government relaxed some of the rules against resident missionaries. As a result, on January 20, 1991, the recently called Pastor Ernest Zimdars was installed at La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) in Monterrey.

By 1995, both Missionary Larry Schlomer and Missionary Zimdars received legal permission from the Mexican government to live and work in Mexico.

In early 1996, Missionary Zimdars moved on. But shortly thereafter a new missionary arrived in Mexico. Due to a vacancy at El Redentor (Redeemer) in Torreón, the Mission decided to call a new graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. The call was given to graduate Steven Wagenknecht, who was then installed in Torreón on August 18, 1996.

Missionary Wagenknecht, who had served as a vicar for a year in Puerto Rico, jumped into the position immediately. Shortly after arriving in Torreón, he met a woman who was struggling with cancer. Within a couple weeks of his installation, the woman passed away, and Pastor Wagenknecht carried out a funeral service for her.

In many ways, having WELS missionaries in Mexico greatly aided in the continued work of the IELC. By 1997, due to retirements, resignations, and church discipline issues, there remained only one Mexican pastor. But with Missionaries Zimdars, Wagenknecht, and Schlomer working on the ground in Mexico, they were able to keep the mission running.

And the mission didn’t just function, it continued to grow. A mission that was started in Guadalupe (a suburb of Monterrey) became a fully functioning congregation by 1999.

God blessed our missionaries' efforts as they began their time living in Mexico. While 1998 ended with only one Mexican pastor, the foundation was now being laid for the growth of Mexican leadership within the synod.

* special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

** next week, we’ll start the final chapter - Chapter 6 - of Phil Gurgel’s book

School Days

2011-06-08T09:15:00.006-06:00

Last month for Mother's Day, I went to a special event that Trinity's school held for parents. Each class sang a song about how much they loved their mothers. Then the kids walked us through a display area, which showcased some of their recent artwork.

Trinity proudly showed me a drawing she did (the picture is of herself - it's the one just to the left of her in the above photo).

She then showed me some things she had made with plastilina (clay). Here she is holding up a pastel - cake - she made. She also had shaped our family and a small chicken out of plastilina.

The school year has gone well for Trinity. She loves going to school, learning new things (in English and Spanish), and adores her teacher. We're thankful that it has been such a good fit for her.

School for Trinity will last into July. She'll then have about six weeks of summer vacation before starting school again. Earlier this year, I started planning out our summer vacation, thinking about enrolling Trinity in a few activities, such as swimming and ballet. But when I realized she had only six weeks, and during that time we already have other family-related things planned, I decided to wait.

We may enroll her in extracurricular activities during the next school year. For now, she's content with going to school and doing her homework every day. When I suggested the possiblity of putting her in ballet lessons, she looked at me and said, "Mommy, with school I just don't have time right now." So we'll wait :).

Stay tuned for Friday's post, which will continue the series on the history of the Lutheran church in Mexico.

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 4

2011-06-03T09:36:00.004-06:00

Today we'll look at the fourth installment of our series on the history of mission work in Mexico (see previous installments here).

This series is based on the book "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico," written by former vicar (and now a pastor in Florida) Phil Gurgel. The selection for today comes from chapters three and four of the book:

Chapter 3: A Growing Mission (1975 - 1981)

The mission seemed to be floundering in the early 1970s. The tremendous promise that was there when it began appeared to vanish following the loss of three quarters of the native pastors via death or dismissal.

After those struggles, the events of 1975 must have been a refreshing change. On January 26 the chapel in Guadalajara was dedicated. Later in the year, the seminary graduated its first three pastors: Vicente Guillen, Lorenzo Perez and Daniel Perez. With their ordinations, there were once again four native Mexican pastors.

In addition to the new pastors, the Mexican mission received a second fulltime missionary, Missionary Gary Pieper.

In 1977, the seminary building in El Paso was finished and dedicated. This provided the missionaries the facilities they needed to adequately train those seeking to become pastors.

Another major step toward growth was the formation of a new church publication. Following the death of Pastor David Orea Luna, the publication of “El Amanecer” (The Sunrise) had been discontinued. Now a new voice was given to the church, one that would serve as a messenger not only to prospects found in Mexico, but to all of Latin America. The new newsletter was fittingly titled “El Mensajero Luterano” (The Lutheran Messenger). In its first year, 2,500 copies were printed and sent throughout Latin America. By 1979, the number of copies needed to meet demand reached 3,000.

An additional sign that the mission had turned a corner was the starting of a second congregation in Juarez. In 1977, land was purchased to establish this church.

Two years later, in 1979, this congregation received its first full time pastor, when Josué Saucedo graduated from the seminary. For the first time there were now five ordained Mexican pastors.

The growth was not without challenges. One specific challenge was with the government of Mexico. In 1980, the government disallowed religious radio messages. This effectively ended one of the strongest mission tools available to the missionaries.

Despite the challenges, the mission that seemed to be on life support in the early '70s experienced a significant amount of growth. This growth would soon be challenged: by 1982 both Eggert and Pieper had taken calls away from the Mexico mission, leaving it in the hands of a new batch of missionaries.

Chapter 4: A Renewed Mission (1982-1990)

With Missionary Pieper taking a call in 1981, and Missionary Eggert taking a call to replace Venus Winters in Tucson a year later, the mission was left without a mission team.

Shortly after Eggert left for Tucson, Pastor Paul Hartman accepted the call to serve as Theological Director for Mexico. In November 1983, the mission team was completed with the addition of Pastor Larry Schlomer. It would not be long before the mission they were called to experienced a significant change.

La Santa Cruz in Monterrey, Mexico

The major change took place on April 1, 1984. On that day, an independent Lutheran church body in Monterrey, Mexico joined the IELC. This church, named La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross), was different from the other churches that were part of the WELS mission work in Mexico. This congregation was well established, mature, and brought with it a beautiful church building located right in the city's alameda (central square).

The WELS mission in the city of Juarez, Cristo Redentor (Christ Redeemer), also began to flourish.

The encouraging renewal of the mission continued in the city of Puebla, where work was completed on their new church, dedicating it on July 28. 1985.

El Redentor in Torreón, Mexico

In 1990, another established congregation joined the mission: El Redentor (Redeemer) in Torreón. This congregation had long been served by the Lutheran Synod of Mexico (LSM), which was affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS). However, when the LSM sent a vicar who was incapable of reading Greek, their Pastor, Juan Ibarra, began to investigate other Lutheran church bodies.

After hearing a good report from his son - who was a member at La Santa Cruz in Monterrey - he and his congregation asked to join the WELS mission. Despite a bitter battle with the LCMS over ownership of the church building, the church was welcomed into fellowship on April 29, 1990.

The Mexican mission had come a long way from the days of simply having small mission stations. These mission stations were now maturing and becoming strong, established congregations.

Yet not all congregations showed such maturity. When Josúe Saucedo resigned as pastor in Guadalajara, instead of leaving the congregation to continue under the leadership of the Mexico mission, he carried away with him the congregation and the church building. Under Mexican law, the pastor of a church holds control of the property rights. Therefore when Saucedo left, so did the synod's mission in Guadalajara.

Despite the loss of the congregation in Guadalajara, the mission in Mexico exhibited a great deal of growth. As the mission continued to mature, the adding of congregations such as La Santa Cruz and El Redentor demonstrated a continued zeal for bringing the truth of God's saving Word to all of Mexico. It would not be long before WELS missionaries were able to take a more hands on approach in guiding these maturing congregations toward reaching out to their surrounding areas.

* special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

Things I Love about Mexico: The Shoe Shine

2011-05-31T11:25:00.008-06:00

Mike getting a 20 peso (about $1.75 USD) shine

A couple of weeks ago, while we were eating lunch outside at a restaurant, a man came up and asked Mike if he wanted his shoes shined. Mike said yes, and 10 minutes later, he had glimmering shoes.

You can get a shoe shine in Mexico nearly anywhere - on the street, at the airports, even while dining in restaurants - and the cost is reasonable.

And, it's not just for guys. Here's a picture I took about a year and a half ago of Trinity. She's getting ready to get her boots shined in downtown Guadalajara:

Trinity's uncle Larry (LATTE professor Larry Schlomer to the rest of us) got his shoes shined at the same time:

I haven't ever had it done, but I enjoy watching, and feel it's an engrained part of Mexican culture. Plus, since we live in such a huge leather center, chances are high that both of our girls will have boots this winter that need some shining!

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 3

2011-05-27T08:02:00.004-06:00

Today we'll look at the third installment of our series on the history of mission work in Mexico (see previous installments here).

This series is based on the book "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico," written by former vicar (and now a pastor in Florida) Phil Gurgel. The selection for today comes from the second chapter of the book:

Chapter 2: A Grieving Mission (1972-1974)

The young mission had such a promising start. And with Missionary Eggert now joining Pastor David Orea Luna, it seemed like the mission had nowhere to go but up. But less than one year after Missionary Eggert's arrival, tragedy struck the church.

On March 7, 1972 at 9:30 in the morning, Pastor David Orea Luna died suddenly. He was 53 years old. His death sent shockwaves through the newly formed mission. Pastor Essmann wrote that his death "led to turmoil and decline" in the years immediately following.

The mission lost the man who had led them away from the liberal teachings found in the other Lutheran church bodies in Mexico -a man who helped the church return to the message of the Bible.

Following is a hymn written by Pastor David Orea Luna, first in Spanish and then translated into English -

Mientras Llega la Muerte

Mientras llega la muerte y los ojos se cierran
Al contacto del frío, soplo cruel del dolor
Almoldemos la vida, cuanto en ella se encierra
A la imagen de Cristo, nuestro buen Salvador.

Mientras llega la muerte y el invierno nos hiere
nuestra alma al celeste calor
Y olvidando las penas y que nadie nos quiere
Impregnémonos todos de confianza y amo.

While Death Arrives

While death arrives and the eyes close
And at that cold touch feel a cruel blow of pain
We adjust our life, in what it contains.
To focus on the image of Christ, our good Savior.

While death arrives and the winter pierces us
We bring near our soul to celestial heat
And forgetting our pains and that no one cares for us
Let's all be filled with confidence and hope.

- David Orea Luna, June 1938

Unfortunately for the young church body, the death of Pastor David Orea Luna was not the only struggle they faced that year. A short time later, Pastor Carlos Avendano resigned from the ministry and left the IELC.

The year had begun with four pastors and a church that seemed to be flourishing; yet after losing two of its leaders, the church went through a period of struggle. Pastor Harold Essmann commented that "the church in Mexico City dwindled in membership." He also noted that it would be another three years before the mission began to experience growth again.

With the loss of Pastor David Orea Luna, the seminary was moved to El Paso. The remaining pastors and seminary students were also shuffled around to help fill the vacancies that were now present in the young synod. Pastor F. Luna moved to Mexico City to replace Pastor David Orea Luna. Seminary student Vicente Guillén Aguilar was given the responsibility of shepherding the congregation in Juarez.

Despite the struggles, the work on building chapels continued. In 1973, chapels in both Guadalajara and Juarez were completed.

With Pastor David Orea Luna's passing, the amount of work for the missionaries increased. At the synod convention that summer, the plea for a second missionary to be sent to Mexico went out. The synod also began discussing the need of a seminary building in El Paso.

The following year brought more challenges for the young church when Pastor Felipe Luna had his call terminated for cause. This, once again, resulted in a large loss of members in Mexico City. In a little more than two years the Mexico church had lost three of its four pastors. The only pastor that remained was Pastor Chichia, who was shortly thereafter called to Mexico City.

The Mexican mission had reached a low point in its history. It was a mission that was grieving the loss of its founding pastor, a mission that was struggling with its identity, with real doubts when looking forward to the future. But, as we’ll see, God still had tremendous plans for this mission. While it appeared weak, God would be there to support it as it moved past these challenges.

* special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

Traveling Missionary Kids

2011-05-25T11:46:00.007-06:00

Sunday afternoon in Puebla

This past weekend, Mike headed to Puebla to give a workshop on Saturday and Sunday to members of the church Cristo Glorificado (Glorified Christ). The workshop focused on youth ministry, and Mike taught three two-hour sessions on different aspects of this topic.

The girls and I came along with him. Last Friday, the four of us piled in our van for the five-hour trip to Puebla. When we arrived in the evening, I was so excited. It had been more than three years since my last trip to Puebla (due to things like having babies and living in northern Mexico...) and I had forgotten how much I loved the city and how delightful it is to visit the congregations there.

Mike regularly travels to Puebla, so on Friday night he took us to get one of his favorite foods there: tacos arabe. Think of tacos with some oriental seasoning - they were delicious! Then we strolled around the main plaza. The girls and I were having such a good time that when Mike gently suggested we head to our hotel, I asked, "Why?"

"It's 10:30 p.m. Rachel. Everyone's starting to go home."

Oops. (And yes, we have lived in Mexico for awhile. I had my children out on the town at 10:30 p.m. and didn't even think twice about it).

Anyway, the workshop went well and the girls and I really enjoyed coming along with Mike while he worked. On Sunday, during the final workshop session, I took the girls to a nearby convenient store and let them each pick out a treat. Trinity chose strawberry-flavored cookies and Noelle opted for potato chips.

We headed home Sunday evening. It was such a pleasant trip that I'm already thinking about going back in the future when Mike visits the congregations again.

eating snacks with their babies - we were at church for nearly eight hours on Sunday

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 2

2011-05-20T09:06:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the second installment of our series on the history of mission work in Mexico (see the first installment here).

Today we'll look at another excerpt from "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico," writen by former vicar (and now a pastor in Florida) Phil Gurgel. Our reading continues in the first chapter of the book. Let's begin, shall we?

Chapter 1 cont'd: A New Mission (1948 - 1971)

One can only imagine the joy in that room as the 70 men who composed the various boards and committees of the synod gathered together in thankfulness to support the start of a mission to Mexico. A mission which appeared to be closed in 1960 now had two pastors serving congregations of 60 members in Mexico City and 30 members in Guadalajara.

At the next Synod convention, the delegates officially resolved the authorization of the Mission to Mexico. In the same convention, it was announced that the two congregations had decided to adopt the name, “The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Mexico.”

WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), having authorized the mission, assigned the task of supervision to the Executive Committee for Latin American Missions. As chairman of this committee, Pastor Harold Essmann was given the responsibility of visiting the mission until WELS was able to call a full time missionary. From 1969 to 1970, Pastor Essmann made a monthly visit to Mexico. In an interview with now Missionary Michael Hartman, Pastor Essmann described his visits. “I would fly out of Chicago early on Tuesday morning, arriving in Mexico City in the afternoon. That would give me time to meet with Pastor David Orea Luna, the head of the Mexican church, on Tuesday evening. All day Wednesday we would go about the work of the church in Mexico and then on Thursday I would fly back again to Chicago.”

