Felipe

We were at a prayer meeting in a town called Atizapan a few weeks ago. While we were there we met a man named Felipe. He is single and lives in the unfinished church building. We were told that he has lived there for a year now, ever since the church was robbed. They were robbed shortly after fundraising for sound equipment and other supplies that help them minister in their area. This was very upsetting for the people at the Atizapan church and so Felipe decided that the church needed someone to stand on guard and that person was him. Just like that he left his bed, privacy, comfort of his stuff. Before you get the wrong idea let me be clear the church is a plain Mexican building with cement floors, no window coverings no soft pews, no cappuccino bar, toilets that can handle flushing paper or any of the extras we tend to have in Canada. The problem is that last Friday he fell 15 feet to the floor of the construction sight that he was helping work on. The Atizapan church has been in constant construction mode for the last 10 years. They do not have bank accounts to draw on to pay for the renovations so instead as money comes in or when missions teams come down from Canada they get a chance to build a bit more. This accident has left Felipe in a wheel chair until his leg heals. Felipe told a group of us that he was awoken the other night (remember he sleeps in their unfinished church building) around 3 am by three young men that were checking out the place to attempt to rob it. This was worrisome for me because I instantly thought how on earth would he defined himself? I was inspired by his commitment and drive. His actions certainly spoke loud and clear what he held dear, what he valued most. Do you think the things you value most are that obvious to the world around you? I had to ask myself if I were in his shoes, single and living on my own would I be willing to give it all up to guard my church's equipment?
I love meeting inspiring people like Felipe they remind me how important it is to share our stories with one another in the hopes of them encouraging a friend, a brother , a sister to step out to whatever it might be they are being called to do. It also reminded me of the sermon on the mount when Jesus talks about what we treasure.
Matthew 6:21
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Luke 12:34
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Dia de Los muertos o Halloween

“La Calavera tiene hambre
no hay un huesito por ahí
no se lo coman todo
déjenos las mitad.

La calavera quiere cenar
Cinco de dulce,
Cinco de sal.
This is a song some if the children sing when going door to door. It says "my pumpkin is hungry do you not have something to feed him? He will eat something sweet or a little of salt"
The children can sometimes go around for a few days. We were told the first day it is for candy and later on they go out agin and ask for spare change or money.

Here is some more facts I found out I will paste them below :)
Halloween From Around the World
Halloween in Mexico

In Mexico they have picnic lunches on the graves of their relatives. As this is a day of remembrance, happiness and celebration.
They bake bread and make candy in the shape of skull and crossbones, a casket, or a skeleton.

The children run through the streets with lanterns and ask for coins.

People light bonfires, set off firecrackers, and hang lanterns on trees to guide the souls of the dead home.

In Mexico All Saints' Day is devoted to Los angelitos - that is, all the dead children. This is a prelude to November 2's Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, a national holiday on which all the grown-up ghosts will be arriving in full force. The littler ghosts get a head start. To help them find their way back to the homes where they once lived, parents and still-living family members often shoot off firecrackers. In some parts of the country on this night they strew a path of flower petals from the graveyard to the front porch.

Mexico's Dia de los Muertos Day of the Dead calls for happy all day picnics beside the graves of dead relatives. At home, people assemble little altars called ofrendas, stocked with the departed loved ones favorite foods and drinks, their photos, and other memories, as well as candles and pungent marigolds, a flower long associated with death.

The Mexican custom of Erecting Day of the Dead altars has caught on north of the border, where the altars serve as the focus of ancestor rituals and memorials.

In Mexico October 27 is the Feast of the Holy Souls or Fiesta de las Santas Animas, families begin the fiesta by cleaning their relatives' graves and adorning them with pine needles and flowers. The families assemble a temporary altar near the gravesite, stocking the altars with candles and all kinds of foods such as meat, beans, chilies, salt, tortillas, fruit and sometimes alcohol. Each person in the family then takes turns in talking to the departed spirit, offering it the food and assuring it that it is loved. The ceremonies go on for several days, as every family has more than one grave to attend to.

