Hey it's Jim!
I thought I'd give you a parental perspective. These kids are great, but don't tell them I said so. They work hard, they play hard, they shop hard, and they pray hard. This is an entirely different kind of mission trip from any previous ones I've gone on, but it is nice to be able to change things around a bit. Rev. Fred sent us with a nice reading describing four aspects of mission work, and what he sent helped clarify the mission aspect of fellowship and socialization for us all.
Things are going very well, no major mishaps or troubles. Thanks for sharing your kids with us.
And from Kathy: I just wanted to add that the kids have all been polite, respectful and helpful without being asked. They stay on the job until Pastor Alfonso says that we "have" to leave now. We are being well cared for and have been offered more food than we can possibly eat. Every precaution was lovingly taken by Pastor Alfonso's wife, Esther to make sure that we ate food that was safe for us and that we stayed in a safe hotel so that we could all have our own beds and be able to shower daily. This is a wonderful place to be physically and spiritually and we have gotten to know the people here so much more than any other place we have been. It iw warm here, but lovely in the shade. We almost hate to go back home.
Jim & Kathy
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday's Mission Trip
Hi it's Brynne!
Today we woke up earlier than usual so we didn't have to be out in the sweltering heat as much. Luckily there was an overcast so the sun was not a problem. The entire week our group has been getting the work done much faster than expected and this morning was no different. We finished the roof before lunch time which concluded our work on the home.
For lunch we had the traditional dish of Campeche, I don't recall what it's called but it is fish and it was delicious. On our way back to the hotel we had our driver "Alberto" stop at a road side store which was full of cheaper items than in the city.
Oh! I also forgot on our way back from the work site we were pulled aside by the Mexican police which is routine here I've discovered so it wasn't a big deal. Anyways by the end of it as we drove off one of the men referred to us as amigos.. so now I'm friends with the Mexican police.
Since we had extra time some of us went shopping, then we had dinner even though most of us are so full constantly that we never want to eat but it's so delicious you can't help it. After that we went to a light show which was sort of a history lesson about Campeche and some of the culture here. That's basically the day sooo goodnight.
Brynne
Today we woke up earlier than usual so we didn't have to be out in the sweltering heat as much. Luckily there was an overcast so the sun was not a problem. The entire week our group has been getting the work done much faster than expected and this morning was no different. We finished the roof before lunch time which concluded our work on the home.
For lunch we had the traditional dish of Campeche, I don't recall what it's called but it is fish and it was delicious. On our way back to the hotel we had our driver "Alberto" stop at a road side store which was full of cheaper items than in the city.
Oh! I also forgot on our way back from the work site we were pulled aside by the Mexican police which is routine here I've discovered so it wasn't a big deal. Anyways by the end of it as we drove off one of the men referred to us as amigos.. so now I'm friends with the Mexican police.
Since we had extra time some of us went shopping, then we had dinner even though most of us are so full constantly that we never want to eat but it's so delicious you can't help it. After that we went to a light show which was sort of a history lesson about Campeche and some of the culture here. That's basically the day sooo goodnight.
Brynne
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thursday's Mission Trip
Hey it's Zoe!
