Blog 8 11 Aug 2015

Back to School Soon!

Just like all of you, we are gearing up for the school year here.  I imagine some of you have already started.  One of the other teachers and I spent Monday cleaning, preparing, and organizing.  As of now, our first day is scheduled for Monday, August 24.  The classrooms are really not that different from American classrooms.  The biggest difference is the language.

          

 

Trip to the Border! part 2

Last week Jenny and I drove to the border for the sole purpose  of "legalizing" my vehicle. Last week, I told about driving my car and getting it inspected.  We were on our way to the Texas department of Safety to obtain my driver's license . . .

Jenny dropped me off.  I noticed there were many people seated, waiting their turn, so I looked for a place to get a number.  I walked up to the lady at the desk to request one.  In the middle of my question, she asked what was the purpose of my visit today.

"I have just moved from Arkansas, and I would like to obtain a Texas driver's license."

"Do you own a vehicle?"
"Yes."
"Do you have proof of insurance?"
"Yes."
"Has it been inspected?"
"Yes."
"Has it been registered and licensed?"
"Not yet; I came here first."
"Here is your number, have a seat."

So, of course, I sat down with the others.  I noticed that there were two different sets of numbers with one from each set periodically being called to different windows.  When my number was called, I gathered all of my paperwork and went to the window.  The lady asked me the same questions as above, then proceeded to hand me forms to fill out.  She also wrote down for me the six things I needed to bring back tomorrow in order to get my license. 

"Can I not get my driver's license today?"
"No."
"May I ask why?"
"You have to have your vehicle registration before you can even apply for a license."

I have never even heard of, let alone lived in, a state that required you to register for a license plate before you can even be permitted to apply for a driver's license!  My blood pressure is now somewhat elevated.

It is now 5:10 pm.  I message Jenny to come back for me.
(To be continued . . .)


Ladies' Soulwinning! (still the silent partner)

This week I was privileged to partner with Hermana Eliud, a lady from a little south of Monterrey whose husband was reached through the ministry here.  They met while attending the institute, married, and have reared their children in this church.  Her son is our song leader; he and his wife have a son the same age as the twins.  Her daughter recently finished school and is one of the church pianists. Hermana Eliud is a faithful and dedicated soulwinner.  I prayed while she led a young girl named America to the Lord.  Although the  mother of the girl gave permission for us to speak to her about Christ, she would not permit her to attend a non-Catholic church.
The six ladies in Mrs. Brenda's vehicle led six people to the Lord.

Soulwinning Related Story:

I met a new friend at church named Lydia.  She speaks English fairly well because she and her husband (who is from here in Monterrey) lived in Houston for a while. Although they were both saved and baptized in Houston, she is attending church here because some ladies from Mt. Hebron gave her literature, prayed with her, and invited her. She has been coming here only a little longer than me.  Her husband does not attend with her.  I have seen her at church almost every Sunday.

New Food of the Week:

Pescada a la poblano!  

Fish {with} chili

I had the best fish I have had in a long time.  It was cooked perfectly and covered in green chili.  It also had elote (corn) and Mexican cream sauce (not really sour cream and definitely not tartar sauce).  
I know that I say on here that I have liked everything so far but that is because I honestly have.



News Bulletin:
I have officially resided here for 8 weeks and have not been or even felt sick once!!
PTL!!

Language Update:

I am excited to announce that I finally passed Unit 1 in Rosetta Stone! Not lesson 1; Unit 1.  I had to re-take some of the speaking portions numerous times to get the pronunciations correct.
On to unit 2!!

First Driving Experience!

I actually drove for the first time here in Mexico the previous week, but because of my trip to Texas, I really didn't have time to write about it.  And, I did a little (very little) of the driving to the border, so that gave me a few extra tidbits.