It has been quite the experience living in the midst of all this. I find the traditions of hanging out in the grave yards interesting it is like the fear we have in North America is not there or their fear of death. I heard yesterday that the average Mexican prides themselves on laughing in the face of death. We even saw a dance performance the other night and the words to the song were exactly that. I hope that the friends and neighbours we have net will be open to our convictions on the topic of death. And we will be able to share exactly why we too are not afraid of death because of our saving faith in Christ.

My Thoughts Regarding Living Near A Volcano and in a Earthquake Prone Country

Lately Popo (Popocatepetl), the volcano that we see through our living room window, has had some minor explosions.  In the mornings we wake to see his plume cloud before the pollution sets itself over the city.  At first this was neat, somthing we had never experienced before, but then when I started to hear people talk about the already poor air quality (apparently one day in Mexico City is equal to 3 packs of cigarettes a day) becoming worse due to the smoke from Popo my fascination began to wane. As my mind began to digest different outcomes of an eruption I was left with a somewhat helpless feeling. The "what ifs" churned in my mind. What if Popo blows and the poor people living so close lose everything? What if when he erupts it turns the sky dark and we are not near the kids? How will we get to them? Will stores be open to buy water and other provisions? Will the people panic?
What if ..........

As if mulling over Popo outcomes in my mind wasn't enough Andrew and I were awoken twice in less than two weeks  by earthquakes. They were not huge or anything but they were still something to be experienced. The first one was only 4.5 on the Richter scale and the second was 5.4.  During each quake we calmly made our way to Beth's bedroom, our youngest daughter, to wait for the rhythms that swayed our apartment to stop. Or for signs that it was growing stronger and needed to hurry the family to cuddle under the table or beside a load-bearing wall.  My immediate instinct tells me to gather everyone and descend the stairs in our building until we are outside, but I was informed not to do that.  Apperantly in the huge1985 earthquake that rocked Mexico city many casualties could have been avioded if people would have remained in their apartments.  Apparently others that lived around us were not even aware of the earthquakes.  I guess living on the 8th floor insures you feel every earthquake no matter how minor.  After each earthquake I crawled back in bed (as each hit on Saturday mornings, my only morning to sleep past 6 am!) and then prayed and thanked God that it wasn't as bad as  it could of been and that my family was all safe and sound. Then my mind began to run with the unhelpful "what ifs". What if next time it hits and it's harder? What if next time the kids are not with Andrew and I? What if.....

It was then that I heard a small quiet voice in my head that said "Don't worry about tomorrow". And then Matthew 6:30-34:

And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

I couldn't argue with the truths found in these verses and it brought calmness to my mind. I remember that I haven't been left here on my own to fend for myself. God my heavenly Father is here watching over me, and yes life hasn't been perfect and no it won't be perfect but I can trust the God of the universe to watch over me and my family. I only need to live one day at a time and not get caught up in the maybes of tomorrow. They are often just distrations put there to keep us from enjoying and fully living in the moments of today.


Here is a song I enjoy listening to called "Volcano Land" by Caedmon's Call on the Share the Well album (2004). (Inspired by a trip to different places  in the world and meeting 4 brothers who played music together. They wrote the CD to bring awareness of the social injustice around the globe where some people depending on status are denied water and any possibility of education and employment to rise above thier given birth status.)

Hola, me llamo Efraim
I was born among the agave
All I need is this transistor radio
And I am in a band, it's a family band
With the brothers in the years above me
And now we have a song that we'd like to play you
He sang, "Volcano,
Livin' in the shade of the volcano
The volcano
Livin' in the shade of the volcano."
I was ridin' on the bus to the amber hills
I was feelin' like a hundred pesos
And somethin' in my soul was certainly hear to stay
Ain't nothin' on the hill goes on without
The ever-lovin' mother's say-so
Now everything is all right
Everything is OK
She said, "A volcano,
Livin' in the shade of the volcano
The volcano
El Seor es siempre bueno."
Home for me is beneath the palm trees
Where they grow to be about sixty feet tall
They leave you with the feeling
That never leaves you alone
Never leaves you alone


Ok here is a link to a video for the song. I will warn you its lame but I'm pasting it along for the words . http://youtu.be/htXmtx1vm60

Meet our Mazda 5!