We've been here for four days now and it's been a blast thus far. Today was our cultural day. The day began at 7:30 this morning when we left the hotel to go to a church where we had a feast of a breakfast; veggie soup, rice, TONS of fruit and the most delicious chicken around.... twas delicious. Then we headed out for a city rendezvous where we toured the city fortresses, we got a lot of cool pictures. Then we went to Ester's ( the wife of Alfonzo the minister we've been working with) sister's husband's church for lunch. We had these hamburgers which consisted of a patty, bun, ham, pineapple and lettuce, suprisingly it was really good. I ate it all. Then it was the SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!! During our stay here I have been spending a lot of time with Ester, she has become my Mexican / mayan mama. I asked her if she would go shopping with me and find me some traditional clothing. It was sooooo much fun, i ended up getting this beautiful dress which i of course got on sale. Instead of paying 850 pesos i paid only 500 Ester was impressed with my haggling skills and the boys were jealous because they didnt know you could haggle in the stores :). Then we went to the Church we've been building the Mance for and had some time with the children. And ohhhh my goodness it was amazing. Oh course i had to make a foul of myself in front of everyone. I was in the small children's group and i was demonstrating duck duck goose and i was fake chasing Lolita (Alfonzo and Ester's youngest daughter) around the circle tripped, fell and broke my flip flop - all the moms were laughing and making fun of me it was soooooooo embarrassing. Being a klutz is a hard knock life. After we were done chilling with the 150 kids in the church we headed to Elizabeth and Luis' house where we've been eating most of our meals and had dinner. Fish. I am madly in love with the food here, it has ceased to amaze me. it was great :)
Zoe
We've been here for four days now and it's been a blast thus far. Today was our cultural day. The day began at 7:30 this morning when we left the hotel to go to a church where we had a feast of a breakfast; veggie soup, rice, TONS of fruit and the most delicious chicken around.... twas delicious. Then we headed out for a city rendezvous where we toured the city fortresses, we got a lot of cool pictures. Then we went to Ester's ( the wife of Alfonzo the minister we've been working with) sister's husband's church for lunch. We had these hamburgers which consisted of a patty, bun, ham, pineapple and lettuce, suprisingly it was really good. I ate it all. Then it was the SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!! During our stay here I have been spending a lot of time with Ester, she has become my Mexican / mayan mama. I asked her if she would go shopping with me and find me some traditional clothing. It was sooooo much fun, i ended up getting this beautiful dress which i of course got on sale. Instead of paying 850 pesos i paid only 500 Ester was impressed with my haggling skills and the boys were jealous because they didnt know you could haggle in the stores :). Then we went to the Church we've been building the Mance for and had some time with the children. And ohhhh my goodness it was amazing. Oh course i had to make a foul of myself in front of everyone. I was in the small children's group and i was demonstrating duck duck goose and i was fake chasing Lolita (Alfonzo and Ester's youngest daughter) around the circle tripped, fell and broke my flip flop - all the moms were laughing and making fun of me it was soooooooo embarrassing. Being a klutz is a hard knock life. After we were done chilling with the 150 kids in the church we headed to Elizabeth and Luis' house where we've been eating most of our meals and had dinner. Fish. I am madly in love with the food here, it has ceased to amaze me. it was great :)
Zoe
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Wednesday's Mission Trip
Hey it's Emily!
Today we woke up bright and early for breakfast which was toast, coffee and their form of orange juice. Around 8 we got in the vans to go to Tenabo which is where our work site is (this where the Mance is - the Mance is the house where the pastor lives.) Our group and the men from Tenabo completed the base of the roof today which we had started yesterday. The speed at which our group was able to complete tasks on the work site amazed the locals.
During some down time at the site we had the chance to walk around the community, stopped in some shops, and was able to visit a traditional cemetery. I don't think I've ever seen something quite like this; there were literally whole bodies caged in cement blocks on open display. While it is their culture, it was definitely an eye opener based on how we bury our dead.
We were fed an amazing lunch once again by Esther (who is married to Alfonso, the pastor we have been working with.) The meal consisted of toastados with chicken, lettuce, a bean dip, avacado and of course we got to try more exotic fruits.
After lunch we went back to the work site to complete the roof which took about an hour. Then it was back to our beautiful hotel in Campeche where we quickly rinsed off and headed to the beach. The water was so warm (and there were barely any people there). We were truly blessed with a perfect day for experiencing the Gulf Coast. The families (Alfonso's and his brother's) joined us at the beach and fed us a meal of spaghetti and meat balls. Needless to say, it was another delicious meal.
After the beach we quickly rinsed off again because the leaders (Jim, Kathy, Eric, and Ken) had been told that the sunset in Campeche is one for the books. We took a couple of group pictures and then Collin tripped and cut his leg. It looked like a lot more blood than it should have but Kathy came to the rescue with a couple of band aids while Eric tended to his wound - he was fine. When the sun finally set, it was time to go back to the hotel to talk about our experiences so far and how our expectations compared to the actuality. Everyone agreed that this was not only a mission trip based on emotions like past Mexico trips, or spiritual ones for that matter like New Orleans, but Campeche fulfilled a much more cultural one as well.
