Moving Plans

The last couple weeks we were in Canada we spent a lot of time looking at houses to rent, or even buy, here in Queretaro. Our rental lease for our current house was coming up and we were not sure we wanted to sign for another half a year, so finding a place to rent became top priority. Together with the Mission Board we had decided that we would move into a community closer to Pan de Vida and focus our outreach efforts there. We felt that it was important to maintain the relationships and community that we have at Pan de Vida and that it would be easier to do that if we lived closer. We wanted to move forward with that plan as soon as possible, thus we were considering moving as soon as we returned from Canada.

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2nd December 2021 0

10 Things We Love about Mexico

After being in Canada for the past two month we are back in Mexico. Our time up North reminded us of some of the things we miss about Canada – the parks, the outdoor activities, the diversity of people and food, etc. It is easy to be constantly comparing life in Mexico with life in Canada, and while that is inevitable to a point, it is not a good habit to fall into. It is a good practice to learn to love what you can about the place you are in. That doesn’t mean ignoring the hard or ugly parts, but it is best not to dwell on them and slip into discontentment. So, with that being said allow me to list ten things we love about living in Queretaro, Mexico.

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30th October 2021 0

Not A Boring Quarantine

On day three of our mandatory quarantine someone asked me: “Are you bored yet?” That was a perfectly legitimate question and if you had asked me back in August during our quarantine I would have answered: “Yes, very much so.” Our house in Mexico is spacious and possesses a concrete patio or two, but after a couple days of self-imposed isolation it felt pretty cramped. Not so our quarantine headquarters here in Alberta.

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22nd September 2021 1

Change of Plans

Well, our plans have changed again.

We were planning to leave for Canada on August 9th, but days before, Annemarie started to feel unwell and decided to get the antigen test, which is faster – we didn’t feel like waiting a day or two for the PCR test to find out if she really did have Covid and if we were going to be able to travel or not. The test came back positive.

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18th August 2021 0

Looking Forward

Less than three weeks and we will, if the Lord wills, be in Canada! The plan is to spend two months there and return to Mexico in October. There is a lot to look forward to; seeing family being at the top of the list. We look forward to getting out into nature and doing some day trips with the kids. We look forward to worshipping in our home church. We look forward to a road trip to Alberta. We look forward to sharing about our life and ministry work in Mexico.

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10th July 2021 2

I Can’t Read

The kids were kicking up the dust as they ran around the monkey bars and swings in front of the señora’s house whom we were visiting. Several locals walked by, making discreet comments about the little blonde-haired visitors. One young girl even took out her phone to take a not-so-discreet video of the güeros.

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22nd May 2021 5

Update from Tepic

We are currently in the city of Tepic and our time here is reaching its conclusion. To give you an idea of what we have been up to I’ll tell you about some of the activities we have been involved with.

Sunday Services

We have been very thankful that we are able to attend the Sunday worship services here, something not to be taken for granted these days. Over the course of the internship we have been able to be part of: voting and installation of an elder and deacon, a wedding, Lord’s Supper, a fellowship in the park, and a worship service in the park. The last three Sundays, Scott has led the Sunday school service and taught from some of the minor prophets. It definitely takes a lot longer to study for, write, and deliver a message when it is Spanish!

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27th April 2021 0

How To Open Your Bible

At a recent bible study I was about to introduce the passage we were studying when the lady next to me asked a question I don’t think I’ve been asked before: How do you open your bible? At first I wasn’t sure I had understood her question and I asked her to clarify. What she wanted to know was: Is there a correct way to open your bible? Do you turn the pages in a certain way? Can you place your bible on the floor or is that not allowed? Basically, how do you handle the bible?

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19th March 2021 0

Covid

It’s hard to avoid talking about Covid in an update when you recently had the virus.

I recently sick and after three or four days of being sick with fevers and chills and lying in bed most of the day, I suspected it might be Covid. I went to a local hospital to get a test, which was a little uncomfortable, but quick. I got results the next day and was surprised it came back negative. However, I had begun to experience some pain in my chest and had shortness of breath, which made me doubt the accuracy of the test. I also had headaches, fatigue, and strangely, sensitive teeth. So for now I’m assuming it really was Covid.

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3rd March 2021 0

Forget Not His Benefits

I feel like I’m writing a lot about thankfulness in these updates. Maybe it’s because if I don’t count the blessings, all the Covid-related negativity will take over. Whatever the reason, I’m looking back at the last month and feeling grateful.

At the turn of the new year, a lot of us were quite happy to be done with 2020, and with good reason. But so far 2021 is not shaping up to be much better. The future remains quite uncertain and it is not a feeling we particularly enjoy. We are used to the freedom of being able to hop on a plane and travel anywhere in the world. Now, we are being told not to cross the street to visit our own family. And when will it end? Who knows.

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2nd February 2021 2