To life!

caterpillars

The days of the dead are observed in Mexico for a week, starting end of October and ending November 2.  During the week, families put together altars, strew trails of marigold petals leading up to their houses, and hold services to remember their dead and invite the spirits to return.

gluing eyes on the butterfly

Our desire is to focus on life and show the light of our living God to the people around us.  Each
year, we choose a project for the Sunday afternoon kids´ club that specifically emphasizes the abundant life that God has given us and the victory of Jesus over death.

This year we had the children create caterpillars with nylons filled with soil and grass seed.  One week they made the caterpillars.  The following week, they used clothespins, ribbon, and googly eyes to make butterflies. 

decorating the trays

 On the final week, they decorated the stryofoam trays that would hold the now-sprouted caterpillars, the butterflies, and the verse.  The verse we chose was 2 Corinthians 15:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

 Abraham spoke of new life in Christ and of how God is life.  He also talked of how people´s spirits do not return to earth - that the Bible is clear that there are only two places where spirits go after death: heaven or hell.

the finished project

 Speaking of life, our newest family member has finally joined us on the outside.  Although her due date was November 6, Leilani decided to wait six more days to be born.  She came into the world at 8:05 a.m. in the same hospital where her big brother Abishael was born and with the same doctor attending.  Labor with her was much faster than with Abish, which made a great deal of difference in my recovery.  By 6 in the evening on the same day she was born, we headed home.  

She is a calm, sweet girl who smiles often and still sleeps a great deal.  Her big brother would love for her to play with him and periodically offers her toys.  He also snuggles up to her and whispers, "Te amo," and strokes her hair sometimes.  He has mostly adjusted to her being around, although there have been some more tears from him than before. 

Thank you for your prayers for us.  Please continue to pray that we can be light here in Huejotzingo and in Puebla Christian School where Abraham teaches PE.  Pray for continued health and safety as well.  Pray also for the logistics of trying to sell my mother-in-law´s house in order to have the funds to finish paying for land and to build a house here.