Pastor Essmann, while technically not a missionary to Mexico, continued to play a tremendous role in the first two decades of the WELS mission there through his work on the Executive Committee for Latin America. He often was among those who took part in visiting Mexico, even in the years following his work there in 1969 and 1970. Pastor Essmann, in an interview with Michael Hartman, commented that on one such occasion he barely escaped with his life: “I was going to cross a street in Mexico City. I was about to step off the curb when a truck passed in front of me going at a very high speed. Had I taken one more step, I would have been hit and killed. I can still feel the movement of the wind from the truck passing before my face.”

For the next two years, things seemed to be progressing quite well in the new mission. In 1970, the number of pastors doubled as two more arrived via colloquy: Pastor Carlos Avedano and Pastor Felipe Luna. The small synod was now serving four Mexican cities: Pastor David Orea Luna was serving in Mexico City, Pastor Chichia in Guadalajara, Pastor Avedano in Puebla, and Pastor Feilpe Luna in Juarez.

In March of that same year, Pastor David Orea Luna began publishing the theological magazine known as “El Amanecer” (The Sunrise) once again. In its first publishing, 2,000 copies were made. Of those, 1,000 were sent out to various prospects throughout Mexico, and the other 1,000 were sent throughout Latin America and the United States. Pastor David Orea Luna commented on the publication saying, “I felt very happy when I saw “El Amanecer” alive… it is wonderful to see a paper devoted to proclaiming the true doctrine of the Gospel according to the confessions of the Lutheran Church.”

In addition to his work in the Mexico City congregation and his work on “El Amanecer,” Pastor David Orea Luna was working hard on laying the foundation for the future growth of the synod. He began the process of teaching seminary courses to two students.

Those back in the United States began to notice the profound workload that was being placed upon Dr. Orea Luna. The 1970 report to the nine districts stated that during this period of time, Dr. Orea Luna was spending 25 hours per week teaching classes, on top of editing “El Amanecer,” caring for his congregation, and supervising a building project. WELS realized that help would need to be given to continue to develop the mission. They wrote, “In order to develop a full and sound theological program it is necessary to call an individual to direct the seminary now.” Despite the encouragement, a whole year passed before the call was filled.

In the meantime, work in Mexico continued to progress. On July 12, 1970, the new chapel in Mexico City was dedicated. This site also served as the seminary complex. A month later, the Mexican church began a weekly radio broadcast that was heard on eight different radio stations around the country.

In November of that year, the Mexican mission added another landmark moment to their young history. It adopted a constitution and for the first time elected officers.

The young church body seemed intent on growth. In 1971, building projects were ongoing in Guadalajara and Puebla. There were also discussions about building a chapel in Juarez.

In 1971, at the WELS synodical convention, the need for filling the position of “Seminary Director / Friendly Counselor in Mexico” was again restated. The convention also emphasized the need to develop a seminary in El Paso, Texas, as Mexico’s immigration laws were restrictive toward missionaries.

Finally on July 4, 1971, prayers were answered. That day Pastor Rupert Eggert was installed as “Seminary Director / Friendly Counselor in Mexico.” Despite the expressed need by those in WELS for the position to be filled, few could have anticipated how vital this position would soon be for the work in Mexico.

* special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

Another Food to Add to Mike's List

2011-05-17T12:12:00.006-06:00

Having dinner in a restaurant with Mike is...a great source of entertainment. When our family goes out to eat, Trinity and I usually stick to our basic favorites: quesadillas and Coca-Cola for Trinity and tacos (at least these days, since it's my current pregnancy craving) for me. Mike will order...just about anything he's never tried before.

So when we stepped inside this local diner a few weeks ago in Merida -

Mike was overcome with excitement. There were so many foods he'd never had, it was hard to decide where to begin!

In all honesty, I was also intrigued. The restaurant specializes in regional Mayan food, which both Mike and I are largely unfamiliar with. We've spent most of our time in Mexico in areas with Aztec roots, eating regional dishes based on Aztec traditions, foods, and words. Our family vacation, however, took us deep into some of Mexico's finest Mayan areas.

Using one of his ordering tactics, Mike asked the waiter for a recommendation. The waiter responded that the food pictured above - called "Negro Relleno" (Filled with Black) - was a dish often served in homes for parties and special occasions!

I couldn't believe the people in the area would dish up that much black stuff and serve it to guests. But once Mike ordered it, he insisted that I try it. The dish is made of cooked turkey smothered in a black sauce with two boiled eggs on the side.

The verdict: it was good!! I'd definitely eat it at a party, now that I agree with Mike when he says, "You never know unless you try..."

p.s. The green drink Mike ordered to go with the black stuff is called Chaya, and is a drink made of water and blended up chaya, a Mayan vegetable resembling spinach.

Mission Work in Mexico Series: Part 1

2011-05-13T11:12:00.005-06:00

Several years ago, Phil Gurgel served as a vicar in Torreón (read about Phil here, here, and here).

Now in his last year at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wis., Phil took the time to compile a history of mission work in Mexico. His efforts resulted in a book titled "Cristo Te Ama: The History of WELS Missions and Outreach to Mexico."

Mike and I are thrilled with the book. It offers a nice overview of how WELS mission work in Mexico has progressed during the last decades. It also highlights the church's current activities and ongoing work.

During the coming weeks, I'll be posting portions of the book here on the blog. Today we'll start with the very beginnings of mission work in Mexico. Following is an excerpt from Chapter One of Phil's book:

Chapter 1: A New Mission (1948 - 1971)

For many years prior to officially designating the country of Mexico as a World Mission, WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) was serving Spanish speaking people along our nation's southern border. The earliest and most notable instance of this was the congregation "San Pablo" located in Tucson, Arizona. There Pastor Venus H. Winter was called as a missionary to serve Mexican immigrants beginning in 1948.

In 1960, our synod began to publically discuss the possibility of entering Mexico as a foreign mission. That year, WELS sent an exploratory committee to visit a Missouri Synod mission in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. Following the visit, the committee wrote to the district conventions, "Your committee is convinced that we should stay on this side of the border and investigate the heavily populated Spanish areas which exist in such cities as Phoenix and El Paso in our Southwest."

In 1961, the Synod convention made the effort to move the Spanish missions forward in WELS by suggesting that an effort be made to call a second Spanish speaking missionary. In 1965, the Board for World Missions took a significant step toward further outreach among Hispanics through the creation of an Executive Committee for Latin American Missions. This committee consisted of Pastor H.C. Nitz, Mr. Claude Hessee, and Pastor Harold A. Essmann.

In the following year's synod convention, this committee once again brought up the vision of one day entering Mexico. "The vast field of Mexico...that lies before us causes us to humbly pray the Lord of the harvest that He will give us laborers to enter into such a vast field."

Behind the scenes, God was already busy working on answering that prayer. A few years earlier, in 1964, Pastor O.J. Naumann had received a request for literature which expressed the doctrinal position of WELS. The request came from Dr. David Orea Luna.

Luna had a unique background. His grandfather was a Methodist minister and a man whom Luna really looked up to. On April 2, 1934, this grandfather died after a long struggle with an illness. The loss of his grandfather had a profound impact on Luna's life. He discontinued his studies in medicine, writing on the inside cover of a Bible his grandfather had given him, "My grandfather is dead. I will continue my grandfather's work."

In 1935 Luna entered a Nazarene seminary, where he received excellent grades. Following his graduation in 1939, he quickly became the chief editor of the Nazarene church's official newsletter, "The Nazarene Herald." Despite his rise in the Nazarene church, Luna struggled with doubts, especially in regard to what his church was teaching about salvation. These doubts led him to establish a friendship with a Lutheran pastor in the city of San Antonio, Texas. This pastor explained to Luna the doctrinal positions of the Lutheran church. Upon familiarizing himself with these doctrinal positions, Luna wrote to a coworker, "I have found the truth, and I have come to the conclusion that the Lutheran Church is the only church that teaches the Gospel message in all its purity."

Shortly after this realization, he entered the Lutheran Seminary of the ALC (American Lutheran Church) at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He was ordained a Lutheran pastor on June 15, 1946, in San Antonio. At that time he was sent to Mexico to serve as a missionary.

By 1955, his magazine "El Amanecer" (The Sunrise) was reaching people throughout Latin America and even some in Spain. A few years later he joined the committee responsible for producing the Spanish hymnal, "Culto Cristiano." He also was heavily involved in the formation of the ILM (Iglesia Luterana Mexicana). He was instrumental in installing and confirming nearly every pastor involved with the synod. Yet, as the years went by, he began to grow more and more concerned with the doctrinal deviations taking place in the ALC and Missouri Synod.

In the year 1963, Luna visited the Assembly of the World Lutheran Federation in Helsinki, Finland, where his concerns only grew worse. At the assembly he began to take note of the fact that the majority of the Lutheran church bodies were giving in to rationalism and were widely deviating from Lutheran teaching.

In July 1967, Luna, now president of the ILM, led the charge in encouraging the ILM to separate itself from the ALC. This decision was originally accepted unanimously. But after the ALC threatened to take away the salaries and church buildings from the pastors, nearly all of the pastors removed their signatures, once again returning to the ALC. When Luna confronted these pastors about the change, they responded, "Mr. Luna, pure doctrine won't feed our children." Only one other pastor, David Chichia Gonzalez, stood by the earlier decision.

It was at this point that WELS made its way back into the story. After studying the doctrinal literature that President Naumann had sent in 1964, Luna responded in 1967 with a letter declaring full agreement with the WELS confessional position. In the letter he wrote that after a battle for the preservation of sound Lutheran teaching in his church, he had found himself compelled for confessional reasons to resign his positions as president and seminary professor of his church. He continued by asking for an interview for the purpose of establishing doctrinal unity with the WELS.

WELS responded by sending district president Immanuel G. Frey, Pastor Edgar Hoenecke, and Pastor Venus Winters to Mexico City to visit with Luna and Chichia during March 1968. The meeting ended with a recommendation that both Luna and Chichia go through colloquy.

Following the meeting, Luna and Chichia officially terminated their membership with the ILM. They then spent two days in colloquy in Tucson, Arizona. The discussions went very well, and were concluded with both pastors declaring "complete doctrinal agreement with the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions."

When the successful colloquy was announced to the Synodical Council later that May, there was a lot of excitement to begin work in Mexico. A spontaneous offering was gathered as a token of thanksgiving. Enough was gathered in that spontaneous offering to support the little mission for almost two months!

*we'll continue with another segment of this series next Friday

** special thanks to Phil Gurgel for his efforts on the book and his willingness to let us share portions of it here.

Wildlife in Mexico

2011-05-11T10:36:00.005-06:00

Shortly after Easter, we set off on a family road trip. Our tour guide (Mike) took the girls and me through parts of southern and eastern Mexico. Mike and I enjoyed the chance to see parts of the country we hadn't explored before, and the girls loved watching for animals along the way.

One of our favorite days of the trip involved a boat ride through a shallow lagoon-like waterway. After a 20-minute ride, we arrived at our destination: a flamingo hangout!

Mike and I had never seen flamingos in the wild before, and the girls loved getting an up-close view of the "pink birdies."

It was great to get away as a family and explore parts of the country together. Now that we're back, we feel refreshed and ready to go again. And we're already thinking about where to go for our next family vacation in Mexico... :).

This Friday I'll be starting a series on the history of WELS mission work in Mexico. Stay tuned!

Things I Love about Mexico: Roadside Shopping

2011-05-09T10:37:00.003-06:00

Mike has a theory that I can shop anywhere. This may stem from the fact that I have a talent to find things that we can use in upscale shops, street markets, and even on the side of the road.

We just got back from a two-week road trip through parts of eastern and southern Mexico. On the way home, we drove through Mexico's coffee country. After seeing a few stands set up on the side of the road selling coffee beans, coffee-flavored cookies, and coffee liquor, among other coffee-themed treats, we decided to pull over.

I settled on a bag of coffee-flavored marshmallows - a huge hit! We got a bag of coffee beans from Veracruz. And since they grow mangos in the area, we also picked up a box of freshly picked mangos - like the ones you see behind me in the photo above - for just $5.50 USD. Not bad for roadside shopping, if you ask me.

Easter Thoughts

2011-05-03T19:38:00.003-06:00

the girls with their Easter baskets

For Easter this year, Mike and I decided to carry on a few traditions we'd started in previous years. The day before Easter, Trinity and I colored eggs. On Easter morning, I filled Easter baskets with candy and gifts, then hid them. After the girls found their baskets, Mike hid some Easter eggs and they searched for those too.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, we reviewed the Easter story each night during our family devotion time. By the time Easter morning rolled around, Trinity could explain why Easter is such a special day (Noelle is still hung up about the "owies" on Jesus' hands, left over from the cross and often depicted in Easter portraits...).

Since Easter is hardly celebrated in Mexico, the week leading up to it often feels like a downer to me. Even in secular circles here, there's no Easter bunny that bears treats to children on Sunday morning.

Over the years, I've imported a few Easter things to have, such as the Easter baskets I hide on Sunday mornings. And with the help of Google, I learned you don't need a fancy egg dying kit to color boiled eggs - a few drops of food coloring work just as well.

Even if it isn't widely celebrated here, it's still an important day for us, and certainly a vital day for the Lutheran church. Having family traditions helps make the time still seem festive, and God-willingly, passes on the importance of Easter to our children.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter, and from Mexico, we wish you continued blessings during the Easter season. He is risen, He is risen indeed!

Good Friday Procession

2011-04-28T21:13:00.007-06:00

I mentioned earlier this week that reenactments of Good Friday are often seen on the streets of cities throughout Mexico. Last Friday, Mike headed to one of these presentations that took place here in León. Here are a few pictures to help you get an idea of what he saw that morning:

A priest narrating the story of Jesus' crucifixion as it occurred -

A nun singing for the event -

Crowds gathering -

Jesus carrying his cross -

Onlookers -

Getting on the cross -

Dying -

The end.

This year, Mike and I talked about the possibility of Trinity going to see the Good Friday procession. While visual displays usually help four-year-olds grasp concepts, I decided not to send her along. Besides the fact that I didn't know how graphic this one would be (sometimes they beat up Jesus so much the poor guy playing him doesn't have to act out suffering too much), I didn't like the idea that after she saw Jesus die, she wouldn't get to "see" him rise from the dead.

So we kept her home this year. I pray that through Mike's work, more souls in Mexico come to know the final, glorious chapter of the Easter story. May God help him reach that goal.

Easter in Mexico

2011-04-25T11:29:00.004-06:00

For Mike and me, Holy Week is always such a good reminder of why we're here in Mexico. This sign was posted at a church in León last week.

If you read Spanish, you can see that the church listed its special activities for Semana Santa (Holy Week). During the week, it held services for the following: Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday), Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday), Viernes Santo (Good Friday), and Sábado Santo (Holy Saturday - a time to remember Jesus in the grave).

Notice anything missing? As dedicated as this church is to remembering Jesus' suffering and death, it doesn't have any particular festivities for Easter, Jesus' day of resurrection.

On Saturday, I went with the other missionary wives here to a salon near our homes that offers relatively inexpensive manicures and pedicures. As I was chatting with the lady painting my nails, she asked if my church held a Good Friday presentation - this is a common activity for churches here. They line up a guy to be Jesus, then parade him around the street, beat him up for awhile (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, depending on the crowd), and then "crucify" him to a cross.

