My weekend and week
Last week I was with St. Paul/St. John's everyday except for Tuesday, when I stayed back to get some last minute prep for the Conversations in Spanish session happening this week done. Starting with the Saturday they arrived, each day had its Kodak moments. I thought I would try something different and go day-by-day, highlighting one or 2 said moments...
Saturday: Pastor Stephen is ordained at San Pablo Lutheran Church. He has to go by that since Pastor Heimer is already taken! Below is his first official act as pastor, the benediction! (In half an hour or so I'm going to go see him do his first service all by himself at Zion, where he was installed the day after his ordination.) I dashed out immediately when the service ended to go to the airport, but it turns out I didn't need to be in such a hurry because the group's flight was delayed!
Sunday: We showed up for the service at San Lucas and there was no pastor! After waiting a little while, we nominated Chris to preach. He gave a 5-minute spiel on the Great Commission with Carol and I interpreting! We also sang a couple songs, said a prayer, and gave the benediction. We passed Javier, the MIA pastor, on our way back and it turns out he had been delayed at the bridge for trying to bring over a vanload of food for the congregation.
Monday: The group had 2 work projects: a house and a roof in Anapra. They also did some kids' activities in the yard at the house site. Four guys and I knocked out the roof right away on Monday. Chris said it should take us 2 days, but it only took until about 2:15 on the first day. That's without me working very much either since one of the excellent roofers below is a builder by trade!
Wednesday: It rained while we were eating breakfast, which was followed by this incredible double rainbow! It stayed drizzly and cloudy all morning; I couldn't have hand picked a better morning for Monday's roofing crew to reunite and finish the roof on the house! Also on Wednesday, two of the group members stayed back since one of them was taken to the ER for various symptoms on Tuesday night. When we showed up that afternoon, they had a fiesta set up in the dorm common room!
Thursday: see the previous blog!
Friday: The group gave the family a photo collage of pictures from the week. My absolute favorite one was a sepia shot of the little guy, Gerardo, sitting on the new tree swing (bottom right of the frame). Before we headed to the market, they took a few obligatory group photos and one not-so-typical one of them all walking down the street, towards Mt. Cristo Rey. They're going to include it in their PowerPoint slideshow with the caption "Walk by faith, not by sight."
This week I have two main events. One is Conversations in Spanish, which I am largely in charge of. So far 7 "JumpStarters" have arrived. We went to Famous Dave's and VIVA! El Paso last night, and this afternoon we are going to tour Mission Trail. Class starts tomorrow morning. The other is my friends Marie and Philip that are coming to visit from California! They're driving in Tuesday evening, so although I'll still keep abreast of the CIS program, I won't be quite so hands-on. Instead I'll be playing tour guide! My plan is Alamogordo, NM, for the pistachio orchards and White Sands on Wednesday, Mercado Mayapan/dinner at Andale with the CIS students on Thursday, hiking at Hueco Tanks on Friday morning, church in Mexico next Sunday with the servant event from Canada, and framing a house in Mexico on Monday, also with the Canadians!
Until next time, blessings!
Saturday: Pastor Stephen is ordained at San Pablo Lutheran Church. He has to go by that since Pastor Heimer is already taken! Below is his first official act as pastor, the benediction! (In half an hour or so I'm going to go see him do his first service all by himself at Zion, where he was installed the day after his ordination.) I dashed out immediately when the service ended to go to the airport, but it turns out I didn't need to be in such a hurry because the group's flight was delayed!
Sunday: We showed up for the service at San Lucas and there was no pastor! After waiting a little while, we nominated Chris to preach. He gave a 5-minute spiel on the Great Commission with Carol and I interpreting! We also sang a couple songs, said a prayer, and gave the benediction. We passed Javier, the MIA pastor, on our way back and it turns out he had been delayed at the bridge for trying to bring over a vanload of food for the congregation.
Monday: The group had 2 work projects: a house and a roof in Anapra. They also did some kids' activities in the yard at the house site. Four guys and I knocked out the roof right away on Monday. Chris said it should take us 2 days, but it only took until about 2:15 on the first day. That's without me working very much either since one of the excellent roofers below is a builder by trade!
Wednesday: It rained while we were eating breakfast, which was followed by this incredible double rainbow! It stayed drizzly and cloudy all morning; I couldn't have hand picked a better morning for Monday's roofing crew to reunite and finish the roof on the house! Also on Wednesday, two of the group members stayed back since one of them was taken to the ER for various symptoms on Tuesday night. When we showed up that afternoon, they had a fiesta set up in the dorm common room!
Thursday: see the previous blog!
Friday: The group gave the family a photo collage of pictures from the week. My absolute favorite one was a sepia shot of the little guy, Gerardo, sitting on the new tree swing (bottom right of the frame). Before we headed to the market, they took a few obligatory group photos and one not-so-typical one of them all walking down the street, towards Mt. Cristo Rey. They're going to include it in their PowerPoint slideshow with the caption "Walk by faith, not by sight."
This week I have two main events. One is Conversations in Spanish, which I am largely in charge of. So far 7 "JumpStarters" have arrived. We went to Famous Dave's and VIVA! El Paso last night, and this afternoon we are going to tour Mission Trail. Class starts tomorrow morning. The other is my friends Marie and Philip that are coming to visit from California! They're driving in Tuesday evening, so although I'll still keep abreast of the CIS program, I won't be quite so hands-on. Instead I'll be playing tour guide! My plan is Alamogordo, NM, for the pistachio orchards and White Sands on Wednesday, Mercado Mayapan/dinner at Andale with the CIS students on Thursday, hiking at Hueco Tanks on Friday morning, church in Mexico next Sunday with the servant event from Canada, and framing a house in Mexico on Monday, also with the Canadians!Until next time, blessings!
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