Afterward some of the group went out to see the town at night as a few shops were still open. We got the chance to have freshly made churros and to see the amazing architecture of Campeche.
It was another gorgeous day, filled with new learning experiences and unforgettable moments. We miss and love you all!
Emily
Today we woke up bright and early for breakfast which was toast, coffee and their form of orange juice. Around 8 we got in the vans to go to Tenabo which is where our work site is (this where the Mance is - the Mance is the house where the pastor lives.) Our group and the men from Tenabo completed the base of the roof today which we had started yesterday. The speed at which our group was able to complete tasks on the work site amazed the locals.
During some down time at the site we had the chance to walk around the community, stopped in some shops, and was able to visit a traditional cemetery. I don't think I've ever seen something quite like this; there were literally whole bodies caged in cement blocks on open display. While it is their culture, it was definitely an eye opener based on how we bury our dead.
We were fed an amazing lunch once again by Esther (who is married to Alfonso, the pastor we have been working with.) The meal consisted of toastados with chicken, lettuce, a bean dip, avacado and of course we got to try more exotic fruits.
After lunch we went back to the work site to complete the roof which took about an hour. Then it was back to our beautiful hotel in Campeche where we quickly rinsed off and headed to the beach. The water was so warm (and there were barely any people there). We were truly blessed with a perfect day for experiencing the Gulf Coast. The families (Alfonso's and his brother's) joined us at the beach and fed us a meal of spaghetti and meat balls. Needless to say, it was another delicious meal.
After the beach we quickly rinsed off again because the leaders (Jim, Kathy, Eric, and Ken) had been told that the sunset in Campeche is one for the books. We took a couple of group pictures and then Collin tripped and cut his leg. It looked like a lot more blood than it should have but Kathy came to the rescue with a couple of band aids while Eric tended to his wound - he was fine. When the sun finally set, it was time to go back to the hotel to talk about our experiences so far and how our expectations compared to the actuality. Everyone agreed that this was not only a mission trip based on emotions like past Mexico trips, or spiritual ones for that matter like New Orleans, but Campeche fulfilled a much more cultural one as well.
Afterward some of the group went out to see the town at night as a few shops were still open. We got the chance to have freshly made churros and to see the amazing architecture of Campeche.
It was another gorgeous day, filled with new learning experiences and unforgettable moments. We miss and love you all!
Emily
Quick update
Hello!
We arrived, but the internet has been sporadic so we haven't been able to update. We had a eight hour drive after our plane arrived in cancun. When we finially arrived around 9, we ate at Esther and Alfanso's home. The food was delicious, but many of us were unable to finish the meal due to our exhaustion. Our hotel is incredible. The floors surround a patio, creating a little skylight.
The next day we woke up at 7:00, ate toast and juice for breakfast and headed for the worksite. We first stood around unsure of how to help. The lack of saws to saw rebar the size of a nail from the concrete beams. We then carried the 200-250 lb beams into the house, 4 people on each beam. When the power saw arrived, the work began to speed up. Once the beams were in place, the professional workers began spacing them out, and we began to transport the massive pile of concreate blocks into the house.
We then walked to the house we were having lunch at. We had delicious fish tacos with salsa (sorry pastor fred). Then the jabenareos came out fresh off the plant. Mitesh chomped into one, not realizing he wasn't suppose to eat the seeds and finished off the whole pepper in one bite. 15 seconds later, sweat was dripping down his face. Sarah, Brett and John also tried a bit the pepper being careful not to eat the seeds. Ester brought out limes and sugar to take away the sting.
After lunch we went to nearby ruins at De Kanki These ruins were resently discovered and are still being excavated. We saw huge storage holes in the ground, a temple, sacrificial blocks, and a mayan game field.
We then showered. Several of us assisted making tortillas over an open fire with our chefs. We were also taught how to play a board game that is a cross between tic-tac-toe and checkers. Beef, potatoes and tortillas with soupy bean paste. After dinner we went to the worship service at the church. The pastor wrote his sermon to us thanking us for what we were doing here. We introduced ourselves infornt of the congregation, and were treated to several spanish worship hymns. After the service, the people shook all our hands. The whole church congregated outside for the tamales prepared to celebrate us coming. Wrapped in corn husks, a few of us didn't quite know how to eat the tamale. After some laughter from the children at our expense, they showed us how. We drank juice from pouches biting a small piece off the corner. We play, attempted our spanish, and took photos with all the curious children.