While I like the symbolism of this presentation, I find it sad that when Jesus is "dead," everyone goes home and carries on. It's so much more fulfilling to follow up Good Friday with Easter Sunday, remembering that our Savior is not a mere mortal who suffered and was buried; he is also true God and has power over death. I said this much to the lady at the salon. She thought about it for some time and then said, "You know, it does seem better to remember Jesus alive rather than dead."

That's what Mike and other missionaries here are doing on a daily basis: bringing that final chapter of salvation to those who don't know about it. May this year's Easter lessons stick with you in the months to come, and may they reach more souls during the coming year.

Communicating Back Home through Skype

2011-04-20T12:09:00.005-06:00

In recent years, the Internet has helped world missionaries stay in touch with those back home. And services such as Skype make that connection even closer. With a simple web camera, it's easy to see and talk to others in different countries.

That option has become a great blessing for Mexico. So far this year, Missionary Brad Krause, who oversees evangelism efforts in León, has had three different Skype sessions with both schools and congregation members in the U.S. For these, he's given a devotion, answered questions, and even introduced members to some of our Mexican seminary students and their families here.

This summer, Krause is planning to preach a sermon over Skype to a congregation that will be holding a mission festival Sunday.

Talking to others back home is a good opportunity to share what's going on in Mexico, notes Krause. He also gets the chance to witness the support from others and hear their words of encouragement.

If you're interested in having a missionary participate in an upcoming event (chapel service, devotion, Bible study, etc.), consider contacting the WELS Missions Promotions Office. They can help you line up a speaker according to your scheduling needs.

Children's Day Celebration

2011-04-16T19:39:00.009-06:00

Here's some of the loot Trinity came home with this Friday.

At school, the teachers and students celebrated Día del Niño (Children's Day) by having a big party. Everyone brought something to share with their classmates for almuerzo (late breakfast). Trinity was asked to bring quesadillas.

The kids received gifts, candy, had their faces painted, and watched the teachers put on a show. Trinity's teacher dressed up as a clown for the event, which Trinity is still laughing about today (in that special way that four-year-olds who adore their teacher find it funny when the teachers paints her nose red! and so on).

Children's Day is celebrated every year on April 30th. Since Trinity's school will be in vacation mode during that time, the party was held yesterday, the last day of school for awhile. Trinity is now on vacation for the following two weeks. All schools in Mexico have off during Holy Week and the week after. This timeframe is the biggest holiday / vacation time of the year for Mexicans.

We're planning to stick around in León through Easter, and then we'll take a family vacation too. We're going to explore some areas of Mexico we haven't been to yet.

Mike and I are looking forward to some family time, and a chance to enjoy more sites and destinations in Mexico. And Trinity has already set aside some of the candy she brought home from school to take on the trip. And share with Noelle, of course.

Kids Ask, We Answer

2011-04-12T11:21:00.009-06:00

Yesterday we got a package of letters from kids in grades 2, 3, and 4 at Northdale Lutheran School, one of our WELS Lutheran Schools located in Florida. How exciting!

The teacher included a picture of the class. I really like this touch, as it made us feel like we could get to know the students a little better - even from a distance.

Most of the students who wrote the letters asked questions about us and Mexico. I'm going to choose some from the bunch and answer them here. Miss Hardman, please feel free to share the answers with your class. Let's begin, shall we?

Question 1: What is your favorite foods? (From Kylene)
Hi Kylene, my favorite foods are tacos, tortillas, and enchiladas. Our girls (ages four and two) also love to eat beans, rice, and quesadillas. My husband Mike loves to try new foods. Some of the things he's tasted in that past include fried grasshoppers, cow eyeballs, and pig intestine (if you're saying ewwwww right now, that's okay. I say ewwwww too when he eats those type of things!).

Question 2: Is it fun in Mexico? (From Molly)
Yes, it is very fun in Mexico. Mexicans like to throw parties for special occasions, and the parties often include games and activities for kids. Sometimes people rent a brincolín (like a big trampoline) so kids can jump while they're at the party. Parties often include a piñata, which the kids break and then gather the candy from!

Question 3: Do you have a dog? (From Jeremy)
Sadly, we do not have a dog. Our four-year-old girl has been telling us that when she is eight, she will get a dog. So that might be something that happens in the future. Lots of Mexicans have dogs - they are a popular pet here.

Question 4: Do you like the language at Mexico? (From Zack)
Hi Zach, yes we like to speak Spanish, the main language spoken here in Mexico. Trinity goes to kindergarten here, and she talks in Spanish all day to her teachers and classmates. So she speaks both English and Spanish fluently.

Question 5: Do you live up in the mountains or on the grass? (from Henry)
We live in a city that has some mountains nearby. We have a little grass in our backyard, though not much.

Question 6: What are your girls' names? (From Eva)
Eva, you have a pretty name. Our girls' names are Trinity (four years old) and Noelle (two years old). Noelle means "Christmas" in French, and Trinity helps us remember that God is three persons in one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Question 7: Are the churches hard to build in Mexico? (from Charlie)
Churches here are built with a lot of cement. Usually they are not hard to build. Right now, we are renting a house that we are using for church services in León, the city where we live. We hope that in a few years, God will provide the opportunity for us to build a church here too.

Question 8: What's your favorite color? (From Rane)
Rane, my favorite color is red. Trinity's favorite colors are currently pink and yellow.

Question 9: Do they have McDonald's or Chick-fil-a? (From Tabi)
There is McDonald's here, but not Chick-fil-a. We go to McDonald's sometimes. Our family also likes to eat at taco restaurants.

Question 10: Are the churches big? (from Elyse)
Some of the churches here are big. The Lutheran churches tend to be smaller, but they are growing.

Question 11: How do Mexicans celebrate Christmas? (from Kersey)
Hi Kersey, most Mexicans celebrate Christmas by getting together with their family on the evening of December 24th. They then have an all-night party with the family, eating a big supper around midnight or even later. They take it easy on the 25th. Most people sleep and get ready for the next day.

*And a special hello and thank you to Hannah, who wrote us a nice letter of encouragement. Gracias!

We wish all of you at Northdale a happy spring and blessings on the remainder of your school year. Jesus be with you!

La Santa Cruz Online

2011-04-08T11:18:00.005-06:00

The Mexican Lutheran Church's congregation in Monterrey is one of the most tech-savvy ones in Mexico. Here's a quick run-down of where you can find La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) online.

First, the website for the church: iglesialasantacruz.com.

And podcasts of their sermons:
www.poderato.com/iglelasantacruz

Videos of sermons preached at La Santa Cruz: www.youtube.com/user/iglesialasantacruz

And you can even follow the congregation's activities on Twitter: twitter.com/iglelasantacruz

If you're interested in hearing sermons in Spanish, or know someone who is, please consider passing along these links. Thanks!

Happy April and Thoughts on Critters

2011-04-05T09:57:00.005-06:00

Thanks for following along during our March daily blogathon. Now that it's April, I'm going back to the usual rhythm of the blog. After Easter, I'll be starting a new series that will touch on the history of the Lutheran church in Mexico.

So now that business is taken care of, here's the actual post of the day:

Yesterday we had a fumigating service come to our house. The picture above shows what they did to our house - it's a smoke bomb!

Scorpions abound in this part of the country; in fact, if you talk to locals that have lived here their whole life, many of them have some sort of story about getting stung by a scorpion. If you are so unfortunate, you need to go to the Red Cross, which treats people every day for scorpion bites.

In our house, we have yet to see a scorpion (hurray!). Still, we wanted the smoke bomb to catch any that might be hiding on us, waiting to be found. We also had the exterminator spray for bugs and other insects.

While we don't have scorpions, we did have a large cockroach problem when we moved in. This is very common in Mexico. I sometimes wonder if cockroaches here are viewed as ants are in the U.S.: no one wants them in their house, they're annoying, but seeing one doesn't set most people into hysterics.

We got rid of the cockroaches last year, and this year's fumigation was more of an upkeep than anything else.

Getting the exterminator to come is always a big deal. We had to leave the house right when he arrived at 2 p.m. I drove around with the girls in our van while Mike waited for the guy to spray and set off a bomb in our house. Then we had to keep the house closed up (and stay out of it) until 5:30 p.m. At that time, we stopped back home so Mike could open doors, windows, etc. We ran errands for another hour, and at 6:30 p.m. stepped back inside the house.

The girls were tired and the house smelled all last night yet, but it was so worthwhile. A few insects that had been biting Noelle and making her skin flare up like a bad case of chicken pox are gone. We should be done fumigating until next spring rolls around.

Monthly Blogging Wrap Up

2011-04-01T09:17:00.000-06:00

Closing thoughts

Rachel and I decided to do something a little bit different this past month and share a daily record of my latest missionary trip through Mexico. Our hope was that others might gain some insight into mission work and at the same time get to know the church in Mexico a little more closely.

Sharing the story of my missionary trip wasn't my own idea. When the Apostle Paul finished his first two missionary journeys he returned to Antioch to report "all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27). Paul recognized the importance of encouraging those who had sent him.

Furthermore, he recognized the essential role that senders play in mission work when he wrote to the church in Rome: "How can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14,15).

I hope that my journal of this most recent missionary trip through Mexico serves not only to give you insight into mission work, but also encourages you in the important role you play when it comes to sharing the Gospel throughout the globe. Missionaries don't preach unless you send them.

I believe that our dedication to world mission work is a strong area in our church body. And I believe that it is one of our strengths as a synod because we recognize what a special gift we have been given through our Savior Jesus. The peace and hope that we have in Jesus are extraordinary blessings that millions are unaware of.

As we prepare once again to celebrate Jesus' victory over sin and the grave, may His victory motivate you to actively participate in the important work of sharing the peace and hope which we have with those who do not yet know of them.

It's a privilege to serve as a missionary you have sent. May God bless you as you do the important work he has given you to do.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 31

2011-03-31T20:41:00.000-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 16.

Sunday, March 13, 2011 - from Torreón to León

Today is the last day of the trip! I have to admit I'm pretty excited to get home. I get up early and head over to El Redentor to work on the computer for a little while. They have Internet at the seminary. The electricity was out in the neighborhood most of the day yesterday, but thankfully it is back on this morning.

inside the El Redentor church

At 10 o'clock people begin showing up for church. I take the opportunity to greet old and new faces. It's fun to see so many new people becoming involved in the congregation. At 10:30 a.m. Señor Jesús gives me a ride over to the Jesús Pan de Vida congregation. I take turns visiting these congregations on Sundays when I'm in town. This trip I am scheduled to preach at Jesús Pan de Vida.

outside of Jesús Pan de Vida church

As I arrive Pastor Juan José pulls up behind me in a taxi with his family. He was carjacked a few weeks ago and so they take a taxi to church on Sundays. I greet Juan José and give the rest a kiss hello. Claudia and Juan José have three children. Johana is now in 4th grade and Maria is in 2nd. I'm excited to meet their newest, Daniel, not even a month old yet!

baby Daniel

Soon it is time for Bible class to begin. I'm given an opportunity to share news about what's going on in other places in Mexico. Since many are new to the Lutheran church I pull out some photos from my trip to share and leave with them. Afterwards, Juan José leads a Bible study on the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark.

Pastor Juan José chatting with members

Worship begins. Pastor Juan José and his two daughters are in charge of music. He and Johana play guitars while Maria plays a tambourine. I preach on Genesis 3:19. My theme: Dust you are, and to dust you shall return, but dust you will not remain!

After church everyone stays around for nearly an hour chatting and sharing news. Other than goggling at baby Daniel, the big talk is concerning a 7th grade member. As she was waiting at a bus stop after school a few days ago, a gun battle broke out right in front of her. A number of people were killed; however, nothing ever appeared in the news. She was quite obviously upset. Everyone thanked God for watching over her and we prayed that He continue to keep his flock safe.

Pastor Juan José and family

When the last people head home, I say my farewells to Juan José, Claudia and their family. Juan José flags down a secure taxi and I head to the airport.

I am now sitting in the Mexico City airport waiting my connecting flight home. As I reflect back on the past 16 days, I marvel at God's power and his guiding hand. His power brought Deb to faith in Majahual and led her to be confirmed. His power moved young men such as Jorge, Alejandro, Carlos, and Israel to have the desire to enter the ministry and then He sent them to where he would have them serve. He led us to León and has blessed the evangelism efforts in this city.

At the same time He has chosen to bless the congregations in Torreón since our departure. Mankind is not in charge. He is. There's a saying in Mexico, "Dios no le da alas a los alacranes" (God doesn't give scorpions wings). The saying is meant to remind us that God's in control. He's even in control of evil. And this gives me great comfort as I consider the challenges currently facing our congregations.

We pray that he will continue to watch over his flock in Mexico and bring more lost sheep into the fold. And we trust that it is His will which will be done in Mexico as it is everywhere.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 30

2011-03-30T20:39:00.009-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 15.

Saturday, March 12, 2011 - in Torreón

I haven't written much about the security situation in Torreón so far. The truth is that while my time in Torreón has been quiet to this point, you can tell that the insecurity affects how locals live their lives. A few of the comments I hear:

"If you're going to the suburbs of Gomez Palacio or Lerdo you need to leave by 9 p.m. because taxis won't crossover between cities after that time."

"We like to shop at the Alianza market because it's the cheapest, but they have shootings down there almost every day now. Last time we went shopping we missed the shooting by 10 minutes."

"Whenever I see a nice pick-up truck come up behind me, I just pull over and let him by."

"No daughter, you can't come with us to drive back the missionaries to the church tonight. It's too dangerous on the roads we'll be taking."

In fact, the biggest reason we took a break during our meeting yesterday afternoon at 4 p.m. is because one of our pastors needed to pick up his daughter from a friend's house and take her home. Young people have quickly adjusted to the new reality, he explains. No one hangs out outside. Everyone meets in homes or at the mall during the day. Friends only do things in small groups. If you don't know people in the group, you leave. There are no parties. (At least two people, since I've been in the north, have told me about big parties which were either cancelled or postponed: a wedding and a quinceñera.)

Cartels have a reputation of attacking parties. "You adjust how you live your life and trust that God will watch over you and your family," says one pastor. They all have stories of close calls, but so far, none of our pastors has been hurt. In Torreón a number of the members of our congregations have suffered personal tragedies due to the violence.

Yet, personally my time in Torreón has been quiet. Pastor Ezequiel meets me this morning at 8:30 a.m. After a quick sandwich for breakfast we head to the Torreón suburb of Lerdo. Lerdo is home to Marcial and Lucy's community center. Marcial and Lucy are recently confirmed members at El Redentor. Together they run a community center for the city of Lerdo. With a location that's just two blocks from the city's central plaza, they offer free meals three times a day for those in greatest need: the elderly and homeless. They also collect clothing, shoes, and medicine which they hand out for free.

