New Year's Day 2010

New Year's Day 2010 began with a hike up Zapoteca, a hill in Cholula.  The smaller kids call it a mountain.  It was a fun and challenging climb at times for someone who never hikes or climbs.  To many of the staff at Esperanza Viva, it is quite small since they climb the Malinche which is 7,000 feet above Puebla.  We had kids from 3 years old to adults who went on this hike.  It was a fun climb.

On the way to Zapoteca

Church ruins on the way there.

A white picket fence in Mexico?

Starting up the hill.

Very cool seeing this horse and rider on the way up.

That hill is where we were going.

At the top!

Overlooking the valley below.

Heading back down.

Our family.

Our family and the four kids we were in charge of on the way up the hill.  From the left, Angel (Cimitrio), Erin, Gail, Jonathan, Jim, in front, Kevin, Jorge and Braulio.

Later in the day, we had a lunch of hot dogs and tortilla chips.  Then there was a dodge ball tournament and the jumping castle that our church, East Hill, donated three years ago was up for the younger kids.  We ended the day with a time of worship and setting goals for 2010.  Everyone, ten years old and up, was given a piece of paper to write their goals, dreams or desires on for 2010 on.  We turned in our paper and they were then tied onto helium balloons and sent off  in the air.   It was a great day for all.

Erin with Blanca helping to put food out on the tables for lunch.

I noticed that the leaves were actually changing color.

 Hmmm...not from cold but perhaps from lack of water.

Lunch time.

Dodgeball

More dodgeball and the jumping castle in the background.

Worship time.

The balloons coming out

The balloons waiting to be launched.

We hope that you and your family had a wonderful day welcoming in the new year.