Mexico

Teotihuacan ruins

Project 750- We participated in a Mexican Independence Day celebration

Project 995- indigenous people group.  First home visit

Typical homes in this town

Project 995- kids praying at the Compassion center

Loved practicing English with these boys

Project 990- more urban project, can't tell from this home visit

Project 992- in the mountains.  Kids were SO excited to have visitors

Meeting Anibal and his Dad, Anibal Sr.

Such handsome boys

It's time to write about Mexico!  We had 14 people in our Compassion group.  Caleb and I flew down to Mexico City on Sep 13.  We had 3 flights! I was nervous about all of our luggage making it, but it did.  The next morning we left for Tulancingo.  As we drove out of Mexico City I was struck by how large it is and the amount of pollution.  My allergies were going crazy in Mexico City.  We did some sightseeing at the Teotihuacan ruins.  Ancient civilizations are fascinating.  That Sunday night we went to an urban church that has a Compassion center.  The church had a Mexican Independence Day celebration so we yelled Vive Mexico alot that night.  The crowd was large and many people wanted pictures with our Compassion group.  Even though none of us sponsored children in that center, the church was so thankful that we sponsor a child somewhere.

On Monday we drove to an indigenous Compassion project.  Every Compassion center is run by a local church.  This center was only 1 1/2 years old.  We were the first Compassion sponsors to visit and the people were so excited.  The church did not have working toilets so the pastor invited our group to use his home.  The pastor's home was nicer than most of the people in that town and it was still very meager.  Caleb and I went to visit the home of a sponsored child.  It was a cement room the size of our dining room.  There was nothing to cover the door.  The outhouse and kitchen were in separate buildings.  Mud was everywhere and 7 people slept in that little room.  It was obvious the mother we spoke with was struggling.  Her demeanor spoke of hopelessness.  She is a fairly new Christian and was happy her kids had a sponsor and could attend the center.  I pray that her local church continues to reach out to her and that she feels hope in Jesus more everyday.  When we were back at the center, a group of boys surrounded Caleb and I.  Caleb was more of a celebrity than I was.  We started a game with the boys of how to say things in English and Spanish.  The boys also spoke a local language so they were teaching us a couple words.

On Tuesday we stayed in Tulancingo and visited an urban Compassion project.  The church facilities were much nicer, but the kids served at the center had very real needs.  I was impressed by the church's pastor and wife.  They were very passionate and engaged in their local community.  Caleb found his groove and spent time playing soccer with the kids.  We went on another home visit.  The mother's demeanor was full of hope.  She had struggles, but she was happy with her family and wanted to provide a good life for her daughters.  Her daughters had latched on to me earlier in the day and were cuties.  They thought it was funny when I started singing 'Let It Go.'  Frozen is popular everywhere. We heard a moving testimony at the center.  A little boy's parents had both died.  His grandparents were raising him, but were despairing because he was so depressed and angry.  The little boy was sponsored and started receiving letters from his sponsors.  The grandparents told us those letters changed his life.  The little boy knew someone loved him enough to sponsor him and write to him.  The little boy started laughing and living again.  I was crying by the end of the testimony.

On Wednesday we drove into the mountains.  It was a bumpy, curvy road and Caleb and I were both carsick.  Caleb took alot of dramamine that week.  Thankfully he never threw up in the van!  When we arrived at the church we were greeted by children passing out flowers they had picked.  The flowers were gorgeous.  This center was about 1 1/2 years old and had never had Compassion visitors.  The children were very curious, but cautious.  We had a worship service with the children and they warmed up quickly.  They had us line up in the front.  The children then lined up and shook hands with us.  Only it was more like a mosh pit.  The kids were so excited to shake our hands, they were crowding around us and going thru the line multiple times.  There was one boy who latched onto Caleb.  He called him "my friend" and pulled Caleb outside for soccer the rest of the day.  This town was very poor, but they were excited to share what they had with us.  It was humbling.  At our group dinner that night, Caleb got sick and threw up.  We took a taxi back to the hotel and prayed it was a short-lived bug.  He woke up feeling fine the next morning.  We think it was a combination of tiredness and too many weird smelling foods.

Thursday was the big day, we met our sponsored child, Anibal!  We have sponsored Anibal since he was 3 years old.  (When each of our kids turn 3, we find a child with a similar birthday to sponsor.  That way the kids can kind of grow up together.)  I was so nervous to meet Anibal.  I don't think Caleb was very nervous.  Anibal was happy and gave me a big hug. He gave us gifts he made and his Dad was glad to meet us.  It was obvious his Dad had been practicing English before our arrival, so thoughtful.  We have been practicing our Spanish!  We had our own translator which helped tremendously.  Anibal and Caleb communicated through soccer.  Even Anibal's Dad and I played soccer with them for awhile.  Meeting us was a big adventure for them.  They rode a bus for 10 hours and stayed in a hotel for the first time. I wish we could have met the rest of Anibal's family and visited his home- maybe another time!

On Friday we met up with Anibal again and celebrated the boys' birthdays!  Caleb turned 10 on Friday and Anibal was turning 10 the next day.  I bought donuts and candles and we sang happy birthday in English and Spanish.  The boys played soccer again, then it was time to leave.  Anibal asked me if I liked him and would like to see him again? I almost cried.  I reassured him that we loved him and prayed that someday we would see him again.  As we drove away in the bus, Anibal was blowing me kisses and saying, I love you!  Such a bittersweet moment.

That afternoon we drove back to Mexico City.  Our group had our farewell dinner at an Italian restaurant- so good!  We had eaten a lot of chicken, rice, beans, tortillas and flan that week.  Caleb had even eaten pigeon eggs and cooked cactus.  On Saturday we got up early, took our 3 flights home and finally rolled into Holland around midnight.  Exhausted, but so thankful for this trip.  God is good!