Marcial went through a tough patch earlier in his life and was homeless for a time. Since then he met Lucy and their fortunes improved. They now spend their time helping others.

clothing at the community center

shoes at the community center

medicines at the community center

Marcial likes to say there were only two people who helped him while he was homeless. One of them was Pastor Ezequiel. When the two of them first met, Marcial asked for something to eat and Ezequiel invited him to a nearby restaurant. Marcial was taken aback when he saw Ezequiel pull the restaurant owner aside and ask if he could pay for the meals tomorrow, because he didn't have any money at the time. "I couldn’t believe he took out a loan to help me get lunch," Marcial recalls.

When Marcial got back on his feet he wanted to help those in need. He and his wife started a community center in Lerdo. Clothing, fruit and vegetables, and medicine are all donated and given away for free. They probably now run the largest "pharmacy" in Lerdo.

loading up the truck

On Saturdays they take the food left over from the week and, together with some clothes and medicine, load up two vehicles and head out to some of the lowest income neighborhoods and villages in the region. This Saturday I accompany them on their trip to the San Angel neighborhood, located on the outskirts of the Torreón metro area. Here's a little of what we see:

As we enter the neighborhood, we drive down a number of streets announcing our arrival. We then stop at a corner and begin unloading the fruit and vegetables from the back of the pick-up.

lining up for clothing

Quite a few women and a several men arrive. They bring buckets for the food. Marcial instructs them to get in line, and that they can each pick three articles of clothing and then return in line in case there are extras after everyone's had an initial turn.

teaching the Bible story

listening to the Bible story

While the adults are doing this, Lucy gathers the children for a Bible story. She teaches them the story of Noah's ark, which is filled with lots of activities and participation from the kids. At the end of the lesson, the kids all get a yogurt as a treat. A few lucky ones also get some pastries that were left over from the week.

handing out medicine

After the clothing and food have been distributed, another line is formed for medicine. Each person describes their symptoms and Lucy writes down their name, information, and then gives out over-the-counter drugs. A few bring prescriptions for antibiotics. Lucy doesn't have any antibiotics with her, but tells them to send one person to the community center in Lerdo with all the prescriptions where they can fill them for free.

I am a bit surprised at first that all the food was taken, as there was plenty of produce which had gone bad. Marcial, however, tells me that the people use the spoiled produce to feed their pigs. Nothing is wasted. While Marcial is very open about telling people that they're doing this as Christians, he's careful too. "I don’t want people to come to a Bible study or devotion for false motives. We don’t want to force Christianity on them and create bread Christians," he says.

Marcial prefers to wait for them to ask him to teach them more about Jesus. "We have a devotion once a week at the community center. We also go once a week to a village to teach them more about Jesus." Marcial is eager for the El Redentor congregation and Pastor Ezequiel to help them in this area. They have plans to turn the Lerdo community center into a full-fledged Lutheran mission.

After visiting San Angel, Marcial drops me back off in Torreón. I make a quick stop at the Soriana to print off some pictures. From there it's on to another counseling opportunity. At 2 p.m. Pastor Ezequiel and I meet with a couple of architects concerning a parroquial school project which some WELS members are working on with the goal of establishing Lutheran grade schools in Mexico.

I have time to grab a quick lunch and then head to Señor Jesus's house for another meeting. Jesús is a long time Lutheran and leader in the national church. He assists me with some of the financial aspects of the ministry in Mexico.

As is typical of Mexican meetings, I spend the first two hours chatting with Jesús and his wife Dolores. We share stories and have a chance to catch up. As with all my other conversations in Torreón, the subject invariably leads to the security troubles facing this once peaceful city. Everyone has personal experiences and close calls to relate.

After our meeting I also have a chance to talk with one of the founding members of Lutheranism in Mexico: 94-year-old Señora Wilma. It's always a pleasure to chat with this amazing lady. Señor Jesús takes me back to Hector's house around 9pm. I call Rachel and head to bed.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 29

2011-03-29T08:38:00.003-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 14.

Friday, March 11, 2011 - in Torreón

The Torreón and Milwaukee metro areas are relatively the same size. The climate in Torreón, however, is much more similar to Tucson. Eight years ago our sister synod in Mexico decided to make Torreón the center for their church body. Even though most Americans may not be familiar with the city, in Mexico it is well known as it is the 10th largest city and a centrally located transportation crossroads. Corona, Lala Dairy, the largest dairy in Mexico, and Peñoles, the largest silver refinery in the country, are the big businesses in town. Caterpillar, John Deer and Wrangler are a few U.S. companies with a major presence in the city.

When the decision to focus on developing Torreón was made, El Redentor (Redeemer) was the only Lutheran church in town. In the past eight years another congregation (Jesús Pan de Vida – Jesus Bread of Life) and three missions have been started. Seminary facilities were also built on El Redentor's property.

When the missionaries where forced to leave the city last March due to the increased insecurity, the seminary was temporarily relocated. The congregations and missions, however, are flourishing. Two Mexican pastors and a student pastor serve the area. Pastor Ezequiel serves El Redentor and is the president of the Mexican Lutheran Church. Pastor Juan José serves Jesús Pan de Vida as well as two preaching stations. Student Pastor Juan serves the Cristo Rey (Christ the King) mission in the Zaragoza Sur area of Torreón.

left to right: Pastor Ezequiel, Pastor Israel, Pastor Carlos, Hector, Pastor Juan José

Today was an important day, albeit perhaps not quite as thrilling to write about. The Mexican Lutheran Church's Synodical Council held their spring meeting at the seminary facilities in Torreón. They meet twice a year. In addition they hold an annual convention each summer. Four pastors and one lay leader currently make up their synodical council. Pastor Carlos from Altar and Pastor Israel are both on the council and traveled to Torreón for the meeting.

chile con queso at Doña Mari's

At 8:30 a.m. I have a quick meeting with Pastor Ezequiel. Then the six of us go out for breakfast at Doña Mari's. In my opinion Doña Mari is the best home cooking restaurant in the country. She runs her restaurant right out of her kitchen. You sit in her dining room or living room which have been expanded over the years as the business thrives. There's no sign on the front of her home. This restaurant survives purely by word of mouth. But oh my!! When we walk in Doña Mari is there and quickly leaves her pots on the stove and comes to greet us. She asks me how Rachel and the girls are. Of course I pull out the picture which I keep with me for such occasions. She also asks about my brother-in-law, Phil, whose love for her cooking apparently left quite an impression on her.

There's no menu. Rather, one of Mari's helpers tells you what's being prepared today. I am in luck, my absolute favorite dish is being served: Chile con queso (Chile peppers and cheese) with refried beans and fried eggs. There are always plenty of corn tortillas on the side. To drink I have café con leche: hot milk with instant coffee stirred in. Oh will Rachel be jealous!

After breakfast we meet at 9:30 a.m. Pastor Ezequiel leads the opening devotion and we get to work. The church is growing and there's a lot of business to discuss. We take a few short breaks, but otherwise plug away until a little after 4 p.m.

We decide to take a break after 4pm. A few of the local leaders have responsibilities at home, and everyone is hungry for lunch. We determine to reconvene at 7:30 p.m. that evening.

During the break Pastor Israel and I go to another nearby favorite for lunch: Quesadillas de Villa Ahumada. Villa Ahumada (VEE-ya Ow-MA-tha) is a little town along the highway south of Juárez. It's famous for it's local cheese and milk-based salsa. When we lived in Torreón we regularly drove up to Juárez and would always stop at Villa Ahumada for supper. About a year before we left a couple little restaurants opened up in Torreón selling the food from that town. It was an exciting day for us when we discovered our favorite cheese and salsa. Israel and I each have two burritos with the milk-based salsa for lunch.

To my surprise we actually reconvene our meeting early. We continue on until 9 p.m. After a closing prayer we say our goodbyes. Pastor Carlos and Pastor Israel need to get to the bus station to begin their journeys home. It's about a five-hour bus ride to Monterrey for Pastor Israel, and a 22-hour bus ride to Altar for Pastor Carlos! I head back to Hector's house. After a quick supper of saltines with peanut butter and jelly, I head to bed.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 28

2011-03-28T08:38:00.008-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 14.

Thursday, March 10, 2011 – part 2

El Redentor

This evening I gain a greater appreciation for the Mexican saying, "Mi casa es tu casa" (My house is your house). When I arrive in Torreón I take a taxi straight to El Redentor (Redeemer), our main church in town. Pastor Ezequiel shepherds this congregation. He also serves as president of the national church body.

I purposefully hadn't made any arrangements for where I would stay. I first wanted to talk to our local pastors and get their input due to the insecurity. After a meeting with the local pastors, we discuss housing options for Pastor Israel and me. (Oh, our race as "rabbit" and "turtle" ended in a tie. We both arrived in town at the same time.)

As we talk about different possibilities, up walks Sr. Hector, a member of El Redentor and member of the Synodical Council for the national church body. Before we even mention our housing need, Hector offers us his home. We don't want to put him out, but he insists. He has a sick sister whom he can stay with and help care for, and we'll stay at his place.

inside Hector's home

Hector's home is conveniently located just four blocks from church. He lives in a three-room house, although there are no doors to separate the rooms. The bathroom is behind the house of the tiny back patio. He gives us a very detailed tour of his house pointing out where everything is and showing us each item of food he has in his fridge, urging us to please eat whatever we'd like. What an amazing example of Christian hospitality! It was very touching that he would give us his house just like that on the spur of the moment.

Pastor Juan José is the other Mexican pastor in town. He serves the congregation of Jesús Pan de Vida (Jesus Bread of Life). He has a visit in at 8 p.m. and asks if I'd like to come along. The visit is actually in the small farming community of Las Palmas just outside of Torreón. It takes us less than 30 minutes to get there, but it looks like a different world.

We arrive at the home of Roberto* and Mayra*. They are new members at Jesús Pan de Vida, and they're eager to share their new faith with family and friends. Since they're so far from the church, and most don't have vehicles, Pastor Juan José does a weekly Bible study and devotion in their home. The idea is that Las Palmas might develop into a preaching station for the Jesús Pan de Vida congregation.

Family on porch

When we arrive the family is gathered outside on the porch, which also serves as their dining room, kitchen and neighborhood restaurant. Roberto's mother, Maria*, another new member, sells tortillones (long burritos) and gorditas. The stove is made out of a metal oil drum that stands upright and is heated with wood. A pot of beans and jalapeños is cooking on top of it.

The family invites us to eat supper with them. They have beans and jalapeños, but for Pastor Juan José and myself, they prepare special tortillones; 15-inch long burritos stuffed with a mixture of pig skin and pig fat. As we eat, we learn that most of the houses along this patch of rocky dirt road belong to family members.

After the meal, Pastor Juan José leads a service for the dozen or so in attendance. We learn the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. He pulls out his guitar and we sing a couple of hymns. I notice that most seem to know the hymns by heart. After the service we say our goodbyes and get ready to leave.

Roberto works as a taxi driver and he takes us back into town. Roberto's eldest daughter asks to ride along, but he tells her no. "It’s not safe to be out this late." Thankfully we make it to Hector's without incident. It's nearly 11 p.m. by the time I arrive: the end of another great day.

* names changed to protect privacy.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 27

2011-03-27T20:07:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 13.

Thursday, March 10, 2011 - Part 1: Leaving Monterrey

The word Monterrey is Spanish for "Mountain King", and the mountains are looking majestic this morning. I watch the sun come up as I speed down the highway in a taxi on my way to the airport. There's just the right mix of sun and cloud cover to give the mountains surrounding the city a pink hew.

My taxi driver tells me he was born and raised in the northern Monterrey suburb of San Nicolas. Growing up in the shadows of the Tigres' soccer stadium has made him a big fan. In addition to the mountains, soccer is also king in Monterrey, and the city is evenly split between the two professional teams. Everyone is either a Tigres (Tigers) or Rayados (Stripes) supporter. Twice a year the teams meet, and from homemaker to ruffian, everyone chooses sides.

It's almost impossible to avoid the subject of insecurity. The radio in the cab is tuned in to a local news station. During the entire 40-minute trip to the airport, the reporter reports story after story about local violence. Six kidnapping victims were freed: three women and three children. There are three separate stories about grenade attacks. Another police station was attacked. Other forms of crime are on the rise as the police force is stretched thin and doesn't have the resources to prosecute lesser offenders.

All the news stories are of events which took place during the last 24 hours. There's no mention of Tuesday's activities (Tuesday now being 48 hours ago). With everything happening, they're quickly forgotten. My driver has 17 years of experience as a taxi driver and he talks about how business is down. He's been stuck in a few traffic jams that resulted from narco blockades. "You lose a lot of money when you get stuck in one of those. Your passenger gets out and you can't pick up another fare until they finally get things cleared up," he explains.

My experience, however, is a smooth ride to the airport. Morning rush hour is starting and traffic is picking up. People are busy beginning their day. Everything looks normal.

I've been struggling to explain to those who haven't experienced it what it's like to visit Monterrey and northern Mexico right now. How do I express that everything seems fairly normal, even though it's not? People continue with their daily routines. In the morning they go to work and school. In the evening they come home. In many ways life is the same. It's the news and the chit-chat which has changed. And while the threat of sudden violence and increased crime is very real, your chances of personally experiencing it when you wake up in the morning are quite small.

Monterrey is a special city and the peoples' independent spirit grows on you over time. We have some very strong Lutheran brothers and sisters living here. Please pray that God would continue to watch over His flock in northern Mexico. Ask that he would use the troubles afflicting this portion of the country to create more opportunities to share His Gospel with those who still don't know of His peace. The truth is that despite the security challenges (and perhaps partly even due to these challenges) the churches which I have visited so far in Sonora and Monterrey are growing. Their members are maturing. It's encouraging to see how God works all things for the good of those who love Him.

From Monterrey I travel to Torreón. These cities are only about 220 miles apart but I'm traveling by air to get from one to the other. Due to the current security issues, I've been encouraged by the World Missions staff to travel between cities in the north by plane rather than by ground transportation whenever possible. In fact, one of the reasons I combined visits to all these places into one long trip was so that I could actually reduce costs while still traveling by air. Of course, it feels extremely odd to fly from Monterrey to Torreón. In order to fly, I have to make a connection in Mexico City. Imagine flying from Milwaukee to Minneapolis via Dallas!

Pastor Israel and I joked about this last night. He'll be traveling from Monterrey to Torreón today by bus (my usual mode of transportation between these two cities). Tomorrow there's a Synodical Council meeting for the Mexican Lutheran church scheduled in Torreón, and as treasurer for the national church it's important for him to be there. We joke that he'll probably get there faster than I will. We declare it the race of the rabbit and the turtle. We'll see who wins!

protesters in Mexico City airport

more protesters

My flight to Mexico City goes smoothly. While waiting for my flight to Torreón, I witness pilots, flight attendants, and other Mexicana employees participating in a large protest. Mexicana, Mexico's second largest airline went bankrupt last fall and is trying to get back up and running.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 26

2011-03-26T21:18:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 12.

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Today is perhaps my most relaxed day of the trip so far. In the morning I invite Pastor Israel out for breakfast at a local diner. I have huevos rancheros (ranch style eggs), which consists of two fried eggs covered in a red salsa. Refried beans and corn tortillas are served on the side along with a Coca-light to drink.

