Independence Day, Camping, Birthdays, and more...

Celebrating Mexico's Independence Day is always a good time!

The date is September 16 and the school always puts on a celebration during the week before where parents are invited, there are traditional presentations, everyone dresses up, and we have awesome food - churros, tamales, etc.

Carter with some friends

Logan and a friend

Brady and a friend

Then on the 15th in the evening, the night before, we headed out with one of our Bible study groups to a carnival type of event followed by the "grito" and fireworks. The grito is always done on the 15th in the evening and one person hollers out "Long live..." so and so (historical figures that aided in the Independence of Mexico) and the crowd responds by hollering "VIVA!" (long live). 

Mexicans are patriotic overall and we really enjoy participating in the different celebrations. 

The next weekend we were invited to climb El Nevado in the State of Colima! This is an inactive volcano and the goal is to hike 20 km up to a camping spot, and then to hike the rest of the way up to the peak. We went with a group of 15 and some hiked while others drove up in the vehicles with the supplies. 

Dallas had been last year with the same group, as they do this once a year for one of the men's birthdays. It's a beautiful place, unfortunately this weekend it rained non-stop - the 2 days and night! So it put a bit of a damper on the hiking but it made for some cozy times of visiting and eating around the fire. 

For your enjoyment, a random picture of the boys. They were playing school and this was art class ;) I think it only took about 3 showers to get all of that paint off. Fortunately it was over the weekend.

We have also been at a few birthday parties...this particular one was for a little girl in Brady's class. These are times of being friends, of meeting new parents, and connecting more with current parents.

A friend that also attends my ladies Bible study once a week

This month we have also done several visits with our little girl, as she came to our house once a week for the day and then was here all of last week! We were doing respite for her orphanage and we are so thankful that even though we can't bring her home permanently yet, we have had these opportunities to grow a much bigger bond! It was hard to let her go after a whole week together. I of course would love to share pictures but can't just yet.

And to end, an interesting story. We have missionary friends here who have a discipling school through MB Missions. Students come from several different countries, and this year they just welcomed a girl from Cambodia.

A lady in one of our Bible study groups is also friends with our missionary friends and she was asked to billet the girl, Sol, from Cambodia. So on Sunday Sol came to our Bible study. Well it turns out that she came here on an internship through MCC, and my second cousin from Manitoba happens to work for MCC and just was in Thailand doing Orientation with Sol and all of the young adults that would be sent out around the world with their YAMEN program.

Also, before Sol got to Guadalajara, she stopped in Mexico City for 2 weeks and was billeted in another home there. Well, at that home she met the parents of another couple in our Bible study!

Anyway, it was all a big circle and such a small world sometimes. I love how cultures and worlds collide and it was an encouraging time.

On the note of encouraging, we have been encouraged with our Bible study groups as we prepare to be gone for 2 months. People are taking initiative in planning for when we're gone, in wanting to help where they can, in supporting one another in the group, and it's been so good for us as we think of being away. Our goal is to pass on leadership and when we see that happening it's encouraging. We are also having a baptism in a few weeks and love how our group is coming alongside the young man as right now he doesn't have very much support in the decision he's made.

Thank-you for your continued prayers for our family and our ministry!
Have a good night.