Donají

This is one of the best books I´ve read in a very long time. When an upper class young man from Mexico City and a young Indian girl from Oaxaca meet, their relationship starts a very interesting chain of events. Can their families, with all their prejudices from 500 years past, accept the changes these young people have brought to their lives? And woven throughout is the wonderful story of how they found peace with their God. I highly recommend this book - of course if you don´t know Spanish, you might have a little trouble reading it!

Cuando se topan en Oaxaca un pintor criollo frustrado y una industriosa mujer de ascendencia indígena, su encuentro desencadena una relación que encierra más de quinientos años de historia. La política inestable y las corrientes de mitología indígena y religión contemporánea entrelazan el trasfondo desde el cual los protagonistas tienen que decidir si ceder o forjar su propio destino. Y a la vez tienen un encuentro con Dios que cambia sus vidas por siempre.

Un libro interesantísimo. Lo recomiendo altamente.

Cuneros hard at work

Each month a different person teaches the Cuneros - those are the children 5 and under (even though we always have several 5 and over in the class too!) who have their special class during the sermon. This month it was my turn. I went through a course of "Courtesy in the Family", talking about honesty, self-control, kindness and gratitude. Yesterday we finished up with gratitude and created a "thank you" card created with colored pencils, stickers and pictures to paste, to give to someone. Samuel who is 10 helped Ari and Joel, who are "under 5." Daniel who is 8 helped Daniel who is 5. What fun! Some were very interesting, but all were BEAUTIFUL!

They were having such a good time making their cards that when the adult meeting was finished, we weren't! I missed the announcements, the offering, and was almost late to my Sunday school class! But it was worth it!

Someone had fun last night!

This morning when Peanut (our dog) and I went for our usual walk in our neighborhood, this is what we found in front of a neighbor's house:

Someone had fun last night! Sure beats finding TP all over your car! I bet it cost a bit more too!

BEST book in a long time!

I read every spare minute. I read till midnight. I couldn´t put it down till I finished it!

Don Miller, former pastor of Westover Church writes: "My wife and I fought over our one copy of Sword & Scalpel! Bob Foster is a man who lives and breathes missions...A must read for those who have loved missions through the years, as well as those who are new to missions."

It isn´t on Amazon, sorry. But I highly recommend that you seek out this book and read it - to yourself, to your kids, to your relatives, to anyone who will listen! You won´t be sorry!

A couple books I highly recommend

John Miller was a missionary with Central American Mission  - then CAM International - and now Camino Global, for many years. His experiences in Mexico, Spain and the U.S. are a fascinating read. I especially enjoyed it because from the very start of his ministry, he ran across people I knew! When I was a teeny bopper in Mexico City, he was coming in contact with people and places I was also coming in contact with! That's always fun to read about!

The book is long, but so interesting! Check it out!!

A totally different genre, Cry in the Night was really hard to put down once I started reading. Good mystery taking place in UP Michigan, a place I've only visited twice - and it was in the summertime! I would NOT want to visit in the winter as described in this book! I always enjoy a good mystery! Check it out!

Reading: The BEST pasttime!

I've always got a book handy. Well, almost always. The other day I headed to Queretaro on the bus and forgot to take a book! Bummer! But it's only a 40 minute ride, so that was OK! The Man Who Came for Christmas was a thriller. Yikes! I didn't put it down from start to finish. "It is Christmas Eve in Santa Fe. But among the revelers on snow-blanketed Canyon Road, a decidedly unholy scene is taking place. A desperate Agent Paul Kagan, dressed all in black, feverishly seeks refuge for himself and the squirming bundle he holds tightly against his chest, a baby who has the power to change the course of global events." And it gets much more exciting from then on! Check it out!


The Quilter's Apprentice is a totally and completely different genre. Quilting? It made me feel guilty about my slap stick way of making quilts! It also got me energized to finish up the lap quilt that I'll use this winter at the office - it gets COOOOLD in there! It came out great - the subject of this book wouldn't think so, but I like it, and that's what matters! Anyway, it's a fun read - I tried to guess the ending and got part of it right, the other part was a bit of a surprise!

Ministry moment

Yesterday six of us, Mary, Yadhira, Monica (at the end of the table helping make a bracelet), Tania, Alma and I visited what we called The Casa Hogar para Mujeres - The Home for Women. Twenty women of various ages live in this home that is run by a nun. They are all mentally challenged, some more so than others.

We sang - WOW! They love to sing! We played a game, we did a fun craft that they really got into! At least most of them did. Some couldn't manage it, but that's why we six were there - to give them a hand! Then we shared our apple juice and cookies with them. One gal couldn't get enough cookies! We asked if she was hungry and she just nodded as she gobbled her cookies.

What a precious time! We plan to visit again, this time taking a Bible story. We have permission from the nun to teach the ladies. She is very welcoming and we're so thrilled to have this much-needed ministry.

These two gals can't talk, but were so responsive to our visit. It was so sad to see their condition, but heartwarming to see how the other gals related to them in such a loving way. Bety, on the left, usually was smiling. I'm not sure why she frowned at the camera!

This gal told us she has a little boy. "He's three. He can walk now. He's with my Mom." But when asked how old she was, she had no idea. Such a sad story, that could be repeated by 19 other gals right there in that home.

Pray for us as we minister to these gals - and as they minister to us!

Saint Ben and Saints' and Angels' Song

Two books in one! Saints' and Angels' Song is the sequel to Saint Ben. And every bit as good!

Though seemingly a youthful "rebel without a cause," nine-year-old Ben Beamering - a pastor's son - is so serious about finding God that he won't pretend with his Christianity. His extraordinary ability to live without hypocrisy and his memorable insights about people, events, and God are remarkable - and often disconcerting. Ben's pure honesty causes commotion and consternation - and food for thought - wherever he goes. And neither his family nor the church is quite prepared for the challenge.

In Saint Ben and its sequel The Saints' and Angels' Song....Ben's best friend, Jonathan, tells the captivating story of one boy's diligent quest for God and its impact on a community.

Check it out! You won't be sorry!