The breakfast is another good chance to talk about ministry opportunities. We develop initial plans to host a first ever "Ministry through technology" meeting later this year. The Mexican national convention is scheduled to be held at La Santa Cruz church in early September. We plan to invite a few of the more technologically savvy attendees to arrive a day early to the convention so we can discuss ways to use technology to carry out ministry in Mexico.

The Santa Cruz congregation has an active church website (http://www.iglesialasantacruz.com/)and some talented members. Also, the national church has its own website: http://www.luteranosmexicanos.net/. The goal of this meeting is to share ideas and facilitate teamwork. Pastor Israel is a tech savvy guy and is excited by this opportunity.

After breakfast the rest of the morning is spent getting caught up on email and other desk work. I didn't have Internet access in Sonora, so I'm eager to make the most of the opportunity in La Santa Cruz. The congregation here has wireless Internet at church.

first national Lutheran women's convention in Mexico - July 2010

At 3:30 p.m. I meet Señora Rosa for lunch. Rosa is a member of La Santa Cruz and the president of the newly formed national Lutheran women's organization: Las Damas Luteranas. They held their first convention last summer. Together we develop goals for her to work on as she guides this new group. We also make plans for her to attend the LWMS convention in Milwaukee this summer.

After a quick stop at the laundry mat, I head back to church. Unfortunately, I had miscounted the number of articles of clothing I needed for the trip. Fortunately, service friendly Mexico comes to the rescue. For just a couple dollars I drop my clothes off at a laundry mat a block from church where a lady washes and presses them for me.

La Santa Cruz celebrates Ash Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. This is a special chance to greet old friends. I am also happy to see about 10 unfamiliar faces at the service. It's always encouraging to see new people coming to church. Again I was asked to preach. I like to try and watch the national pastors preach when I can, but that isn't going to happen this trip.

Of course, I can always watch Pastor Israel any time on YouTube.com, since the congregation records his Sunday sermons and loads them onto the Internet each week. I preach on Genesis 3:19 - "Dust you are, and to dust you shall return." Afterwards, I discover that my sermon is already in the process of being turned into a podcast and shared online (listen to it here).

Despite the abbreviated service, it is well after 8 o'clock by the time the last person leaves. Time flies when you’re having fun! After talking with Pastor Israel and his girlfriend Janet for awhile, I call Rachel. It is nearly 10 o'clock by the time I grab a sandwich from the convenience store for supper. Of course, a 10 o'clock supper is nothing unusual in Monterrey. I can remember being invited out for supper at midnight at least once while visiting here.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 25

2011-03-25T16:30:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 11.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - in Monterrey There are two Lutheran churches in Monterrey. La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) is the second oldest Lutheran church of any Lutheran denomination in the country. It is also our largest and only self-supporting church in Mexico. The church building is located directly across the street from the Alameda, one of the main plazas in the city. You couldn't ask for a better location! Pastor Israel serves the congregation. If you're interested in learning more about La Santa Cruz, check out their website: http://www.iglesialasantacruz.com/.

In the back of the church they have a couple of small apartments which they turned into a parsonage for their pastor. Now, whenever I visit Monterrey, I stay in the back of the church with Pastor Israel.

Pastor Israel and Pastor Eduardo

El Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) is a small mission congregation located in the largest of Monterrey's suburbs, Ciudad Guadalupe. Pastor Eduardo serves El Buen Pastor. On this particular visit, my main purpose is to work with Pastor Eduardo on a ministry plan for this mission congregation. Following Eduardo's suggestion, he and I meet in the basement of the Santa Cruz congregation. The suburb of Guadalupe is considered by many to be suffering the most insecurity in the city, but more on that later. We meet for more than six hours. Pastor Eduardo identifies outreach to children as one of the biggest needs for El Buen Pastor. Currently very few children attend, and they don't offer Sunday School because he hasn't been able to find a teacher.

When I have these types of meetings I work hard not to dictate a plan; through questions, I try to lead and guide the pastor to begin developing his own plan. Following this method, Pastor Eduardo comes up with an idea for a project to begin a Saturday Bible school for neighborhood kids. He plans to run a sort of Saturday Bible soccer camp with Bible stories, soccer and crafts. We work through some of the details and discuss ways to overcome obstacles and make the most of opportunities. (With the current climate of insecurity in the neighborhood, parents are looking for ways to keep their kids off the streets and away from temptation.)

Eduardo feels this project is a way to bring God's Word to the kids in the community and get to know their parents, while at the same time helping out the community with a need and building up a good reputation for their congregation. He plans to present his idea to the congregation this Sunday so others can offer suggestions and participate in its development.

It is after 3 o'clock when we finish. We grab a quick lunch at a nearby KFC and hop on the subway to go visit some of his members. They live just three blocks from the central plaza in Guadalupe and it takes 30 minutes to get to downtown Guadalupe by train.

After exiting the subway, we walk for about 10 minutes and then arrive at their home. Pastor Eduardo had asked me for some assistance with a counseling situation, and I am glad to help. The family is very happy to see us and we spend more than two hours visiting with them. When we finish, we walk back to the subway and head home. We have to switch trains along the way, and when we do Pastor Eduardo and I say our goodbyes. We had a good day together, but the time went by too quickly. As is the custom for Mexican men who are good friends, we hug and pat each other on the back before going our separate ways.

Tacos Don Nacho

It is about 7:30 p.m. by the time I get off the subway. I stop at Rachel's and my favorite Monterrey taco stand, Tacos Don Nacho, located across the Alameda from the church. While waiting for my taco order, I talk to the guy in charge of the stand. He says that, on an average night, they sell 50 kilos (110 lbs) of meat!

My taco order

However, this is only half of what they used to sell before the troubles started. Don Nachos is open from 7 p.m. till 7 a.m. (yes those times are correct), and fewer people are going out after dark which is really hurting business. I take my tacos to go, say good-bye and walk through the Alameda back to the church. It is dark out now, but there are still people strolling in the plaza.

Band practicing on Alameda

The Alameda is a pretty plaza with lots of trees and sidewalks. It is also a popular place for marching bands to practice. Often on Sundays the pastor's sermon competes with the sounds of marching bands practicing in the park across the street. I am reminded of this as I walk through the park on my way to the church. A group of 10 high schoolers and their teacher are practicing on drums and trumpets as I pass by.

According to online media sources today was a busy day in Monterrey. During the day the military carried out an operation that resulted in the arrest of four cartel members in the upscale suburb of San Pedro Garzas. In the evening, a violent gunfight takes place between marines and cartel members in Guadalupe, spreading into another suburb. At the same time heavy machine gun fire is reported on the north side of Monterrey as unknown assailants attack a home for more than 15 minutes. Narco blockades also take place during the evening along main arteries in Guadalupe and other eastern suburbs (cartel members, in an attempt to keep police and military from being able to get to areas of the city, often stop traffic and force drivers to get out of their vehicles at gun point. They then use these cars and buses to block traffic and create what have become known as narco blockades.) Police happen upon one of these blockades, and a shoot-out breaks out. Throughout the night, more gun battles take place as the military tracks down some of the cartel members in various areas of the city.

As I write this, early Wednesday morning, another attack on a police station in Guadalupe is being reported as currently taking place. Grenades are involved in this attack. With all this, so far only one person is reported killed. However, details on the number of casualties are sketchy. All this is just the reported news. As everyone who lives in Mexico knows, much goes unreported, and events are typically downplayed on the news.

Throughout the day, I listen to stories from members of the Guadalupe church concerning recent violence. The 17-year-old son of a neighbor was kidnapped by extortionists. The father sold his business to the cartel in an attempt to get his son back. The cartel still killed his son. Members tell of twice hearing grenades exploding in the plaza near their home. Another missed a shoot-out by just 15 minutes - it took place at the subway stop Pastor Eduardo and I had just been to. One member has been robbed twice recently.

All that said, my day in Monterrey is very quiet. I am reminded of what a large city it is. Despite everything happening, most people live their lives each day without any incident. A tourist visiting the city might not even realize all that is going on. Unlike the U.S., in Mexico the media downplays bad news. Very little of what is going on in Mexico actually appears in the U.S. press, which tends to focus more on troubles in other parts of the world.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 24

2011-03-24T22:05:00.008-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 10.

Monday, March 07, 2011 - From Hermosillo to Monterrey

Today Brad and I head our separate ways. Brad flies back to León to continue his evangelism work there. I continue on to Monterrey. We leave the hotel early so Brad can catch a 6 a.m. flight. I drop off the rental car, then get on a later flight. It takes three hours to fly from Hermosillo to Monterrey. This includes a quick stop in the western Mexican city of Culiacán.

Upon arriving at the Monterrey airport, I buy a ticket for a secure airport taxi to take me to La Santa Cruz (Holy Cross), our main church in town. Walking out of the airport I am reminded that Monterrey is currently in the thick of the Drug War. Four bullet proof pick-up trucks filled with approximately 25 heavily armed men wait at the curb. They are here to escort a VIP who just arrived.

As I travel by taxi to the church, I am once again struck by how modern the city of Monterrey is. With a population of more than four million, it is the third largest city in the country and the industrial capital of Mexico. We pass large manufacturing plants as we speed along the freeway: Whirlpool, Philips, Mary Kay, Volvo, and others.

view of Monterrey from the church apartment window

Monterrey is also a very prosperous city. In the upper class suburb of San Pedro, BMW's can be seeing driving past upscale boutique shops along manicured roads. I am most definitely not in Altar anymore!

La Santa Cruz church

At the church, I am greeted by Pastor Israel. Israel is a young pastor, still single and in his late twenties. He lives in a few rooms at the back of the church. Whenever I visit, I like to stay with him at the church. I arrive at lunch time, so I invite Israel to grab something to eat. We go to a nearby restaurant and have a Monterrey specialty: goat meat!

After a relaxed lunch and a chance to catch up, we walk back through the Alameda plaza to the church. I have a counseling appointment and since Monday is Israel's day off, he has a date scheduled that evening with his girlfriend, Janet, a member of the church. When I finish my counseling meeting I enjoy a little time to relax and unwind. I want to get something for supper before it gets dark out, so I walk to a 7-11 convenience store two blocks from church and buy a sandwich and a bag of chips. On my way there, another convoy of heavily armed police flies down the road.

stairs leading up to the apartment in church where I stay

Inside the church apartment

Back at church I head up to the little apartment I am using and relax on the bed. At about 8 p.m., as I update this journal, I am once again reminded of the Drug War affecting this city. The sounds of a car chase involving police and at least seven gun shots can be heard as the vehicles race down a nearby street.

Feeling a little grumpy and frustrated by the obstacles to the ministry which the insecurity is creating, I am really happy to receive a phone call from Rachel. Cheered up by our conversation, I clean up my mattress and go to sleep.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 23

2011-03-23T20:24:00.003-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 9:

Sunday, March 6, 2011 - in Altar, Sonora

John, Brad and I leave Altar at 8 a.m. to visit a number of John's contacts in neighboring villages. After a stop for breakfast, we drive 30 minutes into the desert to the village of San Manuel. About 70 families live in this community. There we meet with a store owner, Lupe* and speak with her for a short time. Since we still have time, we continue on to the next village, La Sangre.

Although slightly larger than San Manuel, neither village has any paved roads. They do, however, have grade schools and middle schools. (The students in middle schools are taught via satellites with a feed coming from Mexico City.) Children who are able to attend high school must travel to the nearby town of Santa Ana each day, about a half hour away. In La Sangre we meet with another store owner, Juanita*, who assists Mission to the Children with their humanitarian aid. Juanita and her father José María* are extremely friendly to us and would have chatted all day. I especially enjoy my conversation with José María, a fascinating old timer cowboy.

It is 10:30 a.m. when we leave La Sangre and we have to push it to make it back in time for Sunday worship in Altar. Fortunately, time isn't rigid down here and our 11:05 a.m. arrival time is plenty early for the 11 o'clock service.

Sometimes people are surprised to hear that most Mexican churches begin service at 11 a.m. or even later. These service times make a lot of sense once you understand Mexican meal times. Most Mexicans eat around 9 or 10 in the morning. They don't eat lunch until 2, 3 or even later in the afternoon. Work hours typically extend much later into the evening than they do in the States. Sunday worship times are later because, just like Americans, they want to eat breakfast before church!

Yesterday, Pastor Carlos asked me if I would be willing to preach. Happy to give him a Sunday off, I consented. Accustomed to these types of last minute requests, I always bring my sermon files along for just such a situation. While this may seem disorganized, there is a plus side to living in the moment. I find that people who do so tend to get much less stressed out about the future and worry less.

I preach on Psalm 23. Taking advantage of the luggage which Brad and I have along and a few extra suitcases that belong to Pastor Carlos, I compare our life to a trip. There are many who travel through Altar on their way through the desert to ultimately slip across the border. Many stores in Altar are filled with backpacks that are sold to passing travelers. I ask a young boy named Jesús to stand in front of the congregation and load him with six heavy pieces of luggage. "How would you like to travel through the desert carrying all this baggage?" I ask. The idea is ridiculous. In our life we often carry heavy baggage: guilt, fear, family troubles, financial difficulties, and many more. Jesus tells us he wants to carry our burdens for us, and in Psalm 23 God tells us how he does this. In His Word we find rest for our souls. And just as we find refreshment in an oasis such as the one David describes, so this church, where God's Word is preached, serves as an oasis from all the troubles which afflict our daily lives.

Pastor Carlos teaching and using the Proclaimer

After church Pastor Carlos teaches the adult Bible class. For part of the class, he uses the Proclaimer, an audio device that plays the verses from the New Testament (learn more about the Proclaimer here).

Sunday School class in Altar, Sonora

I decide to sit in on Sunday school. Teaching Sunday School is one of my favorite things to do, and I want to encourage the teacher to keep up her important task.

Dina and her kids

I also really enjoy the chance for fellowship afterwards. I always make sure to travel with a few recent photos of Rachel and the girls to show. Visiting the different churches and missions gives me an opportunity to create friendships throughout the country. I am especially touched by a gift that a member, Dina, asks me to give to Rachel. Dina is a young mother with two children, Luis Angel and Lizbeth. They're very active in church. Luis Angel is in third grade and has always said he wants to be a pastor when he grows up. Whenever I see him, I encourage him in this. Dina works as a seamstress, selling what she sews. She gives me a tote bag she made as a gift for Rachel.

Finally, we have to say our goodbyes. On our way out of town we make one more stop in the village of Atil to visit with another storekeeper and his wife. Rogelio* and Alejandra* welcome us into their home for coffee and snacks. As I mentioned before, our purpose for visiting with these contacts is to get a better feel for the security situation in the area. After our visits we are encouraged to see that things seem to have improved slightly since last fall. The two cartels are still present in the area, but there appears to be a precarious truce between both sides at this moment. These visits help us better determine which villages and roads are safe, and which should still be avoided.