First of all, my lack of a sense of direction makes moving anywhere extra challenging for me.  After fifteen years, I still occasionally lost my way in Hot Springs. So, Mrs. Brenda Ashcraft let me drive her to "S-Mart" for practice.  It is less than ten miles down the highway and right on the corner; so no getting lost.  She was very patient and gave good directions about changing lanes and entering and exiting the highway.  All of that said, here are my observations and experiences:

Obviously taken when I was not the driver!

1. At least we drive on the same side of the road as in the US.

2. Motorcycles not only weave in and out of lanes as they do in US, but also occasionally drive on wrong side of the highway.

3. People often stand dangerously close to the side of the highway in hopes of crossing faster.

4. People often park on the side of the highway to avoid crossing and recrossing the highway if they want to stop at a market along the edges.

5. These drivers parked along the side of the highway often open their car doors without looking.

6. El barrial, or my neighborhood, does not waste money for signs to mark speed bumps; if you don't see them the first time, you will remember them the second time.

7. There are no signs for the end of the lane, either; if the white lines are gone, or if there is suddenly an orange cone in front of you, then the lane has ended.

8. If you are in the left lane (going @ 60mph) and a semi truck in the right lane suddenly puts on his left blinker (going @ 45mph) do not panic and brake as I did: he is putting on his signal indicating that he wants you to pass him.

9. The policia leave their lights on for the duration of their shift.  It is impossible to tell if they are actually "in pursuit."

Pics of Boys:

I am not sure, but I think I enjoy game and craft time with the boys as much or more than they do. 
We played futbol (soccer) outside, then some blocks inside.

 

Aunt Emily sent us home all tuckered out.

Blog 7 04 Aug 2015

Back to School Soon!

I know some of my readers start school next week, and some are closer to the end of August.  School starts Aug 26 for us.  I will be cleaning, organizing, and prepping for school until then. I am getting excited!  Please know that as I ask you to pray for a successful school year for me, I also am praying that for you.

Bright Spots of the Week:

Aunt Emmy loves Baby Lucas!

Wind Chimes for Granny!

This pic was taken by Jonathan (the twin on the left below)

Granny (Mrs. Brenda) was pleasantly surprised at
Jonathan and Tommy's hard work for her gift.  
They painted the pieces and strung the beads themselves.

Trip to the Border!

This week Jenny and I drove to the border for the purpose of obtaining a driver's license and car tags and registration for me.  It was supposed to be a "quick trip" for this sole purpose.  While I was in line at the offices, Jenny was going to get mail and packages for her family and others here at Mt Hebron who receive mail as I do. 

The first item on the licensing agenda was the car inspection.  We drove to the mission where my car has been parked to switch vehicles.  

Would you believe that my car would not start? If you know me very well, you probably expected that.  Well, we jumped it, and drove to the inspection station.  This was a Texas State Inspection Station: no one on duty spoke English, so Jenny had to translate for me.  We had to park and wait our turn.  The 95* outside with slight breeze was cooler than the un-airconditioned garage. When it was our turn (perhaps you can guess?) my car again would not start.  The mechanic jumped it, promised to leave it running, and inspected it.

The inspection and a few minor adjustments: $46.00.
It is now 4:15 pm.  We decided to switch back to the van to avoid being stranded with weak battery. We then raced over to the Dept. of Public Safety, which closed at 5:00 pm, to obtain my driver's license.
(To be continued . . .)

Ladies' Soulwinning!

As our trip to Texas was during normal soulwinning time, Jenny and I passed out tracts while out and about completing errands.  
Mrs. Brenda Ashcraft told me that the ladies in her group led three people to the Lord.

New Bus Route!

Jon started visiting in a new area this Saturday in hopes of starting a new Bus Route.  I was glad to keep the twins while he was visiting.

New Food of the Week:

Believe it or not, I tried papaya for the first time last week.  It is kind of "peachy" and kind of "melony".  I really liked it.

Language Update:

I am pleased with my increasing ability to understand what those around me are saying.  I am able to get the general idea of the church messages.  My pronunciation is improving, but I still have a long way to go.