Our Spanish School and Beth's Sunday School Class in Español !

 This is a picture of Andrew in front of our new language school. Our teacher is a lovely lady named Susana. She lives on top of the school with her husband. It is about a 20-30 minute drive to the historic central part of Mexico City called Coyoacan.  Andrew and I love this traditional town. I will post some photos from Coyoacan another day.

 Below is a picture of Bethany and her new girl friend Sara. We are so thankful Bethany has a friend at church.

 This is a picture of the Sunday school class I was asked to evaluate, What a fun morning we had.

 OK so the room is tiny but the teachers were so creative they still managed to find a way to teach a craft and do little activities.  I think most of us of Children's workers in North America would be humbled to see what other countries use for classrooms. And they still make it work. The room is actually a make-up / powder room used during the week at a theatre.

Independence Day in Mexico

Hey i hope you do not mind but i was wanting to write and describe what the Mexican Independence Day looks like and then I found this article so I thought why invent the wheel. I will however add our own photos soon.

El Grito (or the “cry for Independence”) is a tradition that commemorates the original grito given by pastor Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla in the town of Dolores, Guanajuato back in 1810 to gather all to join the rebellion against the Spanish colonizers. This moment marks the official beginning of the 11-year war for independence that ensued and from which Mexico came out victorious.

This original Grito is now a tradition that kicks off a two-day long country-wide celebration known as Fiestas Patrias. Mexicans gather around local plazas, TV sets, cantinas, etc to watch the President and his family live from the balcony of the National Palace in the Zocalo of Mexico City. At 11pm on September 15th, the President rings the same bell of the parish of Dolores that was used by Hidalgo–and later moved to the National Palace–and proceeds to give the Grito de Dolores. The Grito includes shouting out loud the names of the heroes of the Mexican War of Independence and ending with three uplifting ¡Viva Mexico! chants which are repeated with the most patriotic fervor by all around the country. Then, the bell rings one more time and we see the Mexican flag waving in a see of red, green and white while the air is filled with the voices of Mexicans singing their National Anthem.

The symbolism gives you chills, the fervor is contagious and the celebration ignites.

The following day, September 16, is full of more patriotic symbolism and ceremonies such as military parades, festivals and remembrances all over the country.

Last year Mexico celebrated the bicentennial anniversary of its Independence and they went all out with it. This slideshow by Life Magazine illustrates just how rich and colorful the symbolism is during these Fiestas Patrias.

Transitions Year Two

You know this week has really been hard on me. I realise that change affects all of us. I also realise the need to put on a happy face and help the kids move along in their transition is so important and to find a time when it is appropriate for me to work through my own emotions and feelings.
It started this week for me with after watching a You tube commercial of a Mazda 5. We were looking for a van to purchase but since there is no physical way it will fit into our apartment parking stall we have to change directions. Anyways in the commercial I saw yards, and trees and little homes and street lamps and all the sudden I was hit with a longing to be in Canada. Up until now I can honestly say I haven't really had homesickness and today makes our one year anniversary of leaving. My emotions stumbled from missing the neighbourhoods to the people we know. I think I am moving through my "funk". It does help that we love our place and are excited to start language once again and ministry work. But I also want to recognise the importance of grieving. This is not a extended trip, we are not returning in the next year to live back in Canada, so then in that sense it must be O.K. to feel that loss. Why not I am Canadian and Canada is one awesome place to live. So to miss it only means I appreciate it. Right?

As I have been struggling a bit lately I have been so thankful for good girl friends that have emailed and skyped to check up on me. I realise with me being such a people person and Andrew being so.... introverted that we will both transition differently and that is O.K. One way isn't better then the other. So thanks to my wonderful friends who let me cry over skpye and let it all out as only my woman friends can. I wonder in heaven if we will all be extroverted introverts / people persons with of course all our needs met.