After our stop in Atil, Brad and I head for Hermosillo, the state capital and location of the regional airport. We arrive shortly before dark and check into the Fiesta Inn hotel, a well-known hotel chain with good security. The hotel manager recommends a nearby restaurant where we can order some local food for supper.

speaking of local foods, here's Brad with one of Sonora's famously huge flour tortillas

We conclude our trip by enjoying a local beer with the meal. I have what's on tap, but Brad is feeling a bit adventurous and tries a beer mixed with clam-flavored tomato juice. I like a lot of foods, and can eat anything with a smile, but clam-flavored tomato juice mixed in my beer is one of the few things I prefer to avoid!

*names changed for privacy reasons.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 22

2011-03-22T12:18:00.004-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 8:

Saturday, March 5, 2011 in Altar, Sonora

Today is a big work day. We spend most of the day working with Carlos as he develops his ministry plan, and coordinating the work in the area with Mission to the Children, a WELS group based in Tucson, Ariz.

After a delicious breakfast of tacos dorados (deep-fried tacos), cucumbers, tomatoes, and jicama, the three of us sit down to meet. Tacos dorados are tortillas that get stuffed, rolled up, and deep fried. Vicky had stuffed some with mashed potatoes and others with a local cheese called queso fresco.

We meet until lunch; during the meeting, we help Pastor Carlos develop a personal ministry plan for the next seven months. At the end of the meeting he posts the plan on a bulletin board at the front of church. He plans to discuss it with the congregation during the coming weeks.

At 3 p.m. John arrives in time for lunch. John is a member of Mission to the Children. A former marine, he now flies 737s for Southwest Airlines. Vicky prepares another good meal for us: shrimp cocktails and crackers with homemade dressing. Even though we're in the desert, we're just two hours from the Gulf of California. This makes seafood a common sight in this area of the country; in fact, manta ray tacos are a popular food for special occasions in Altar.

After lunch we continue our meeting, this time focusing on coordinating the work in the area with Mission to the Children. We also make plans to visit a number of locals tomorrow. John wants to talk to a few of his contacts about the current security situation and I would like to be introduced to these people as well.

Pastor Carlos with his wife Vicky and son Ezra

Supper is served at 9:30 p.m. Vicky buys us each a torta de carne which she serves along with instant coffee. The torta de carne is a homemade bun filled with a meat mixture similar to tuna salad (though I don't think the meat was tuna. I didn't ask what it was, but it was good). After supper and more fellowship it is time to head for my table bed.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 21

2011-03-21T12:28:00.012-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 7:

Friday, March 4, 2011 – From Sásabe to Altar, Sonora

In the morning Pastor Alejandro makes us hot tea using water he has in reserve. The desert morning is a bit chillier than what we're used to in León and the tea is a nice way to warm up. The running water is still out so we clean up as best we can without.

Pastor Alejandro is pleased with the water situation. Even though today the water doesn't start flowing until nearly 10 a.m., most days they have water from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is much different from last year, when they went most of the year without any running water due to the conflict between two local drug cartels. The cartel that runs the nearby town cut the water in Sásabe for many months. They also blocked the roads, making access in and out of Sásabe from the south virtually impossible. Fortunately, Sásabe’s position on the Arizona border meant that supplies could still be brought to the city via the United States. However, they were unable to fix their water supply. Having water for nearly twelve hours a day - most days - becomes an exciting thing when you’re used to not having it at all.

Bernardo* and Ana* invite us over for breakfast before we leave. Ana serves delicious homemade tamales with rajas (a type of chili pepper), refried beans and coffee. After breakfast we get our car out of Bernardo’s backyard, pile our bags in, and leave. Our quick visit to Sásabe was worthwhile; we got to spend valuable time with Pastor Alejandro. On my next trip to the area I plan to spend more days with him.

Despite the fact that Bernardo assures us the roads between Sásabe and Altar are currently safe, we decide to detour through the U.S. once more. The Mexican route involves driving over a rough dirt road for some 60 miles and I am concerned about what this might do to our subcompact rental car. (The rental car company had been extremely thorough in pointing out that there were no dents or damage on the vehicle when they handed it over.)

Knowing that we'll get searched thoroughly at the border, we first search the vehicle ourselves before crossing into the U.S. We check under the hood, seats and in other spots just to make sure that no one slipped into Bernardo's yard last night and hid something in our car. There are instances where smugglers use the vehicles of unsuspecting travelers as "mules" to traffic their goods across the border. Since we spent the night in the biggest smuggling corridor between the U.S. and Mexico, we want to play it safe.

It takes us four and a half hours to travel to Altar via the U.S. and Nogales. The trip goes smoothly and we drive along well-paved highways. As we approach Altar we notice that traffic is backed up for a long way. Most drivers are out of their vehicles, talking and looking ahead. We pull alongside a semi-truck and ask the driver what’s going on. "There’s a group of people protesting and blocking traffic," he says.

Fortunately, it seems we’ve arrived as the protest is breaking up. Soon traffic slowly begins to move again. As we enter the town of Altar, we notice large crowds (for a city of 20,000) and lots of federal police and military vehicles. According to the local paper the next day, the protestors were upset about the military’s presence in Sásabe and want them to leave.

It is interesting that this reaction was so different from that of those we had just spoken with in Sásabe the previous night. As far as we could determine this means one of the following four possibilities: 1) The members in Sásabe had told us what they thought we wanted to hear (We don’t believe this to be the case). 2) There are differing opinions among the citizens of Sásabe concerning the military presence. 3) The protest was organized by the local cartel which wants the military to leave. 4) The protest was organized by an opposing political party. In our opinion, the reasons for the protest were probably a combination of options 2-4.

Altar, Sonora

The town of Altar lives up to the stereotypical Mexican desert town: dusty dirt roads, pick-up trucks, guys riding horses through town; saloons; and the occasional shoot out when tempers flare. Upon arriving we find out that tempers had flared up on Wednesday evening, and a fair amount of shooting could be heard that night.

We head straight for the church. The church and parsonage are well closed off with strong gates, high walls, and bars on the windows. We pull our car inside the compound and greet Pastor Carlos. He and his wife Vicky are a young couple with a 19-month-old boy, Ezra. They're also excited that baby number two is on the way, expected in mid August. Pastor Carlos graduated from the Mexican seminary in January 2010 and this is his first call to serve as missionary to Sonora. He serves the Altar congregation along with 12 preaching stations in nearby villages.

We arrive earlier than planned. Pastor Carlos's home phone and Internet are out, so our only form of communicating with him has been through text messaging. A nearby resident is a known cartel member and had asked to use Carlos's phone to call his wife who is in jail in the U.S. charged with smuggling. "It’s one of those requests you can't refuse," explains Carlos. The phone and Internet were cut off because the bill ran so high. Yet, it isn’t wise for Carlos to pay it himself as he doesn’t want to give the impression of having access to a lot of money. So he just has to wait patiently for the matter to resolve itself. A lot of what is occurring in Mexico regularly reminds us that God is in control.

When we arrive Vicky and Ezra are out – earlier that day they left to go to Caborca. About a half hour away, Caborca is the big town in the region. There are many stores there and prices are much better. Since Vicky is known in the neighborhood as being a good driver, a neighbor had asked if she’d be willing to drive her into town for some supplies. Vicky took advantage of the trip to buy food and let Ezra play in a park. They had driven to Caborca in the neighbor’s car because the vehicle Carlos and Vicky use has been impounded. It is a U.S. vehicle and didn’t have the proper papers for travel in Mexico. They had been able to get the vehicle out of the impound yard, but they hadn't been able to get it back home. Their van is parked at a friend's house in Caborca and to get it back to Altar they need to drive it past a check point. They want to get the vehicle legally registered with Mexican plates, but first they need to get it back to their house in Altar. Officials had told them they need an American to drive it through the check point.

Getting the van off the rocks

Brad and I offer to help them out. After lunch, Pastor Carlos, Brad and I drive to Caborca in our rental car to get their van. We find the van propped up on rocks because the air in one of the tires is very low. We get it off the rocks and slowly drive it to the gas station to fill the tire, then on to a mechanics to have the tire patched.

The man who patches the tire is of Pápago descent, a local native tribe. He proudly tells us the story of why Caborca is officially named Heróica Caborca (The Heroic Caborca.) Back in the early 20th century, the Mexican rebel leader Pancho Villa crossed with a raiding party into the town of Columbus, New Mexico. In retaliation, the American army chased Villa back into Mexico, trying to capture him. A small detachment of American soldiers ended up in Caborca. The locals weren't happy with their presence and surrounded the troops. A Pápago man shot a flaming arrow through a small window in the building where the U.S. soldiers had barricaded themselves. The smoke from the fire forced the Americans out of their stronghold and the Mexicans chased them out of town. For this reason the word heroic was added to the town's name. Each summer the city hosts a four-day celebration to commemorate the event.

With the tire patched, Brad drives the van and I follow in the little blue Tsuru. Carlos rides with Brad to negotiate with the officials at the check point. Fortunately, we have no troubles and they let the van right through. I think the official is pretty bored waving cars through a check point along an isolated stretch of highway. In addition to a few basic questions, the smiling official asks me if I speak French or German! We arrive back at the church just as it is getting dark. Vicky and Ezra are back from Caborca as well. Besides being able to help out a brother with a need, the trip was a good chance to chat about ministry and enjoy some fellowship together.

Vicky is tired after spending all day in Caborca, so she and Ezra head to bed. We get supper from a nearby taco stand and bring it back to the parsonage to eat. After supper and some more fellowship, it's time for bed.

inside of church in Altar

Brad and I stay right in the church. We knew what our sleeping arrangements would be, and Brad had brought along two sleeping bags in his luggage. Carlos has an air mattress for Brad. I prefer a slightly harder surface and lay a folding table on the floor with a blanket covering it. Using another blanket for a pillow, I crawl into my sleeping bag and sleep soundly.

*names changed for privacy reasons.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 20

2011-03-20T21:20:00.010-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 6:

Thursday, March 3, 2011 - Mexico City to Sonora

Today is another full day of travel. I wake up at 3:30 a.m. to catch a 6:20 a.m. flight from Mexico City to Hermosillo, the capital of the state of Sonora. The flight lasts just under three hours. I arrive in Hermosillo at 8:00 a.m. due to the time change. Most of Mexico is on Mexican central time. However, four western states - including Sonora - are an hour earlier. And Baja California is actually on the same time as California.

When I arrive in Hermosillo, I rent a small blue-gray Nissan Tsuru. This is, I believe, only the second time I have ever rented a vehicle while traveling in Mexico. Typically, Mexico has good public transportation and inexpensive taxi services which makes car rentals unnecessary. However, on this occasion we want to take extra precautions due to the security concerns. Two recommendations for the area are to travel by private vehicle rather than public transportation, and to travel only during daylight hours. By renting a car we can do both.

I am looking forward to meeting up with Missionary Brad today. Brad is accompanying me on the Sonora portion of my mission tour. As a missionary called to Mexico, his main responsibility is evangelism in León. But since he is new to the field I felt he would benefit from the opportunity to get to know other areas in Mexico where we are carrying out mission work. It will be a blessing for his ministry to have a broader perspective on the mission work going on throughout the country. It is also a good opportunity for him to get to know our two Mexican pastors serving in Sonora. These two Mexican pastors are extremely isolated and the fellowship that comes from meeting other pastors is important for them.

Brad is scheduled to arrive in Hermosillo at noon, which means I have a few free hours before I meet up with him. I take advantage of the time and visit the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo. While there, I sign up to receive updates from the consulate concerning the security situation in the region. I also gather some specific information about getting visas for our Mexican pastors living in Sonora. Neither of our pastors in Sonora is able to legally enter the United States. It is a long and complicated process to obtain a tourist visa to be able to enter the U.S. This process can be additionally complicated since they are young men, and in Pastor Alejandro's case, single. We've been encouraging them to get their visas, and I want to know if there is anything we can do to help them.

I make one other quick stop to buy water. Driving through lonely stretches of desert, I always like to have a jug of water in the trunk just in case. In the Midwest you learn to keep a sleeping bag in the trunk during the winter in case of emergencies. In the desert it's water.

Today is also a good example of the many U.S. restaurant chains in Mexico. For breakfast I eat a McMuffin at McDonalds, and for lunch a chicken sandwich to go from Carl's Jr.

map of northern Sonora and southern Arizona

Brad arrives on time. We jump in the car and head out. We need to push it because we are scheduled to meet with Pastor Alejandro and local church leaders in Sásabe, Sonora, at 6 p.m. And, as I mentioned, we want to get our traveling done during daylight hours. After a quick stop at Carl's Jr, we drive out of town and head for Nogales. It's about a 180- mile trip from Hermosillo to Nogales, Mexico. We travel along a very nice four lane toll highway, making just one stop for insurance. Since we are traveling into the U.S. we need to buy U.S. car insurance. After paying our first toll, we stop at a little insurance shop and purchase a 24-hour U.S. insurance policy for our rental car.

Without any further delays, we arrive at the border. Along the way we did have to slow down at a number of military and immigration check points. A soldier at a check point questioned us, but let us continue on without any trouble. It was also common to see police convoys and military stationed along the road. These are actually reassuring sites, as it gives the impression that this portion of highway appears to be well under government control.

When we arrive at the border we pay our toll and get ready to go through the border control point on the U.S. side. The wait is actually quite short. There are only a dozen or so vehicles in front of us. After 30 minutes it is our turn. The U.S. border agent takes our passports, checks us out on his computer, asks us numerous questions and inspects the vehicle. Satisfied, he lets us through and we're in the United States!

We stop at a Shell's gas station located right after the border check point to fill up with gas and buy a soda. From bathrooms located inside convenient stores to U.S. pop brands and snack items to having to pump your own gas, the differences between the U.S. and Mexico really jump out at me upon entering the States. Fortunately, the lady behind the counter at the gas station speaks to us in Spanish, making us feel at home.

After our stop we get onto I-19 and continue our drive toward Sásabe, Mexico. As I mentioned, our reason for making the detour into the U.S. is because of the bad report we had received concerning the roads to Sásabe on the Mexican side. It takes us just under two hours to get to Sásabe from Nogales, Ariz.

After a brief stay on I-19, we head west along a beautiful and empty stretch of highway that parallels the Coronado National Forest. Midwesterners should not think of winding roads with tall trees. Big blue sky, vast empty stretches and occasional forests of saguaro cacti are the view we enjoy during our travels today. For a guy who grew up in the desert, this is a very pleasant drive.

Along our way we pass by the small Arizona towns of Amado and Arivaca. These little towns really jump out at me: all the neat looking homes, everything seems so orderly and structured. There are pretty little schoolhouses in each town and even a sign for a public library in Arivaca. The differences between small U.S. villages and similarly sized Mexican villages is striking.