Books:

Thank you for so much positive feedback regarding my books.  I especially appreciated the encouragement regarding 365 Days  of Thankfulness.

Blog 6 28 July 2015

Beautiful Pictures of

Beautiful Mountains

The top picture was taken from my road facing the opposite direction of my previously posted pic.  The bottom pic was taken from my porch.  The house is my neighbor's. Jon & Jenny (& the boys) live about 1 mile down this road. 

The last pic is the same direction from the middle of the soccer field  which comprises my back yard.

Writing New Books!

Aside from organizing the paces and school books and playing with the boys now and then, I have been spending my time writing.  My little cabin is perfect for this.  I have a beautiful view and, for the most part, quiet neighbors.  I have been able to do some typing / editing for others as well as some of my own selections.

I have a few titles in the works and hope to have some ready for publication in the new year.  I will include information at the end for those who may be interested in purchasing.

New Food of the Week:

Since I posted last, I have had two new items to taste.  One was cactus on my tacos.  It was REALLY good!  Of course, it was mixed in with the other pico de gallo ingredients; but I liked it. The other was "Jamaica." Not pronounced like we would say the country in South America -- but "ha-mika." 

The cactus is in the forefront of the picture.  When it is chopped for tacos it looks similar to celery or okra.

You can see I took this pic off the internet.  This is because my drink was in a white styrofoam cup. Possibly, you can also tell that it is a tea-like drink made from hibiscus leaves.

Ladies' Soulwinning: (still the silent partner)

Everyone was glad to have Mrs. Brenda and Jenny back this week.  They were sorely missed.  I was glad to have them as my partners.  Twelve ladies went about thirty minutes away to invite people to a fairly new church pastored by a graduate of the Mt. Hebron Bible Institute.  The five ladies in our van saw three saved.  The Institute has at least one graduate in each of Mexico's 31 states.  There are several graduates laboring in Nuevo Leon, the state in which Monterrey is located.

Language Update:

I have progressed to Core Lesson 4 in Rosetta Stone, and at least one day I passed the speaking portion.  My tone-deafness prohibits my ability to repeat the words with proper intonation.  I would appreciate your prayers as I strive to improve in this area.

Encouraging note: While returning from the store with Jenny, I was able to determine which was our exit for home.

Some Things I Have Learned:

1. How to properly pronounce the numbers to 20.
       It appears I will be learning some things right along with the twins.

2. The difference between a tostada and a tortilla.
     A tortilla is soft and bread-like.
       A tostada is crunchy like a taco shell, but flat.  
       According to the Spanish dictionary ap, a tostada is sweet-bread that is
                     dried, then re-baked.

3. The difference between "bebe" & "bebe`."
      One is a drink and the other is a baby.
      What I should say is that I learned to ask for a "refresco" since I cannot 
                properly pronounce the difference.

4. That there is a marked difference between Mexican toilet paper and American toilet paper.
          What I should say is that once again I should have listened to Jenny.

5. That FaceTime works through your e-mail.
       It requires data, but not minutes.  
       As long as I am connected to Wi-fi, I am good to go!

6. The difference between a bulldozer and an excavator
      Because some things are important when you're an aunt to 3 1/2 year-old twin boys.

Book Info:

Two of my books are currently available digitally on Kindle or in paperback through Amazon.  Any proceeds made from these publications will greatly assist in my being able to continue to work in the missions school here in Mexico.

Where's the Next Jenny? 
          This is basically the story of how I came to be called "Aunt Emily." Seriously, it is a practical handbook for encouraging and influencing young people.  It is the story of Jenny becoming a missionary.  This book would be a tremendous asset for parents, teachers, bus captains, and youth workers.

Every Kid is Different 

          This book is an encouragement for teachers and teachers-to-be; all the things they failed to teach you in college.  I share stories of some of the students who have passed through my classroom: from my first-year's teaching in a rural one-room school-house through my last year in the states.  My experiences in Mexico will have to be their own book.

