In the Home Stretch

Today was the last full day of VBS. Our numbers were a bit lower today, but the nice thing is that our Mexican team should have most of the names and addresses of those who came on Thursday.

Ana Troupe and I presented a rope trick today to illustrate the difference in how men view sin and how God views sin. Went over well and the illustration is really good. Much easier having Ana read the Spanish while I was doing the trick.

We made balloon animals today for the students. Practically were stampeded in my area. They really liked them. It was a lot of fun

The theme all week has centered around fish in one way or another. Yesterday´s verse was about being fishers of men.

Tomorrow morning is a final program that ends at noon. Our drama team will be presenting.

Hard to believe we´ve been here for a whole week. Doesn´t seem like it at all.

DON GATO

A funny little story from our trip here. Those who know me well know that I have had bad allergies with cats. However, I took desensitization shots for about 10 years and they don´t bother me much anymore. My host family has two cats, one that is still a kitten (named Mr. P) and another that is 15 years old.

The older cat usually sleeps with Gabi, the girl whose room I am using. At night the cat climbs up the walls outside and comes to the window. The first few nights I was here, I had the window open and awakened to find the cat sleeping by my feet. Then, an hour or so later, the cat went to the door and made ¨cat noises¨, indicating that he wanted out. This happened 2 times each night the first 2 days I was here.

This didn´t bother me, but I closed the window one of the nights, and the cat sat outside my window and made cat noises until I opened the window and let him in.

The funniest thing happened two days ago. We had forgotten rope for the rope tricks, so we bought a length of rope, cut them to the correct sizes and burned the ends so they wouldn´t fray. My rope trick takes 3 ropes of short, medium and long length.

I had come to my host home and laid the rope on the bed, and then went to the house across the street. When I got to my bed that night, one of the ropes was gone. I knew my host family didn´t accidently pick it up, because they had been gone helping their daughter. I finally realized that the cat probably took one of the ropes to play with. Too funny.

BTW...if you don´t get the header, Don Gato is an elementary school song about a cat (gato).

THE BOGEYMAN

One other interesting fact that can affect ministry here. There is a rumor in Mexico that is believed by small part of the population. The story is that gringos (white people) come to Mexico to steal children and sell their body parts on the black market.... and no, I´m not kidding.

I had been told this by our local missionaries, but this was repeated to me by my host family this morning when I asked about the number of kids coming to VBS. If I understood Ismael correctly, he indicated that some people would not send their kids to VBS for this reason.

FISH WITH THE FAMILY

Last night, after activities, I went back to my host home and spent about 4 hours eating and talking with my host family, but at the house across the street. Martas sister Teri lives across the street and had been offering to have me over for fish (her husband Robert buys and sells fish). I had a dark meat and white meat fish. Both were very good, but I had a hard time convicing them that I really liked it.

We had a great time and talked about anything and everything, both things spiritual and non spiritual. We had a great time laughing together. We now have some running inside jokes about how serious I am, about my host father speaking German (apparently this is a running family joke), my having a husband (see yesterday´s Spanglish entry) and other things.

During the course of the conversation, Marta told me that they would really miss us all when we left. They had all listed their email addresses and Facebook names so that we can stay in contact. I´ve already had about 3 invitations to stay in homes if I or my family return. Like I said before, they are a very social people. It will be hard to leave.

This may be my last blog entry, due the schedule tomorrow. Check back to be sure...