SAT testing and a kermés

My students at PCS are submerged in SAT testing. For them, this means three days of back-to-back tests, filling in scantron bubbles and trying to stay focused. Tomorrow is their final day, and in the afternoon we'll make Mother's Day projects for a break.

On Saturday a team came from the United States to help out at church. They have a smallish budget, but they wanted to do a carnival for the children. Our pastor's wife suggested that, rather than try to make the budget fit the larger crowds at Dios es Amor, they set up the kermés in Huejotzingo instead. April 30th is when Day of the Child is celebrated here, so we decided to have the kermés be an early celebration for the Huejo kids.

The Sunday previous, Abraham and I went with a group of eager helpers to distribute fliers in the neighborhood. We hung posters on light poles and pushed smaller invitations under doors or handed them to passersby. Two of the kids couldn´t quite get the name right. Rather than ask for more 'invitaciones' to pass out, one of them requested 'habitaciones' (rooms) and the other 'decisiones' (decisions). However, whether they knew the right word or not, the kids were a great help in spreading the word.

On the rainy Saturday before the carnival, Abraham and I returned to put up more posters and pass out more invitations. We stuck bunches of balloons with the posters. When we passed by the posters on our way to return home, we saw that not a single balloon was left. The kids simply love balloons, and having them stuck to the posts was too much of a temptation to bear.

Sunday was bright and clear. The U.S. team, along with many people from Dios es Amor, packed game supplies and prizes into four vehicles. When we arrived in Huejotzingo, children and some parents were already gathered, ready for the fun.

And fun it was. Throughout the afternoon, more people arrived. They played pin the tail on the donkey, tossed beanbags through a target, made wordless bracelets, and much more. After an hour of play, everyone gathered inside to hear the meaning of the wordless bracelet from Abraham. Three of the U.S. team members also gave their testimonies.

After the brief message, some people went back to the games while others lined up for their deluxe hot dogs. After another hour of play and food, it was time to pack up the vans and head back to church.

Please continue to pray for the families in Huejotzingo. Also continue to pray that, if it's God's will for Abraham and I to live there, he will provide the finances to buy land and construct and also let us know when the right time is to move.

Holy Week

As much as possible, I post pictures with the blog. Today during the Easter service at Huejotzingo, I would have liked to have taken more pictures to show the 21 children and adults listening with rapt attention as Abraham told the story of man's fall, God's faithfulness,and Jesus' birth, ministry, arrest, and death. I could not take pictures during this time, however, since the children's attention would have left the life-giving story and focused instead on the camera.


After Abraham finished recounting the centuries-old story that remains fresh every year, we began serving food. The small congregation enjoyed eating and later playing together. At that time, some of the children took pictures and clamored to see the ones I had taken of them.

Much earlier in the day, 4:30 a.m. to be exact, we woke up to prepare for church. It is customary at Dios es Amor to celebrate Easter with a sunrise service and then a potluck breakfast. This time, Pastor Manuel had asked Abraham to preach. He chose 1 Corinthians 15, primarily reading the verses aloud, but also explaining and emphasizing the message that Jesus is risen. He did not stay in the tomb! Death had no hold on him.

By 7:30 a.m., the sun had risen, accompanied by bursts of birdsong. The service ended, and we all gathered in the kitchen to select from a wide variety of breakfast foods. The majority of the congregation remained to socialize, and after eating, a large group left for a nearby housing development for several hours of soccer.

From there, at 11, eight of us went to Huejotzingo where we stayed until mid-afternoon.

Christ is risen! Hallelujah, he is risen indeed!

For many in Mexico, the message of his resurrection is drowned out by the traditions wrapped around truth. On Saturday night, Abraham and I went to stay at Six's house. As we left the bus and began walking to her house, we saw family groups walking home, carrying large lighted candles. When we stopped to buy food outside a Catholic church, we asked the lady what the candles were for. She said people had bought them in order that they would be blessed. Throughout the year, when storms come, the people will light the blessed candles, and supposedly the storms will disappear. They also burn palm branches from Palm Sunday for the same reason.

The lady explained that people would continue taking candles to the church until about midnight. "And tomorrow?" Abraham asked, "Is there something important then?"

"Yes," She said casually,"That's when Jesus rose from the dead. It's a very quiet day." Not many people bother to go to church on Resurrection Sunday. As long as the bloodied statue of Jesus is carried around on Good Friday and the candles and palms are blessed, that's enough.