Three books in process:

365 Days of Thankfulness

          Taken directly from my FB posts, something to be thankful for every day of the year.  Some entries are personal and others are things we see or use every day; but all entries guide each of us to an attitude of gratefulness.       

Message me if interested in pre-ordering to use for the new year.  Obviously, will be finished no later than 01/01/16.

Tangents Around a Common Circle

          This book is barely started, but will be the story of my life's journey.  As a young person, I thought it was just important to be headed in the right direction.  I am learning that is much more important to be centered, or balanced properly.  I promise that you will not have to remember everything you learned in high school geometry to glean from this one (but it might help if you could remember a little).

What I Learned From My Mom &

What I Learned From My Dad

          I have not completely decided whether or not to split this into two books, but regardless, it will be the first in a series.  Though inspired by my thankfulness posts: "What I learned from my Mom while she was battling cancer" and "What I learned from my Dad while my Mom was battling cancer" the book will not be limited to the topic of illness. It promises to be both practical and inspiring.

Blog 5 21 July 2015

School Meetings:

We had meetings this week for the start of school.  We talked about the school calendar and the schedule for the school day, as well as the individual students and their progress in English and their overall studies.
The first week of August, I will be attending the ACE training classes here in Monterrey.  I will be enrolled in the English classes.  I completed these once before, but it was a loooong time ago.
The first day of school is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, August 19.

Market Day!                

On Tuesday, Jenny took me to the Market.  It is set up in a similar fashion as a flea market in that each booth is owned separately.   We looked a lot and bought a little. 

The food on this table is all fried.  There is some chicken, some tomatoes, and some jalepenos.  

This is not in the "new food" section because I did not try any. 





New Food of the Week:

While at the market we had "real" tacos with pineapple water to drink.  They were very good ~ definitely better than Taco Bell or Taco Pronto.  They were folded on the bottom to keep the meat from falling out.  We had one each of chicken, beef, and pork.

                      

After the market we went for a frozen yogurt treat.  I will you tell you my flavors, but you can't judge until you try it!  I had pineapple-coconut with oreos and it was very good!


Ladies' Soulwinning: (still the silent partner)

Mrs. Carrie Suhl was our leader again this week and I was privileged to be her partner.  She led one man and two young girls to the Lord.  We went to a mountain road very close to the one we went on last week.  Twelve lady soulwinners led a total of thirteen people to Christ.  

Mrs. Brenda Ashcraft led two people to the Lord while she was out of town, including one lady of the housekeeping staff of their hotel.

Language Update:
I continue to work with the Rosetta Stone, and one of the ladies here helps me each time I see her at church or visitation.  She will ask me simple questions in Spanish and help me properly answer.  So far, she can understand me, but I am not using the right tenses or forms of the words.  In Spanish, she asked me if Jenny were coming soulwinning this week (she did not).  I meant to say: "I did not ask her yesterday, so I do not know."  Instead, I said: "I no asking her tomorrow, for I not did knowing."  She knew what I meant, though, and we got a nice laugh

MONEY MONEY!

If you look closely you can see the numbers on the coins.  Roughly,
1 dollar = 15.7 pesos          
           and                       10p            5p           1p         50c       10c
1 peso = .064 dollars                                        (1/2p)  (1/10p)
            or
1 peso =  6.4 cents             
.5 peso = 3.2 cents       .5 peso is 50 centavos (50c)
.1 peso = .64 cents       .1 peso is 10 centavos (10c)

So, the larger coin is 10 pesos, or a little less than $1.
The smaller coin is 10 centavos, or less than a penny.
I will let you figure out the rest of the coins.

Some pics of the boys:
We had craft time this week, thanks to my good friend from Chicago, Gloria Sanchez, who sends me the same crafts she does with her grandchildren.  The boys love painting.  You can see their personalities shining through in these pictures.

