ANNIVERSARY TRIP, JUNE 3,1987

Wednesday, June 3, 1987
We walked over to Sanborns (restaurant) on the Reforma to eat breakfast.

We are trying to heed the advice of one of our children, "Don't do all missionary work, but have some fun."  It's all been fun so far.
Sanborns was very different.  Saw no Americans.  They had a "Buffet Breakfast" (Almuerso)  Dad had chile con huevos (scrambled eggs drenched in chile/salsa) and I had huevos rancheros (sunny side up with salsa).  We had tortillas and coffee.
We then walked to the park that they have made where the former Hotel Regis was.  As we sat in the park and looked at the reconstruction, we were amazed.  After two years, they are still taking out rubble from the Prado Hotel and other buildings.  Dad said they were even working at night.
We saw the Bellas Artes. 
 (Palace of Fine Arts) is a prominent cultural center in Mexico City. It has hosted some of the most notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and has held important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography.)
   It looked the same, maybe sunken a little more but the sidewalks and streets are all patched up.  We took some pictures.
The sun was out, but after we returned to the hotel it became cloudy.
Dad left to go to San Augustine.  I'm here with the stuff.  He wants to advise friends that we are here.  Also he wants to get info. about going to Ixmiqulpan where Eleanor Timmerman and the Bible School are.
We would like to go there Thursday and return to M.C. (Mexico City) on Saturday to be in the service on Sunday.
Dad's journey to San Augustine:
He went to the Santa Clara bus station and it wasn't there anymore.  Since he had been in Mexico last the subway had expanded to Indios Verdes where you get the San Augustine bus.
We found Francisco's wife at home where they live next to the church.
She told Loren that Silvestre was near there and they would find him. Soon he came.
Silvestre had come to meet us at the airport.  After waiting for a long time, Sil was told the plane would come at 11pm.  He and Carmela waited all night for us and decided to go home.
Loren came back with Sil and Carmela to the hotel.  Carmela said Dad looked the same but she wouldn't know me if she'd met me on the street.
Carmela brought us a couple of "Carlos Quintos" (Chocolate cookies of some kind)
There were glad embraces and we all went to dinner nearby.
Arrangements were made for them to pick us up with our things tomorrow.
Sil will go with us.  We talked about so many at the dinner table.  They are rejoicing that there are more believers both in Cuautempan and here in MC.

EPIC ANNIVERSERY TRIP ~1987

It was June 2, 1987 with high anticipation and excitement that Dad took Mother on a two month trip back to Mexico to visit the land they had dedicated so much of their life to.

I will attempt to capture some of those moments from their journal and focus on highlights as the entries are typed single lines, no paragraphs, 25 pages, diary form.  Some entries are Dad's and others from Mothers.  They capture the essence of their relationship with each other and God.
JUNE 2:
(Mother writing)
We woke up this morning at 4:30 a.m.
Just the excitement of "D" day, "A" day (anniversary) or "A" day (Mexico).
Ed drove us to the airport.  (entries written while at airport)
We are on the upper level of LAX which is for departures.  We can look out the windows and see the Aero Mexico airplane which is suppose to leave at 9 a.m.
Since we are early, Dad is out to get his exercise!
I'm sitting here watching our bags and writing.  We blend in well with all of the others with their bags and baggage.
It seems strange, just the two of us going to Mexico.  It has been a long time since we've gone alone. (at least me).
We are in the waiting room near the air strip.  We board at 8:30.  On the plane at 9:10.
They announce they are fixing something in the cockpit or engine.
Will be a 20-25 min. delay.
Plane still delayed.  They took us off, gave us vouchers for breakfast and new boarding passes.
Still delayed, they promise to tell us if we'll take off on this plane at 1:00pm.
WE ARE LEARNING PATIENCE.
WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIS HANDS!
Dad's gone walking AGAIN.  For me walking to and from plane, waiting area, breakfast down and upstairs, to front desk is enough exercise.
1:30 pm walked a mile to MEXICANAS D C 10-15 jumbo jet leaving for Mexico City, non-stop, servicio "AZTECA DE ORO".  (In other words, an up grade.)
1:45 plane moving!  Announcing temperature in MC, 70 degrees and cloudy.
Arrive in 3 hrs., take-off time 2:15pm.
Served dinner, chicken cacciatore and steak
Coming into MC it was dark, cloudy, and raining with lightening.  Arrived at 6pm.
At the airport God was especially good to us.  As we waited for our baggage without a special free push cart, a woman pushed one at me and ran off never returning.
After getting our tourist cards stamped and signed, we proceeded to customs.
They waved us through without looking at our bags.
Outside the airport, we had to get a ticket for the official taxi.  One woman with little baggage was in the same cab.  As we went through the city and saw a lot of re-construction.
The lady commented that she and "todo el mundo" raised money to give homes to the people who lost them in the earthquake 2 years ago and then the government was selling them which made her mad.
We had a good taxi driver who found us a reasonable hotel (CANCUN) at $14 just off Reforma as the one suggested was under re-construction.
So here we are tired at 8:30pm but praising God for all he's done today--for giving strength, wisdom, and patience.
Dad's gone out to look for something to drink  (LOL).  He bought a can of coke, $350 pesos or 29 cents.  The peso is 1, 260 to the dollar.  We are using the calculator.
We will close the day doing our Bible reading, in Spanish for a change.
It's been a long day since we left Castaic at 5:45am. 
(To be continued)

AN EPIC JOURNEY~1964

Little did I know this would be my last trip to the land of my formative years.  I was fifteen.  It was June 1964.