The drive is nice, and soon we are back at the U.S./Mexico border. Sasabe, Arizona and Sásabe, Sonora, Mexico are isolated border towns. As we drive through the border crossing to re-enter Mexico, we are stopped by five armed U.S. customs agents. They ask us to get out and stand to the side while they carefully search through our vehicle, opening luggage, looking under the hood, and going over everything in great detail. While some search, others ask us probing questions about our trip. I assume they don't get too many Americans who live in central Mexico, drive a rental car from Hermosillo and want to enter Sásabe to spend the night visiting with people at a local church! When we explain our reasoning for detouring through the U.S, one of the U.S. customs agents’ comments strikes me. "It’s like the wild west over there," he says. An apt description in my opinion.

After passing through the U.S. side we are searched again on the Mexican side. We're the only vehicle crossing the border at this particular location, but it takes us more time to cross at Sásabe than at Nogales. Finally, we're safely back in good ol' Mexico! I've lived down here long enough that I always get a feeling of coming home whenever I re-enter Mexico.

Sásabe, Sonora

When we reach Sásabe, it's just a short drive through town to the Cordero de Dios (Lamb of God) church. However, once again the differences between the U.S. and Mexico are stark. Here we bump along dirt roads peppered with potholes, and pass small shacks before arriving at the nice little church building. Pastor Alejandro and a couple of members are waiting for us. It is 6:10 p.m. when we arrive. The meeting was scheduled to begin at 6, so according to Mexican time keeping techniques, we are right on time! (Early really.)

After waiting a little while longer for a few more to arrive, we begin our meeting. In addition to Brad, Pastor Alejandro and me, there are four lay members. Bernardo*, a local store keeper and rancher is one of the leaders in the congregation. He has served as delegate for the congregation at national church conventions. Martha*, president of the women's group is here and so is Hilda*, a new prospect whom I hadn't met before. She excitedly announces that she is getting confirmed on March 20th. She was curious what this meeting with some missionaries was all about, so Pastor Alejandro invited her to come along and see what was going on. Finally, John, an attorney from Tucson, Ariz., is present as well. John has been actively involved in this congregation for a long time via a WELS group from Tucson known as Mission to the Children. Recently, he actually transferred his membership from his WELS congregation in Tucson to the Mexican Lutheran church in Sásabe. Between Pastor Alejandro, Bernardo, three out of the four adult male members of the congregation are present at the meeting. This lack of male membership is a challenge in many Mexican churches.

We have a short devotion and prayer, then begin our meeting. The main purpose of this visit is to encourage and council the congregation. We listen to the congregation's current blessings and challenges. We also listen to some of the challenges the community has faced recently due to the Drug War in the region. Concerning the Drug War, they all agree that things are actually better in town right now that they were a few months ago. For much of last year Sásabe did not have any running water - it had been cut off by one of the cartels. However, now their water is working and they even have a visible military presence in town (the town has no police force). The military is patrolling the streets so it is even safe to go out after dark. The one headache is that the military is also regularly entering and searching everyone's homes. The members all have stories of recent military searches in their homes. Martha says she happily served the soldiers breakfast when they searched her house. All that day the soldiers had been pestering Bernardo and searching his property. He was frustrated that they had broken one of his windows when then entered rather than knocking.

As far as the congregation, things are going quite well. There have been numerous recent confirmations, and people really seem to appreciate their pastor. One challenge is that a nearby church is giving away bread if you attend their service. It is a temptation for some members, who despite recognizing that the other congregation is not teaching the truth, are drawn to the free handouts.

Brad and Pastor Alejandro

When the meeting is over, we hang around and talk with Pastor Alejandro for awhile before heading over to Bernardo and his wife Ana*'s house around 9:30 p.m. for supper. Supper begins with coffee and bread, followed by a spicy pork dish with refried beans and homemade flour tortillas.

After supper we head to Pastor Alejandro's house to spend the night. He lives in a very nice three-bedroom home; a big house for one guy! The city shuts off running water at 8 p.m. Still, we enjoy some quality time together before turning in. All in all, it is a great end to a long day of travel.

*names changed for privacy reasons.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 19

2011-03-19T22:30:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 5:

Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - Majahual to Mexico City

Today is another day of travel. I leave Jerry and Lynn's home at 7:30 in the morning to start my journey to Mexico City. I have good company during the first leg of this trip: traveling with me are Ralph, Roxie, Jorge and Kerry. Together we drive two hours to the city of Chetumal. Chetumal is the state capital and my travel companions want to take advantage of the trip into the capital to run some errands. Ralph and Roxie need to stop at the immigration office to get permission to leave the country on Friday. Kerry wants to begin the process of obtaining a more permanent visa.

Since Chetumal is the big city in the area, they also plan to take care of some shopping while there. Jorge needs a copier/printer. He also wants to make copies of some of Ralph's materials. In addition, there are large grocery stores (even Sam's Club!) in Chetumal. Most people who live in Majahual travel to Chetumal at least once a month to shop and do other business. In fact, we find out that those with electricity have to go to Chetumal to pay their electric bill!

I part ways with the others in Chetumal and head to the airport. This isn't the first time I've flown out of the Chetumal airport, yet I am always taken aback by how tiny it is. Currently, there is only one commercial flight a day! Interjet Airlines flies once a day between Chetumal and Mexico City. There are plans to expand the airport as more people come to this growing area of the country, but so far almost everyone flies into Cancún's airport up north (which I did on my way to Majahual).

About 130 passengers cram into the Chetumal airport for the flight. Together we are shuffled through the check-in counter, past immigration and security and then around the corner into a small waiting room. I think I've been in homes in the U.S. that are larger than the Chetumal airport. You can imagine how packed the waiting room is.

After the plane arrives and the passengers debark, we walk out onto the tarmac and settle in for an easy two-hour flight to Mexico City.

Mexico City

The differences between Majahual and Mexico City are immense. About 24 million people live in Mexico's capital, making it one of the largest cities in the world. It is also home to the largest and busiest airport in Latin America. Upon arrival I find a room at a nearby hotel. After a quick lunch, I head out to make a short visit to our church in Mexico City and deliver some correspondence to the church leaders there.

After stopping by the church to drop off some correspondence, I call Pastor Alejandro in Sonora state in order to finalize our plans for tomorrow. Missionary Brad and I plan to meet up in Hermosillo, the capital of the state of Sonora, tomorrow. Together we'll travel up to the town of Altar.

We plan to spend a couple of days visiting with both Mexican pastors in the area. However, Pastor Alejandro informs me in our phone conversation that he's having a hard time find a ride to Altar. He lives in the small town of Sásabe, located right on the border with Arizona, about two hours north of Altar. This area is currently in dispute by two different cartels and traveling either of the two roads between Altar and Sásabe can be risky at times.

After discussing the situation with Pastor Alejandro, we decide that rather than have him try to get to Altar, Missionary Brad and I can more easily go to him in Sásabe. Since Pastor Alejandro does not have a visa to travel into the U.S., he, and many other residences, are unable to leave town at the moment. Brad and I, however, can travel into Sásabe by crossing the border at Nogales, Arizona and traveling along the Arizona side, entering Mexico once again at Sásabe. We decide that it is important for us to visit personally with Pastor Alejandro and determine to make these changes to our itinerary.

This is an example of how important it is to know and be aware of the security situation in different areas of the country. Some highways, such as the highway between Hermosillo and Nogales, are safe to drive on during the day. Other roads, such as the roads into Sásabe on the Mexican side, are not safe. As missionaries serving people in these areas, you need to stay in touch with trusted locals and follow their advice.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 18

2011-03-18T21:30:00.009-06:00

sunrise in Majahual

Deb was confirmed today! This is the first confirmation to be held in the Costa Maya region!

In the morning we go back into town so Ralph and Roxie can continue to say farewell to people and introduce them to Pastor Jorge. Along the way we stop for breakfast at Adriana's restaurant. Adriana is a prospect and has a little family run restaurant. About 10 white plastic tables are set up on the beach. You sit down and her husband takes your order. He then runs a block back to their house where Adriana prepares the meal. This creates a lot of running back and forth for the waiter, but I can understand why they do it. It’s the perfect view of the Caribbean that draws customers. And once you’ve tried Adriana's cooking, you will want to come back. I enjoy huevos motuleños – fried eggs served over tortillas and refried beans, topped with a tomato-based sauce and fried plantains.

fishermen in foreground; cruise ship docked at Majahual in background

Today is also the first day since I arrived that a cruise ship shows up in port. According to the locals, about 300 cruise ships are scheduled to dock this year. This is by far the main source of income for the town. "The big one" comes on Wednesdays. Between passengers and crew nearly 9,000 people ride on the largest of these ships! As we eat and then stroll through town, tourists begin to filter in among us.

Deb's confirmation

After spending the morning in town, we return to Jerry and Lynn's home. The afternoon is spent finishing the orientation process for Jorge and Kerry. In the evening, it is time for our special confirmation celebration. As there is no Lutheran church building as of yet - only preaching stations in bars and on beaches – we decide to hold the service in Jerry and Lynn's living room. I believe all the Lutherans in Majahual gathered for the special event!

Deb and Hugh

Deb and her husband Hugh are originally from South Carolina. About seven years ago they packed up their things, piled them into a truck and trailer, and moved out here. They now live in a small one-room house and work as caretakers for some of the properties in the area. Their home may be small, Hugh likes to say, but the view from the porch can't be beat! They live right on the Caribbean! I can remember meeting Deb two years ago when I made my first visit to the area. At the time she was a brand new believer, eagerly soaking up what Scripture had to say to her. Witnessing her journey towards becoming a confessional Lutheran has been an awesome reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit. It was a very special night.

Deb is also a good example of the high number of expats living in the Costa Maya region. This stresses the importance of carrying out a bilingual ministry in the area. Pastor Jorge leads the service and Pastor Ralph translates it into English. We also sing Amazing Grace, Now the Light has Gone Away, and Till We Meet Again in English.

Deb with Pastor Jorge and his wife Kerry

Pastor Jorge was called to be a missionary to the Costa Maya. And as I watch him lead in Spanish, work through a translator, and stumble with the little English he knows, my mind flashes to the many WELS missionaries, new on their fields, who have had to work through the language barrier themselves. Fortunately, Jorge benefits from being married to an American English teacher and is planning to begin formal English studies soon. Who would have thought that a Mexican missionary to his own country would need to learn English?! In some ways there are similarities between the Mexican church's first missionaries and WELS' first missionaries called to Arizona more than a century ago.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 17

2011-03-17T21:09:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 3:

Monday, February 28, 2011 - in Majahual

Most of today is spent with Pastor Jorge orientating him to the work in Costa Maya. In the afternoon we work together to develop a short-term ministry plan for the next few months.

However, we first head out in the morning with Missionary Ralph to get an overview of the city. It has been a real blessing for the work here that "retired" Missionary Ralph and his wife Roxanne were willing to come out here as volunteers for 6 months. They arrived in the fall and plan to leave on Friday (March 4th).

Ralph and Jorge on the beach - Ralph helped with the orientation process

Spending the morning walking the town with Ralph and Jorge is a good reminder of why it is so important for an evangelist to simply spend as much time as possible out among the people. While walking the boardwalk along the beach, we run into Rebecca. She is in town visiting a friend who owns a home here and has been a regular at worship on Sunday. However, when we find Rebecca, she has just suffered a fainting spell in a local restaurant and injured herself with her fall. There’s only one doctor in Majahual and he serves at a clinic which is smaller than most garages of a typical Midwestern home. There is an ambulance, but apparently no one knows how to drive it. We stay around and help track down the doctor. After a short wait both doctor and nurse arrive. They quickly determine that Rebecca needs to go to the hospital. However, the nearest one is in the city of Chetumal, a two-hour drive away. I help Rebecca into her friend’s vehicle and the doctor and nurse climb in afterward. The following day we discover that Rebecca suffered a serious concussion as a result of her fall. She will have to spend a few days in the hospital for observation and postpone her flight home for a couple weeks. Ralph and Jorge plan to visit her in the hospital on Wednesday after dropping me off at the airport.

After that bit of excitement, we receive a phone call from a prospect, Nivardo. He attended worship on Sunday with his family and a friend of his, Chalino, is currently going through some difficult times. Nivardo wonders if we'd be willing to stop and see his friend. We are right in the area and it turns out to be a great opportunity for Pastor Jorge to make his first pastor's visit.

Chalino's house

Personally, I think these instances demonstrate an opportunity that Jorge has as pastor in Mahahual. There currently is no other pastor serving the town. When he introduces himself, he simply states, "Hi, I’m the new pastor for Majahual." And people seem generally pleased to find out that their town now has a pastor. This opens doors for him. For a guy who's used to living in larger cities, it is a very different perspective.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 16

2011-03-16T11:48:00.009-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we'll continue Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives an account of day 2:

Sunday, February 27, 2011 - in Majahual

Today was the first day I ever held an ordination in a bar. It was also the first time I ever did a commissioning on a beach. What an exciting opportunity God is presenting us with in Majahual! Allow me to explain.

Pastor Jorge and his wife Kerry just arrived here. Jorge is a recent graduate of our seminary in Mexico. He was called by the Mexican Lutheran church to serve as missionary to the Costa Maya region on Mexico’s east coast. This is a neat opportunity for the Lutheran church to establish a church in a growing area of the country where there are currently very few churches.

The Costa Maya region is being developed to become a tourist center. It is the home to the world’s largest cruise ship dock. Every week during high season ships come from all over bringing thousands to the Majahual port town. This in turn brings Mexican families to the area looking for work.

At this time there are two small preaching stations in the Costa Maya region. A mixed group of Mexicans and foreigners meet every Sunday in Majahual. The owner of a local restaurant/bar allows them to use his place on Sunday mornings for worship.

In the afternoon we travel up to the tiny fishing village of Pulticub. Here a worship service is held right on the beach.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Jorge getting ordained at the Corona House -

Jorge getting commissioned as missionary to the Costa Maya region on the beach -

Picture of a scorpion Jerry found in the bathroom of his home in the morning (another kind of excitement!) -

March Monthly Blogging - Day 15

2011-03-15T11:24:00.015-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Today we're going to start Mike's recap of his latest missionary trip. Here, Mike gives a short intro and then recounts the events of day one:

People often ask me, "What's it like to be a missionary?" The term "missionary" is quite broad: in many cases, a missionary will have a specific role that he carries out in the country where he's living and working. My current role is field coordinator.

As field coordinator for the church in Mexico, one of my main responsibilities is to serve as counselor for the churches and pastor to the Mexican pastors. This means that I regularly pack my bags and head out to personally work with the different congregations and pastors throughout the country. This year I decided to combine my visits to a number of congregations as a more time- and cost-efficient way of working. It also gives me a chance to head out and get an overview of our sister synod in Mexico. How is the church in Mexico faring? How are the current challenges affecting the work of the church in the different areas of the country? I hoped to answer these questions on this trip.

For 16 days I traveled from one end to the other of the 10th largest country in the world. From the megalopolis of Mexico City to the rustic fishing village of Pulticub, from the modern Monterrey to dusty Sonoran desert towns, this trip gave me a good opportunity to see the state of our Lutheran church in Mexico. Since so many people support the work going on in Mexico through their congregational mission offerings as well as personal gifts, I thought I would keep a record of my trip in order to encourage you as we work together to bring the message of hope and salvation to the world’s lost.