This Pslam has been a great little mantra for this past week.
Psalm 9:9-11
v.9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
v. 10Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You , Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.
v.
11 Sing praise to the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what He has done.

What great truths in these verse. I find it interesting the order of them as well. Only when we KNOW God, can we TRUST Him. Only once we have TRUSTED Him and come out of our situation can we truly PRAISE Him.

We are here

Here is our new contact information
Calle San Borja,
908 San Borja
8 th piso, Col. Del Valle
Benito Juarez, District Federal ( or DF )
Home phone 5562-3502-94
Email claudandsamb@gmail.com
Blog martensspanglish.blogspot.com

I want to include some pictures of the view from the 8 th floor

All in a 24 hour clock

Ok so it started when visiting my sister and Andrew was attempting to use their bathroom. Once inside when he touched the electrical switch it instantly gave him a shock and then blew right off the wall. It also shut down the power bathroom in the bathroom until later when a electrician could be brought in.

First thing the following morning while waiting for my sister to make breakfast. Only she had two young helpers in her kitchen and one of hem accidentally turned the gas on in the oven. Side note here all our stoves are gas and require your special attention. So it was about 12 minutes into the prep of the morning where we heard and felt a loud BOOM! We actually saw a orange cloud travel from the kitchen to the living room and blow the curtains. The next thing that happened when Sandra my sister walk towards us or rather stumbled towards us with
her eyes as wide as saucers and shaking. Apparently she bore the brunt of the small gas blast. It actually blew the bottom wood panel on her stove at her legs. We evacuated the kids to the front of the apartment building and waiting for the men to descend and tell us when it was safe to return upstairs. This was great since in this culture it is offensive to leave your house and not look like you had showered, primped and prepped and put on something nice. And so the next 20 minutes was most uncomfortable as we sat barefoot, in PJs, hair unwashed, unbrushed and just plain looking awful. My sisters family lives on the 4th floor and the hirer up you live the more you feel earthquakes, and at one point the door man / guard came to ask us if we had felt a earthquake. We of course said no and then in all humility made our way back upstair to hide from our embarrassment.
Then once we left there we arrived to where we were living at the time, the Alliance Ministry Center. Only there were workers there painting and it made it hard for Sam and I to breath so we tried to stay out of the center as much as possible. So once we arrived that morning we realized that somehow our bedroom door was locked and here it comes there were NO KEY to unlock it! And we had everything of importance behind that door, $, clean underclothing and clothes in general as we just finished sleeping on a air mattress at my sisters and were returning home to get ready for the day. So after waiting around 2 hours and going through about 50 spare keys the ministry had we were given permission to hire el hombre de llaves. The man who works with keys that is always at the park. So after finding him and hiring him and watching him wrestling with the door for about 45 minutes we are able to get in and grab a change of clothes as it was then time to meet-up with a team member who graciously offered to take us to see 3 apartments that afternoon.
What did I learn from that day.... you never know what is going to happen next and you need to accept what comes at you with a clear head and just go with the flow. Oh ya and NEVER NEVER ALLOW CHILDREN TO HELP IN THE KITCHEN WHEN THERE IS A GAS STOVE INVOLVED.

Remember the logical decision that God knows what He's doing

You know I love these chapters in Job where everyone shuts up, and God gets a chance to remind them who He is. So often we make God out to be who we can understand, who we can blame. Or we come up with really organized theories that help explain what God is up to. But then eventually the confusion is to much, or the pain too unbearable and we buckle under it. We start taking polls of public opinion of what God might be doing and try and pick the conclusion we prefer. But after that we finally stop, sit, cease from speaking and then He speaks. I find myself wishing that the Lord would always speak these reminders to us in such a obvious manner. But then I stop talking long enough to realize that this is the point of these chapters in the book of Job. If we dwell on creation long enough God's voice is loud and clear. I know for sure if we are listening He has something to say. Now....to be quiet enough to listen that is often my challenge.

