México – Page 8 – The Rabbi's Burrito

Several weeks ago Scott had some tests done to try to identify the cause of his gastrointestinal issues which have plagued him for some years now. The results of these tests recently came back and he was able to discuss them with his naturopath. The first test was simply checking for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and came back positive. SIBO is a condition which occurs when bacteria that normally grow in other parts of the gut start growing in the small intestine. It causes pain, diarrhea, and malnutrition. It is treatable through antibiotics, herbal supplements, and diet, although there is a high rate of recurrence since these treatments do not address the underlying issue (which is often unknown). Continue reading “Health Matters” →

On the occasion of our last update, we were rejoicing in being able to sign a contract with the Abbotsford and Vernon churches and had begun to take some concrete steps forward. There have been a few new developments on this front, such as booking flights and, more importantly, securing visa appointments at the end of January. Apparently, the Mexican Consulate in Toronto will only see two family members a day so we will be making three separate trips to the Big Smoke. If all goes well we should have our Temporary Resident visas within 10 days subsequent to the submission of the applications. After these appointments, our plan is to head west to B.C. to spend time with Annemarie’s family and our supporting churches, as well as to meet with the Mission Board face-to-face instead of screen-to-screen. Following this, we will hop one province over to visit Scott’s family for a while, before boarding another plane and heading to Colorado Springs for one month of pre-field training at Mission Training International. Upon completion of this training, our next step is to fly back to B.C and make last minute preparations. Finally, we hope to board one more plane (hopefully the last for a while) and jet off to Querétaro, México. Continue reading “Many Are The Plans” →

This post is a commentary on my previous post about a Mayan creation account.

Three Observations:

The Mayan creation account is “place-specific”. As an example, consider why corn is the key ingredient in the creation of human beings? It is because corn was the staple food of the Mayan diet. When man attempts to define and describe the divine he is always limited by his own experiences. The biblical creation account differs in this regard, for it does not display place and cultural limitations. Of course, this is because it is the Creator himself who is describing the actual creation of the world. God communicates his creation account in a certain language (Hebrew) and to a specific culture (mainly Israel), but it remains true for all times and places and this is reflected in the account itself. Continue reading “A Mayan Creation Account – Part 2” →

The Mayans thrived as a civilization around the 6th c. A.D. in Mesoamerica (México and Central America). Their earliest settlements date back to 1800 B.C – about the time of Joseph.

In the beginning, after the earth was created, four of the gods thought up all the animals they wanted to create and upon speaking the animals came forth. They gave instructions on where they should live and commanded the animals to praise their creators and pray to them. However, instead of speaking intelligibly, the animals only squawked, chattered, and howled. As a result, the gods ordered that all animals be lowly creatures who would eat and be eaten.

Continue reading “A Mayan Creation Account – Part 1” →

Two weeks ago we took a leap forward in our journey towards México. Our contract with the Abbotsford and Vernon churches passed through the necessary channels and has now been signed by both parties. This has been an occasion for much rejoicing and thanksgiving. Behind the formality and legalese of the contract is an agreement between two congregations of Christ and one family, to partner together for the advance of the Gospel and the glory of God in México. Coming to this official agreement allows us to move ahead with our planning and preparation. We are now scheduled to attend pre-field training in Colorado Springs at the end of February. This will last a month and involves the following: Continue reading “Possessions, Papers, and Publishing” →