December in Mexico means 70 degree weather! And the only way I’ve been able to tell it’s December is the Christmas decorations in the stores & our home is getting colder at night! This is warmest December I’ve ever had!
The first two weeks in December had been filled with numerous celebrations with my precious friends! And we even had a party with the ladies in the Bible & English class at church last Friday. It included a going away party with the ladies in the English Class & Bible study at church! Amy & I left Mexico, temporarily! Just for Christmastime to spend this special time with our families! In Mexico, it is culturally correct to have a despedida or going-away party when you leave. When you leave permanently it is much more important, and when you are leaving for only a month, like Amy & I, it is a very good excuse to just have a party!
Amy is spending her Christmas in Florida, and I am spending mine in Oregon!!! We have progressed very well in our Spanish, and therefore we can afford to take a three week trip to our homes!!! I’m very excited to spend this Christmas with two grandmas, my parents, sister, sister-in-law, & my brother, I haven’t seen him in 19 months!
Please pray for us as we travel back to Texas and into Mexico into the first week in January! And in January, that we can get back into the swing of things, and have enthusiasm to keep working on Spanish! Also for the ministries that we are involved in: with the kids in the Casa Hogar, working with ladies in the English ministry at church, and those that we come into contact with on a regular basis!
Wishing you everything beautiful and joyous as you celebrate Jesus’ birth with those you hold dear. Merry Christmas to you & your family! I hope that you have a blessed time with your family as we all reflect on the true meaning of Jesus’ birth!
Love,
Crystal
Dia de los Muertos
November started out for us by investigating “Dia de los Muertos”. This is a day that is similar to the Memorial Day that we celebrate, except this day in Mexico is huge! In Chihuahua, we went down to south side of the city where there are three large cemeteries & a fair! After families clean their loved ones graves, they have the opportunity to head to the fair. You can buy almost anything there: cowboy hats, flowers, lunch & so much more! We enjoyed the morning with our Mexican friends & some other missionary friends!
Casa Hogar
We have continued to go out weekly to the Casa Hogar to teach the children to read in Spanish. Two boys have finished the 35 lessons I made for them, Brayan & Ismael!! Please pray for some of the other children this winter as they are starting to get sick, & some of the kids will be spending their first Christmas in the Casa Hogar.
Dia de la Revolucion
Another important day in Mexican History, especially in Northern Mexico, is Dia de la Revolucion. We participated by watching some performances in the elementary school across the street from our church. We attended the festivities with the ladies in the Bible & English class in our church, and we watched their children dance & participate in skits. After the different performances, we bought lunch from the different moms selling tacos, enchiladas & more! The ladies were very happy that we came with them to watch their children.
Thanksgiving in Mexico
We had two Thanksgivings this year! One was spent with some fellow missionaries, and then the next week we had 18 of our Mexican friends, & a few Americans, over to celebrate together! It was the first time I had ever made a turkey, and surprisingly it did taste super yummy! After we ate we each shared something that we were thankful for this year. And it was cool to look back on this last year to see what God had done in my life, where He lead me, and the friends He had prepared for me to meet!