Note: I have purposefully tried to avoid using last names, and have changed a few of the first names of lay people for the sake of privacy.

Saturday, February 26, 2011 – From León to Mahahual

Mexico is a large country and in order to visit the different churches you have to spend time on the road. Today marks a day of travel. My journey takes me from the central Mexican city of León, located in the breadbasket of Mexico, out to the east Mexican coastal town of Majahual (Ma-ha-WALL) where the Caribbean sparkles its famous blue.

I leave home at 4:45am and take a taxi to the airport. From León I will fly to Cancún with a layover in Mexico City. As my plane pulls into the gate at Cancún, I look out the window. It seems like every airline in the world offers a flight to Cancún. There are a couple of airlines I've never heard of. It's about 1 p.m. by the time I pick my luggage up off the conveyor belt.

Buses leave directly from the airport to nearby resort towns. I discover that the first bus heading south leaves in about an hour. This gives me enough time to grab a Cuban sandwich for lunch. The bus arrives on time and we board it for the one-hour ride down to the coastal town of Playa del Carmen. The bus (pictured above) is very modern and we travel down a nice four-lane divided highway.

The bus station in Playa is right on the beach. I have a half-hour wait in Playa before my next bus which will continue to take me south, so I stretch my legs along the boardwalk. There are LOTS of tourists here. It feels very strange for everyone to address me in English. I've never lived in a touristy area of Mexico and am not used to this.

From Playa's bus station it is another four hours south to the little town of Limones. This bus is quite a bit older than the first. The farther we travel south, the less touristy things get. The highway actually bends slightly west away from the beach as we travel through the Sian Ka'an natural reserve, which has been aside by the Mexican government as an area that won't be developed. Once we're on the other side of the reserve, we arrive in the town of Limones. Jerry and Lynn are waiting for me at the bus stop with their pick-up. As WELS members from northern Wisconsin, Jerry and Lynn own a home in Majahual. From Limones it is one more hour east to their home.

Jerry and Lynn are gracious enough to offer to host me during my visit to Majahual. They own a beautiful beach house just yards from the Caribbean, quite the spot to begin my trip through Mexico. Earlier in the day I discovered that today is Jerry's birthday. In celebration, we enjoy a dinner of spaghetti and chocolate brownies for supper.

It was after 8:15 at night by the time I made it to their house. All in all, the trip took 15 and a half hours on 1 taxi, 2 planes, 2 buses and a pick-up truck. But it's good to be here. Tomorrow should be an exciting day!

(Distance traveled: 1,290 miles by air; 230 miles by land)

Aside:
If you follow along as I recount my trip, you'll notice that the need for flexibility is a regular theme in world mission work. My schedule and plans regularly change. Today is no exception: During my layover in Mexico City, I phone pastors Ezequiel and Alejandro. The night before I received a concerning email from Pastor Carlos regarding the security situation in Altar and Sásabe (cities located in the state of Sonora, close to the Mexico/Arizona border). Apparently a policeman was killed recently in Sásabe and the Federal Police responded by searching everyone's home in town. Pastor Alejandro, who lives in Sásabe, confirmed this fact. However, he said that his home had not yet been searched. My next stop after Mahahual is Sonora and he hoped to have a chance to talk to me when I visit. However, due to the insecurity, he wasn't sure if would be able to get out of town and meet me in Altar as originally planned. I promised to make sure I would organize my schedule in order to visit him if at all possible. During the day, I also attempted a number of times to call Pastor Carlos, who lives in Altar. I never got through. His phone is very likely out of service, a common occurrence.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 14

2011-03-14T20:36:00.004-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Mike's washing the dishes as I write this...ah how I love that first-day-back-after-a-long-trip. But not just for the dishes, of course (though you'll never hear me complain that someone else is washing my dishes). The girls have been on cloud nine all day, and are so happy to have Daddy back.

The trip Mike took was similar to a tour: he visited five different areas of Mexico where the Mexican Lutheran Church is currently working. Along the way, he kept a journal of his travels. He also took some great pictures.

During the next days, I'll be posting his journal entries from the trip. These entries will give you a glimpse of what Mike does, how travel in Mexico works, and several fun cultural bits. It will also provide a good opportunity to share some of the blessings and challenges the Mexican Lutheran Church is currently facing. I've read about half of his travel entries so far - so absorbing!

Check in tomorrow, as we'll be switching from the "home alone missionary wife" tales to the "missionary on the road" adventures. See you then!

March Monthly Blogging - Day 13

2011-03-13T23:14:00.004-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

I made Trinity cry today in Sunday School.

Since the congregation in León is currently in its beginning stages, we have just one class for children while a Bible study is held for adults. This one-hour class takes place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sundays, and is followed by the worship for the day. Currently Trinity and Noelle are usually the two students in the Sunday School class (though we have had quite a few families with children come to worship, but like I said, we're still in the beginning phases).

Today's lesson focused on Jesus' transfiguration, and how he is true God, meaning he doesn't ever sin. With just Trinity and Noelle in the class, I catered the lesson to four-year-old Trinity while making sure two-year-old Noelle didn't eat crayons or write on the walls of the room.

To explain the concept of sin, I talked to Trinity about how when we do bad things, that's a sin. She quicky rattled off many of Noelle's sins: hitting, crying, not listening to Mommy, etc. When I asked Trinity if she ever did bad things too, she solemnly shook her head no. "I am not naughty," she told me. And then, as if to further explain, she added, "Boys are naughty. Not girls."

Having just spent the entire weekend with Trinity, I began pointing out a few of her less-than-stellar moments in the previous 48 hours, and explaining how those were sins. She responded to each one with comments such as: "But I didn't hit like Noelle."

Not wanting to get into an argument with my four-year-old, I moved on to talk about how we all sin, and only Jesus is perfect (no sin). Trinity's eyes grew wide. "But I'm perfect too!" No, sweety, you're not, I replied. Just Jesus is.

Trinity sat and thought about this for awhile; then burst into tears. When I asked what was wrong, she simply said, "But I want to be good."

Whether her conscience was plagued, or she simply realized today that she is not perfect, I'm not sure. Fortunately, because the class size was so small, I could wrap her in my arms until she calmed down and assure her that while only Jesus is perfect, he loves us and forgives all of our sins.

She calmed down after about five minutes. Throughout the rest of the day, however, she would occasionally ask me if she or Noelle (mostly Noelle) had just sinned. Great opportunities for more law/Gospel presentations to the four-year-old :).

p.s. Mike is scheduled to arrive soon - yeah! Tomorrow we'll start a recap of his trip.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 12

2011-03-12T22:08:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

This post's title: Walking in the Sunshine

One thing I've loved since Day 1 of living in León is our location. We are within walking distance of so many things (I wrote a little more about this here). In the last few days, I have walked to and from:
- Trinity's school
- Wal-Mart
- The nearby farm

We have also made regular "circles," as Trinity calls them, around our neighborhood. We live in a closed community that's built in a triangular form. Almost every afternoon, the girls and I make a loop or two around the neighborhood.

We've also recently walked to:
- the mall
- Starbucks
- a nearby taco restaurant
- Carl's Jr.
- Sam's Club

About six months ago, I could fit both girls in the stroller, so our walks often looked like this:

But now they have grown and can no longer share a stroller, at least not comfortably. So I usually pull out one stroller and the girls take turns sitting in it and walking, or helping me push the stroller. It works out well.

While it's nice to have a car, I also like the chance to get to the places I need to go without it - and it's almost always sunny here (clouds? what are those?), so it's a good way to enjoy the nice weather as well.

Tomorrow Mike starts his journey home. I may have to take the girls on a longer-than-usual walk in the afternoon, in an attempt to shed some of my energy - I'm usually full of vigor after Mike's been gone awhile and I know he's about to get on an airplane that will lead to home...

March Monthly Blogging - Day 11

2011-03-11T21:18:00.004-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

This post's title: Making the Most of the Time on the Road

I spoke with Mike on the phone for about four minutes earlier today - actually less, if you consider that he also chatted with Trinity and Noelle during that time. He called us during a short break. He had meetings scheduled today with several pastors and lay leaders in northern Mexico. They met all day, and when he called, they were about to start another session at 7:30 p.m. He didn't know how long it would go; perhaps well into the evening/early morning tomorrow.

Mike often says that when he travels, he packs in as much work as he can. I usually talk to him, or catch an email from him, as he's in between flights, bus rides, meetings, or counseling sessions. He tends to plug away on his laptop while traveling, and also uses it as a time to catch up on correspondence.

This generally works out to our benefit: I know when Mike gets home next week, he'll take a little down time to catch up with the family, read to the girls, etc. I already snagged him for a date night next week, too!

And this year, Mike has a few extra incentives - well, mostly one - to get in the traveling he needs to before summer hits. Baby #3 is due in mid-July (though I did just tell him to go ahead and schedule a workshop he plans to lead here in León that ends right when the baby is due, but I think this is more of a case of "the-third-child-anything-goes" than trying to fit in too much - besides, if the baby comes, I'll just have more visitors from the workshop attendees to share in our joy!).

Also, whenever Mike's gone, I am reminded of the balance he pulls off: when he's home, he makes plenty of time for us, fully supports my current pursuits, and is a very involved Daddy.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 10

2011-03-10T20:26:00.006-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Here's my sleepy four-year-old plowing through her homework this morning:

Since she started school last August, Trinity has brought home homework nearly every day from school. She often has to draw or trace numbers and letters. She also has to occasionally make collages of things, color specific objects, draw shapes, or trace figures. Her assignment is usually based off of something the kids have learned in school that day.

Every day her teacher sends home a small notebook. Inside, on one of the sheets, she lists what the homework for the day is. Parents are asked to help their children, but only through verbal instruction; the kids should be doing the actual work on their own.

Recently, Trinity's homework has increased from one page a day to two pages. As a general rule of thumb, we do homework in the afternoon before supper, or just after supper and before bed. Noelle usually "joins" us, coloring or drawing on a separate piece of paper.

These days, with single parenting, I haven't always had a chance to do homework the day Trinity receives it. Which means I need to allow enough time the following morning to get it done. This morning Trinity's assignment took about 15 minutes to complete.

While assigning daily homework to three- and four-year-olds, after they've spent five hours in school that day, may seem over the top, we've adjusted well to it. This way, I get a chance to see what Trinity is learning in school, how she's progressing, etc.

Homework - and lots of it - is pretty typical in schools throughout Mexico. The idea is to have kids continue learning at home, get the parents involved, and so forth. Trinity also has had numerous projects, such as a science experiment and timeline of her life, that parents participate in as well.

Besides, the feeling of accomplishment after completing a tough assignment can't be beat:

March Monthly Blogging - Day 9

2011-03-09T21:32:00.006-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

We had a special service to kick off Lent at the mission here in León this evening. This time last year there wasn't an Ash Wednesday service at all... now we had a full house. Always a thrill!

To be honest, I wasn't terribly excited about the church service. Last year, I spent the entire Ash Wednesday service in the nursery with the kids (this was in a church in Texas - at the time Mike was traveling around Mexico, looking for a place for us to live since we had to leave Torreón, and I was hanging out in the safety of the U.S. with the kids...) Anyway, I didn't know how the kids would hold up.

Good news - both of the girls made it through the whole service! What a difference a year makes.

For this service, we had a ceniza (ash) session, during which those who wanted ashes placed on their foreheads could come forward and receive them. As Missionary Brad Krause dipped his hand in a bowl of ashes and made the sign of the cross on people's foreheads, he said, "Polvo eres y al polvo volverás" (Dust you are and to dust you shall return - Genesis 3:19).

Getting ashes on one's forehead is a common thing to do on Ash Wednesday, even in other churches here in Mexico. At our Lutheran churches, we emphasize the fact that getting ashes on your head doesn't earn any forgiveness; it is simply a reminder of our need to repent and God's abundant grace.

From Mexico, we wish you all blessings during this Lenten season. May it be one of contrition, renewal, and continual reminders of God's wondrous Love.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 8

2011-03-08T21:56:00.002-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

This post is called: what we ate for lunch today.

Here it is folded up -

and now spread out, measuring nearly two feet in diameter -

paper thin and easily torn -

The girls and I love this treat from Sonora, a nothern Mexican state. Best of all, Mike sent it to us! Missionary Brad Krause, who lives in León, spent the weekend on the road with Mike. Together they visited the Lutheran congregations and pastors in northern Mexico, in an area known for these tortillas. The flour-based tee-ya (as Noelle calls it) is unlike any other tortilla I've had in Mexico. It is so big and thin that people often tear it into pieces and then eat it, which is what I did for the girls.

Mike sent the tortillas, along with some clothes for me to wash, with Brad back to León. Brad dropped them off this morning. The girls are excited - they knew that Uncle Brad would come back to León first, and then Daddy! We're counting down the days till Daddy gets home, just six more to go...

March Monthly Blogging - Day 7

2011-03-07T21:52:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Here, in no particular order, are four things I love about León -

#1

#2

#3

and #4

I'm taking advantage of Mike being gone to do some things I know he won't mind missing. I can't imagine telling him what the girls and I did this afternoon - went shoe shopping - and hearing him say, "Oh I'm sorry I didn't get to go along."

Though I admit when I first arrived at the shoe mall (yes I said shoe mall - there are several shoe malls in town, actually...this is the type of hardship I face as a missionary wife here: trying to decide which shoe store to start at...anyway, what was I saying) I wondered if my plan was about to backfire on me. This actual thought went through my mind as I tried to juggle the children, stroller, and my pregnant self out of the car and into the first store.

But then I remembered - I have been training these girls from day one. They are excellent shoppers. They happily tried on shoes, pranced around the store (okay more like clomped, I think they found the new feel interesting), told me if the shoes were too tight, and were oh-so-happy to walk out of the mall with two new pairs of shoes each. That, and we moved at an appropriate toddler/preschooler speed. We were done within an hour.

And now, we are ready for spring! Highs are in the 70s and 80s these days, just perfect for pulling out sandals.

March Monthly Blogging - Day 6

2011-03-06T22:45:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging daily this month. Check the previous posts if you're just tuning in and want to catch up.

Last Friday Trinity came home with a book to read over the weekend, and a survey for me to fill out. Her school runs a reading program, in which they send a book home with Trinity each weekend for us to read together. She takes the book back on Monday. The survey I was to fill out asked questions about the reading program: if we liked it, if we thought it was beneficial, etc.

Overall, I like the program, but Trinity has been coming home with the book pictured above almost every week for the last five weeks. At the end of the survey, I found a space where I could add comments or suggestions. I almost wrote that they could use a wider variety in books - I mean, just how beneficial is a reading program if you keep sending home the same book?

Before I penned an answer, however, another possible explanation crossed my mind. I asked Trinity if her maestra (teacher) just gives her a book or if she gets to choose. "I pick," she responded. Oh, is this one your favorite? "Yes, I love it so much."

It seems my bilingual girl has favorite books in both English and Spanish.

p.s. Noelle did do well in church today. Hurray Noelle!