Holy Week and Before

Midmarch, Leilani´s ballet class finally had their many-times-postponed recital.  It was Lani´s first, and she was quite excited.  The week before, the class had extra rehearsals, so she and I were out of the house most evenings.  Saturday was the actual performance, and the rented hall soon filled with friends and relatives of the dancers.  While Lani´s participation wasn´t perfect - nor did we expect it to be - we enjoyed the show and felt proud of her hard work and all she had learned. Her ballet class has been a blessing for me, too.  Ever since Lani began attending, I stayed during the hour-long classes the three evenings a week.  Not long ago, some other mothers also began to stay, and we have struck up friendships.  Now we also converse outside of class and plan other activities together.  

Speaking of long-posponed, in March we also finally had the Puebla Annual Ladies´ Retreat after canceling twice due to covid restrictions.  Sixty-three ladies attended, about half of them first-timers.  The theme was "Be Still," with Exodus 14:14 and Psalm 46:10 as the key verses.  It was wonderful to meet old friends again and make new ones.  One lady I met for the first time lives very close to Huejotzingo, and has children near Lani and Abish´s ages. We plan to get together soon.  

During Holy Week, Abraham led services at our home church on Thursday evening, Friday afternoon, and Sunday morning.  Some neighbors who had expressed intrest in joining us on Sundays came for the services.  On Sunday we had extra guests, because five people chose to be baptized, and their family members, although not Christian, wanted to be with them on their special day.  Once the service ended, we celebrated with a potluck meal, and the kids happily spent all afternoon in the pool. 

Abish and Lani still do homeschool with both Abraham and I.  When one studies in English with me, the other has classes in Spanish with Abraham.  We alternate days.  It can be difficult to complete the studies, what with the other activities we do.  I continue to teach art at Puebla Christian School once a week, and our kids love going, but I may need to step down from that when this school year ends.

Thank you for your prayers and support.  Please pray for us as we lead Bible studies, go daily to treat the leg ulcer of Doña Agripina, have the house church, teach our kids, and do day-to-day life.  

We are planning a día del niño fun fair at our home for May 1st.  Quite a few adults and teens are signed up to help and to bring snacks and candy.  We will also celebrate Abish´s birthday the week after that, and Mother´s Day follows immediately afterwards.  Please pray those activies will be of blessing.