Kathy

Leaving Nogales Arizona, we set out  with anticipation and high expectations as we crossed the border into Mexico.
My brother and I were "escorting" my uncle and aunt with their three young daughters to visit my parents work on the mission field.
Far from the massive investments Mexico has presently to connect the countries main towns and villages with safe and reliable roads navigating travel in 1964 was a wild experience and sometimes scary.

Mother, Dad, Ted, Sarah

All seven of us crowded into the 1963 VW Bus Double cab pick up with a canvas top over the back and those vinyl bench seats that make you slide when turning a corner.

Front:Tom,Don,Kathy, 2n row, Nancy, Ruth,Julie, Back row, Dad, Ed, Ted, Sarah,Becky

It was a long trip as we headed toward Mexico City and into the heart of the high Sierra Norte where we lived.
Uncle Ted and Aunt Sarah had contributed considerable funds toward the building of our home and wanted to see the fruit of their contribution.
Night travel became tricky and dangerous.  Periodically Uncle Ted would call out "I think we are lost."  Ed would reply from the dark back,  "Are we following the rail road track?"

Kathy, Julie, Don, Nancy, Ruthie, Becky, Ed

The empty coffee can was passed around periodically to pee in or many stops at the roadside, behind bushes.  Everybody in passing trucks knew why we were stopping, tooted their horns, and yelled out while passing.
  One night after avoiding running over a mans legs as he worked under his truck in the middle of the road it was best to only travel during the day.
We lumbered on, Ed did most of the navigating and translating as he was more proficient in the language than I as Ted drove on.
After a last bone jarring stretch of the road we reached our destination, the end of the vehicle road.
That last steep incline,was to much for that VW.  Church was just being let out so all the men and young people literally pushed it up onto the property.
We had arrived, almost, tired and exhausted and greeted by my parents and the whole congregation.  What a welcome.

We still had to hike up to our house with the luggage.
In the next few days, Dad introduced Ted to the work and showed him around.  They took a hike up the mountain to see the orchids.  We celebrated Kathy's birthday before they left.

Ruthie, Julie, Nancy, Becky, Tom?, Kathy with birthday cake

This visit from Ted's family meant a lot to Dad.  Dad was always appreciative of his family's support.
Ed and I spent the rest of that summer with the family before going back state side to continue my education.
 

LAST SUMMER in Mexico

 

MOTHER OFFICIATES AT FUNERAL

My mother and I trudged on.  The path led to a rocky trail up the mountain behind our house.

  The rugged mountain loomed ahead.  The trail was steep, well established.  It was a hard long hike.  It was a strenuous task keeping up with my mother.  The rocky trail led through a forest of pines as we gained altitude.  It offered an enjoyable walk of solitude by frequent rests.
It was an exceptionally scenic place to take a walking trip.

Up the trail we trudged, a combination of wild vegetation and perennial tropical forest. As I clambered over larger rocks, periodically I would be presented with a glorious view.  It was quiet and extremely remote.  The view of the forest draped valley below was more like a botany exposition.  The magnificent landscape was worth the admiration.  Pockets of wild orchids clung to their hosts, tree or rocky cliffs.  Evergreen plants and ferns lined the path.

Reaching the summit was the small hamlet of Tlapacholoyan nestled at the top, 5,000 ft. where we would be staying.
Our hosts, Don Amando and his wife Pascuala owned the only country store in  town which included their home.  Clumps of lemon grass with their very sharp blades grew along side the entrance.
They welcomed us gladly but with sadness.
The little daughter they had prayed for had just been taken away from them.  This tested their faith as they were the first believers in that village.
The family had asked my mother to come for the service, wake and burial as my father and all the other Christian workers in the area had gone to the annual conference.
This was a new experience for my mother as well as myself.
After a hot dinner of chicken with rice, tortillas, and beans, and lemon grass tea, my mother conducted the service for close family and friends in the home.
As tradition dictated they stayed awake through out the night.
Little Sarah’s body lay lifeless on the table surrounded by flowers.

As the evening shadows approached, the  effect of the kerosene lamps gave a calming ambience sober effect.  The flickering cast an eerie shadow on the form laying on the table as I observed from the long hard wooden bench across the room. I dozed on and off through out the night.

Don Amando and Pascuala

The next morning she was laid in a special made “box” and laid to rest on a site on the property as the local village fathers would not allow for Christians in the local cemetery.
This experience was my first encounter with death and my mother's first and only time officiating at a funeral and a Velorio (Wake)

EWG COLLIDES WITH SUNDAY

What happens on Sunday morning?  Have you ever asked yourself why you do this?

  Why you go to church?
There is no other time during my week than my Sundays when my mind struggles with physical weakness and excuses.
Attending church is an irreplaceable opportunity.  It is an opportunity to step back and celebrate the power of Scripture, the power of music, the power of friendships,  
the fuel for my faith.

Church has a purpose and I'm part of it.  There is nothing like hearing our pastor read from the scriptures.
The music has been stunning worthy to be called a concert, a concert of worship, a call to worship, a focus on God the Creator and Sustainer of all things who has provided so much for me.

Why is it that I go to Every Women's Grace?
There is nothing more powerful than searching God's Word and passing it on.  This years study on faithfulness has been dominated by various groupings of psalms that express confidence in God's deliverance from exile and His faithful care of His people.  They traveled, they trusted, they obeyed, they worshiped.

We have been encouraged to keep journeying on with a steadfast heart to fully worship God.
We have been encouraged to celebrate faithfulness.  What grace when people hear the call to worship.  What a beautiful call of grace when God tells his people to come.

What holds us back?  Worship is about God.  What wrong thoughts are we putting into those thoughts?  Line those thinkings with truths.
Why not run to the Word for strength?
We are beloved by Christ, chosen by Christ, and loved by Christ with a boundless and, ceaseless, everlasting love.
 Treasure the Savior and praise His name, knowing the glorious future that awaits us with him.