Crafts and Friends

     In April I went to a women's retreat here in Puebla.  At the retreat they had yarn and knitting needles for everyone to learn how to knit.  I had learned how to knit years ago with my Grammy but I never continued it.  At the time, I really didn't like it too much. Over the years, I have done a lot of crocheting, making blankets for each of my grandchildren and other things.  I discovered at the retreat, that I do enjoy knitting and since then have really taken off.  I have even tried some new stitches that I have learned on YouTube.  Since April 24, I have made nine scarves and I am working on the tenth.  (Not all of them are pictured)  I decided that I would make our Christmas presents this year.
     At the small mall near us, there is a yarn kiosk and I have discovered that their yarn is not too badly priced.  It's still cheaper in the United States though.  The lady at the kiosk, Margarita, told me that if I bought yarn from her, she would teach me any stitch she knows.  Well, she has taught me a new stitch which is called the Tunisian or Afghan stitch.  It uses a longer crochet hook and is kind of a cross between crocheting and knitting.  She said she had a stitch that would use two colors and is one color on one side and a second color on the other. She began showing me this new stitch and was impressed that learned so quickly.  She doesn't even keep a sample of this stitch out because she has many people ask about it but they can't seem to learn it. 
     Margarita is such a sweet lady.  In Spanish there are two forms of saying "you."  There is a formal form called Usted which you use for people older than you and in places of respect or authority.  The other form is called "tú" and is used for friends, family and people younger than you.  I asked Margarita, "Puedo tener Usted..." or "Can I have..."  She turned and looked at me and said, "No, you and me are friends, you no use Usted with me."  She speaks very good English but it is obvious she is still learning.  It is very cute.  She also told me, "If you need help, if you forget how to do stitch, you come back and I show again." I think she wants to show me every stitch she has samples for.  Please be praying that God would open opportunities for me to share Christ's love with her. 
     Erin has also wanted to knit, but it is more difficult for her.  So Margarita showed her how to use a knitting loom and has almost finished a scarf.  She is very excited about it and I am so proud of her.  We can now sit and knit together. 

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Here are some of the scarves I have made. 

This is the one that is a different color on each side.  I am so excited about doing this one, I think the baby blanket I will be starting soon will be in this pattern.  Since my new grandbaby is a grandson, it will not be in pink. 

Erin's knitting loom project.

Baptismal Service at Church

     Today we had a baptismal service at church. At Nations, they do a baptismal service once a year. Because you can't go to the river here to baptize someone, we need to use a swimming pool. One of the other missionaries and I were joking that if you baptized people in the rivers here, you would baptize them and then you might hear the words, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Needless to say, the rivers here are not safe to be in.

     It was a wonderful service and 56 people were baptized. Some of the people being baptized were kids from the Esperanza Viva. My heart was thrilled when I saw that Fernando and Ivet were being baptized. They came into the home last year and I have witnessed such growth in them. It is beautiful to see the lives of the children at Esperanza Viva flourish in their walk with the Lord.

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Jerry speaking before the baptism. 

This is the line of people waiting to be baptized.  It brought tears to my eyes.

This is a video of Fernando being baptized.

Here is Ivet waiting, she was crying also.

This is one of Erin's friends from Sunday School.

Worshipping.

Ivet coming out of the water.

Ivet and Fernando after being baptized.

More worship.

After church there was a grand time of fellowship.  What an awesome way to spend the day with the body of Christ.

Happy Birthday Erin!

Yesterday, May 14, Erin turned 12 years old.  Last year on her birthday, we had only been in Puebla for two days, we had no furniture and hardly knew anyone.  So, her birthday did lack a bit in her eyes.  This year, I think we made up for it with all of our celebrations.  It's amazing what a year will bring.  On her birthday, she had one friend over for dinner and we had her favorite meal...green bean cassarole.  She then got to open her gift from us.  She was very excited but a bit confused about a picture of an iPod Nano.  It's what she really wanted but she will need to wait until we able to get it from the states.  They are too expesive here. She was okay with that.  She also got a scarf that I made, a small notebook and a new hair brush.

This is Erin with her friend Madison.

Today, May 15, we had a big birthday party for her.  We made our own decorations with balloon flowers.  We bought sticks that have little ball candies in them and attached balloons to them.  Then we put them in cans with beans in them so that they would stand upright.  We even had small party favor bags with candies in them for all the kids.

We also made banners on the computer and put streamers on them.  They turned out really cute.

We made our own confetti with a hole punch and construction paper.

Erin came up with several games she wanted to play with her friends.  One of them was tying a balloon around your leg, running to the end of the yard, popping the balloon and then running back. 

Erin had just a bit of trouble popping hers.  She was the last one to pop it.

She also did a water balloon toss, kind of like the egg toss where each turn you move farther and farther away from you partner until the balloon breaks.  The team that is the farthest apart wins.

I had guessed, but didn't know for sure until we lit the candles, that they sparkled and continued to light themselves after she blew them out.  She thought that was really fun.

Here is a group photo of all the kids that came.  What a great time she had.  We were so happy that she was able to have a great birthday this year with lots of friends.  God has truly blessed us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!

Mother's Day

Sunday was Mother's Day in the United States.  We were invited over to our friend's house, the Prusias, for a BBQ and they had other guests there also.  Here are some of the people that were there.  We met a couple that are the youth leaders (below) from one of the local churches here in Cholula.  She speaks some English but he does not.  There was also another family there that is here attending the language school that our friends go to.  We had a great time of fellowship and the food was really good also.  One family that was invited, does not know the Lord, so it was an awesome opportunity to show love on them with no pressure.  They seemed to be having a very good time.

Today is Kim's birthday so we sang Happy Birthday to her and we all had cake.

The kids eating cake and visiting.

Jonathan was glad they got a little game playing in also.

One of Kim's gifts was a trampoline.  She said she wanted that for her birthday.  Here are some of the younger kids playing on it.

In Mexico, today is Mother's Day or as we say it here, El Día de las Madres.  So, I got to celebrate Mother's Day twice this year.  Jim took today off and we took a trip to the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon near Mexico City.  It would be a shame to live here and not visit some of the cultural history of the country.  There is a new road that opened up, El Arco Norte, which circles outside Mexico City so we never came close to it.  That really put my mind at ease.  I don't want to drive in Mexico City.

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This picture is on the side of the Pyramid of the Sun where we entered.

This is looking down from the Pyramid of the Sun.

These are at the top of the Pyramid of the Sun.

The Pyramid of the Moon.

Yes, we all walked to the top.  Erin wanted me to take a picture that would look like she was holding it up. As we walked up the pyramid, Jim commented on the thought of men going up and down many times a day, hauling rocks up to build the pyramid.  What a big job that would be. 

Here is what it looked like walking down one of the steepest sections. Yikes!

After touring the pyramids, we had lunch in a ñearby restaurant.

Jonathan likes Coca-Cola in glass bottles.

I almost forgot, we spotted a honey bee hive in a hole in one of the smaller structures.

So there you have it.  Mother's Day 2010 in Mexico.  I hope all of the moms out there had a wonderful day and may God bless you in this next year.