Job 40
7 "Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God,
and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Chapter 41
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?
Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

Chapter 42
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Let's help each other remember that the Lord is for us not against us. He is for us! Although we can not always see the whole picture at time in our life.
His plans are to give us a hope and a future! Only sometime it may take walking through confusion, loss or pain first. For some reason these things help tune our ear towards the voice of God like nothing else can.

We are here

Well I think one word describes how I feel today.... Tired. The altitude here is very high and we have been told of the need to drink water and eat bananas to help our systems adjust. We were just informed via note on the gate that as of 11 pm tonight we will be electricity free until Wednesday and then Wednesday we will be water free for the day. So it is looking like we will be staying at my sisters until Wednesday some time. We have 3 appointments or citas to look at some apartments.

Monkey Droppings

That is the name of the cookies Andrew gave the cookies I just made that he refuses to try. So they don't look amazing but they are so good.

Ingredient & Directions

1 can chick peas with fluid in can.
4 egg whites.
Mix in blender till smooth.
Pour in bowl and add:
1/2 cup apple sauce
1cup sugar, you can use brown our white
1tsp vanilla
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1cup dark chocolate chips, you can use semi sweet too
3 TBS coco powder
1 TBS maple syrup
2 Yuca flour ( it called for wheat flour)
1/2 cup pumpkin flour( use any squash or quinoa flour)
1/4 cup quinoa
Mix all together
Should make 24 cookies

Spray cookie sheet with non stick spray ,or wipe with oil

Per heat over at 360
Bake middle rack for 20 min

Morning Thougts

Isaiah 30:20-21
New Living Translation (NLT)
20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food
and suffering for drink,
he will still be with you to teach you.
You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
21 Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.

I received this verse this week from our wonderful Latin American Developers. I am so thankful for the timing of it. It amazes me how words written so long ago can be so powerful and so timeless .
I saw the dr this week. I am on more Antibiotics as my lung infection still hasn't cleared in one lung but is well on its way. Unfortunately some of the meds leave me tired and lacking on the immune system side of things. For this reason I have been reconvened to go to half my Spanish classes. So we are heading in the right direction just a wee bit slower then one might like.

We leave for Mexico City August 13, and I need to begin to wrap my brain around beginning to repack and sell
household items we have collected along the way. I am excited to see where the Lord has us set up a home there. It has been far to long since I have been allowed to move furniture around and try and make things cozy.

Well thanks for reading and will write more later.

All my love,
Claudia

What a journey

Today I have been thinking about what an incredible opportunity we have had as a family to live here in Costa Rica! Yes we miss family tremendously. But God always seem to have the right person around at the right time. My porter to my x ray was telling me how he came here to Costa Rica 20 years ago. He wasn't thrilled with the prospect but they needed someone to run the hospital MRI equipment. So he came. You know what I saw in his eyes ,contentment and joy. He didn't need to tell me he was where his heart was I knew it, it was obvious. He asked me where I was going when my family was done learning Spanish, I told him Mexico City. We shared a smirk as if to say what a interesting place to read about in the news these days. A comment was made about pollution and the drug cartel. And then after a moment of silence we both spoke at the same time. He said something about being where your "called" to be is the best place for your family. I told him how there isn't a country on the planet where you could keep your family from danger in your own power. People get hit by buses all the time even in Canada I told him. And then a peace rested over my nerves and I was reminded how useless it is to worry about tomorrow when I control absolutely nothing about it, just my attitude today.
Oh please pray Sam has a good day at school and home. He came to visit me yesterday and was emotional and I could tell he needs some me and him time soon. I know he is just processing school, mom not being around and the whole gamma of things that are going through our 10 year olds heart and mind these says. I pray he had a better day today.

You to for that matter.

A song

I have been enjoying the song " I will praise you in this storm", Casting Crowns.
If you can give it a listen today.

Some exciting pictures of my room

If you can guess the name of this medical thing I will send you a post card. I have to blow on it 10 every 30 min for lung strengthening exercise.