After returning to the hotel, a group of us walked along the gulf of mexico enjoying the breeze, and beautiful view.
We arrived, but the internet has been sporadic so we haven't been able to update. We had a eight hour drive after our plane arrived in cancun. When we finially arrived around 9, we ate at Esther and Alfanso's home. The food was delicious, but many of us were unable to finish the meal due to our exhaustion. Our hotel is incredible. The floors surround a patio, creating a little skylight.
The next day we woke up at 7:00, ate toast and juice for breakfast and headed for the worksite. We first stood around unsure of how to help. The lack of saws to saw rebar the size of a nail from the concrete beams. We then carried the 200-250 lb beams into the house, 4 people on each beam. When the power saw arrived, the work began to speed up. Once the beams were in place, the professional workers began spacing them out, and we began to transport the massive pile of concreate blocks into the house.
We then walked to the house we were having lunch at. We had delicious fish tacos with salsa (sorry pastor fred). Then the jabenareos came out fresh off the plant. Mitesh chomped into one, not realizing he wasn't suppose to eat the seeds and finished off the whole pepper in one bite. 15 seconds later, sweat was dripping down his face. Sarah, Brett and John also tried a bit the pepper being careful not to eat the seeds. Ester brought out limes and sugar to take away the sting.
After lunch we went to nearby ruins at De Kanki These ruins were resently discovered and are still being excavated. We saw huge storage holes in the ground, a temple, sacrificial blocks, and a mayan game field.
We then showered. Several of us assisted making tortillas over an open fire with our chefs. We were also taught how to play a board game that is a cross between tic-tac-toe and checkers. Beef, potatoes and tortillas with soupy bean paste. After dinner we went to the worship service at the church. The pastor wrote his sermon to us thanking us for what we were doing here. We introduced ourselves infornt of the congregation, and were treated to several spanish worship hymns. After the service, the people shook all our hands. The whole church congregated outside for the tamales prepared to celebrate us coming. Wrapped in corn husks, a few of us didn't quite know how to eat the tamale. After some laughter from the children at our expense, they showed us how. We drank juice from pouches biting a small piece off the corner. We play, attempted our spanish, and took photos with all the curious children.
After returning to the hotel, a group of us walked along the gulf of mexico enjoying the breeze, and beautiful view.
Updates through the Grapevine
Hi all, I received this e-mail from Ken Reed's wife today:
Hi Amber,
I got a call from Ken Monday night and they had arrived at the hotel around 10(central time) that night, and all went well with the trip. The connection was pretty bad, and I couldn't get much info. He said he'd call again when he had a change and we hope the connection will be better. I'll let you know if I hear from him again.
Ruthann
Eric Kendrew also updated his facebook about the 8-10 hour drive to
Campeche:
In Campeche Mexico - wow what a long trip that was - after a 2, 3 hour flights and a 8-10 hour drive - whoooo, we are here
Hi Amber,
I got a call from Ken Monday night and they had arrived at the hotel around 10(central time) that night, and all went well with the trip. The connection was pretty bad, and I couldn't get much info. He said he'd call again when he had a change and we hope the connection will be better. I'll let you know if I hear from him again.
Ruthann
Eric Kendrew also updated his facebook about the 8-10 hour drive to
Campeche:
In Campeche Mexico - wow what a long trip that was - after a 2, 3 hour flights and a 8-10 hour drive - whoooo, we are here
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Ready To Go!
Hi All,
So the group leaves tonight.. well tomorrow at 2:30am. They have been commisioned and have their T-shirts in hand! They will update daily from Camepche on how things are going and here is where to find their latest updates!
-Amber Roy
So the group leaves tonight.. well tomorrow at 2:30am. They have been commisioned and have their T-shirts in hand! They will update daily from Camepche on how things are going and here is where to find their latest updates!
-Amber Roy
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