I will call this my Darthvader Look

Well day three in the hospital. Look at that I finally have time to blog. This has been quite the month and a half for our family . First Andrew with pneumonia , then him and Beth with bronchitis and now me. I started feeling like I had bronchitis 2 weeks back, went the the hospital last Sunday cause I could not breath and had a x ray a few masks with steroids and I went home. As of my 5 th x ray not including the CAT scan this morning they all agree it is pneumonia in both lungs but the right side has now developed a mucus plug that is at the bottom of my lung and is not moving. I actually am praying I will start coughing harder then ever. Please join me in this. I am on so many antibiotics and different steroids and physical therapy to help break up the stuff in my lungs the best thing at this point is the ability to cough. Only thing is my lungs aren't listening to me or my Doctors.
Ok now I will count blessing to keep perspective.
I had a wonderful friend nurse come sleep in my hospital room last night. Thanks Rhonda, now I know why you were sent here not Bolivia.
My kids are being well taken care of.
I missed a grammar test in Spanish.... As much as it would be nice to be done it the mental energy hasn't been there for a few weeks.
I have wonderful friends and family that sends their love and prayer.
I haven't washed dishes or folded laundry in days!
And I truly feel the Lords peace here with me in my room and with the doctors.

Thankful for a great hospital near by

Well after 3 trips to the hospital with Andrew's pneumonia and the his bronchitis and then Bethany 's bronchitis to one last in the morning to drop off a specimen of her digested food to see if there are any unwanted bacteria living in it. We have been trying to enjoy every last moment with the amazing friends we have made out here. This past week we were able to go on a double date one of our closest couple friend our here. All made possible because a gracious single missionary lady at our school who wanted to babysit for free to allow us down time sin ninos! With out children! Thanks Jen!
If I am honest there is fear as I look to the coming of our last semester of language study. I am trying to remember scripture passages in Matthew that tell me not to worry and that If God can take care and dress all the beautiful flowers all around me how much more me His daughter. I may not be the next top Spanish speaker but I am walking where I have been called and I will trust that our heart language will cover a multitude of Spanish grammar errors and pronunciation
Issues.
I hope you all are walking through this up and coming spring/ summer with great expectations for the year ahead. I think it is time to start our Count down to Mexico City.
Well kids are still up trying to come up with creative ways to prepare us for how sick they plan to be in the morning due to school. I keep telling them I wasn't born yesterday and I know all their tricks, let's hope that stays true for a few more years. I guess no matter the continent children will always be children.

1 Week and Cockroach Free!

OK so last Saturday (not yesterday but a week ago) we had just returned to our place right after dark. And of course you know what that means all things ugly and creepy are out and about. We have two gates to get to our front door and it was between the first and the second where my tale takes place. Our friends park their car in our driveway and from time to time we borrow it. It was just as we were climbing out of their vehicle that my story takes place. First, we noticed the almost hissing sound right under us, but it wasn't quite a snake hiss and then the sensory light illuminated the area around our feet to expose about 30 large cockroaches scrambling to be hidden from the light. Did I mention I was wearing crocks ...the kind with holes all over them! As loud as a woman as I can be I was silent with disgust and fear. It was then that we noticed that they were all scurrying into the small tree in the front of our yard.  This tree is also right in front of the kids bedroom windows and would explain why that is where we mostly find these ugly ugly alien looking creatures. After the kids and I were in the house Andrew, my knight in shinning armour, took a can of raid (or the Spanish version of it)  to spray the entire contents of the can on what we  think was their nest. We woke up Sunday morning before church to see a line of dead, or still slowly moving almost dead, cockroaches that were sprinkled on the ground from the gate to our front door step. We have since paid to have a company that specialises in pet control come over and spray our home. Can I say I am so relieved. Apparently when he lifted a cement step in the back yard he was met by a colony of cockroaches that ran and scattered into the daylight of our yard.
So there you have it 1 week and we are still cockroach free! We are used to finding that ugly free loafer in the house at least every other day.

 

Sam was the designated photo-man in the morning to help us capture this magical memory.

This is a picture of the tree in our yard that offered a place of safety and darkness to our unwanted house guests for 6 months!

Catch ya later ugly buggie!