(L) Tommy:

Concentrating intently

(R) Jonathan:

Excited to have
the paintbrush


(B) Lucas

Some Things God Used in Arkansas to Prepare me for Living in Mexico:

1. Weird and Unusual Insects  
     I thought I had seen some weird bugs in Hot Springs, but I 
     believe Mexican bugs have them beat in both factor of
     weirdness and numbers.
2. Weird and Unusual Entrance and Exit Ramps
     Actually, these are not really ramps.  I haven't driven yet;
     I am not sure I am quite ready.  Also, the street layout when
     you are not on the highway is virtually nonexistent. 

3. Crazy Drivers
     WAY WORSE!
4. Ability to completely ignore clocks and watches
     Except for church, which always starts on time and usually
     ends close to the same times, no one ever seems to know or          care what time it is.  I must admit that Arkansans seemed to
     have been stronger in the ability to ignore the clock, but 
     here "late" means much later.

Blog 4 14 July 2015

First "Official" Day in My New Office!

I know this is the last thing the kids reading my blog want to hear about, but I am getting excited for school to start.  Last Monday, I had my first "official" parent meeting.  We talked about goals, homework, and study habits.  I hope to meet all the parents and students before the middle of August.  I also moved all the boxes of books that my Arkansan students helped me pack into the correct classrooms for use in the fall.  After we get some shelves, I will be able to put them all away.  There is no AC in the 

school, so it was really hot.

First "Official" Doctor Visit in Mexico!

I needed one of my regular prescriptions that was in limbo due to my insurance change when moving.  Jenny's husband took me to the doctor and translated for me.  I showed the doctor the medicine I was taking, he confirmed the Spanish name for it, and wrote a prescription.  He also told us that I did not need a prescription here to obtain it.  We then went to the pharmacy and purchased it.  The doctor visit cost $325 pesos (about $18 dollars); and the medicine, though more than a copay, was much cheaper than in the states.

Pics of My House -- Outside:

         

The two above show my driveway and part of the wall in front of mine and my neighbor's houses.  
I took the pic on the left standing in the middle of my road.  Notice the mountain in background.

New Food of the Week:

Mayo w a twist of lime

This week I am featuring a "regular" food

product with a "Mexican" twist:

Mayonesa con jugo de limones

(Mayonaise with juice of limes)

If you already like Mayonaise, then you will probably like the addittion of lime juice; I know 
I do!
Did you notice that "limes are called "limones"? It is pronounced  the same as lemons only with a long 'e' as the first vowel, and a long 'o' as the second vowel. Lemons are sometimes called the same thing and sometimes they are called "citrons."  This can sometimes be confusing.

Ladies' Soulwinning: ( yes, I am still the silent partner :) )

Mrs. Brenda was out of town with her husband, so Mrs. Carrie Suhl             led the ladies' efforts this Friday.  We went to a more remote area of town.  The street was at first concrete, then graded dirt, then just dirt.  We were kind of up in the mountain, as you can see from the bottom picture.

 My partner this week was Mrs. Betty (glasses); right behind me is Mrs. Ana, Mrs. Brenda's usual partner.  Mrs. Carrie is driving the van while I was taking this picture. Next to her in the front seat (also not pictured) is Mrs. Heidi, who, along with her son Sammy, took the twins and me to the pool last Saturday. The eleven ladies who went soulwinning led a total of eighteen people to the Lord.  I was able to observe Mrs. Betty lead a man to the Lord in his home.  We also talked to a boy of about ten or twelve who was respectful to us but did not wish to hear the Bible.  

The houses we visited are behind me in this picture. You are looking at the rooftops of the houses being visited by the other group of ladies.  These houses were small (some even smaller than mine) and many of them had no electricity or indoor plumbing. There were five ladies on my "block" and six on the other "block."  Mrs. Carrie Suhl climbed many steep steps and fended off a few dogs, chickens, and ducks; she is a very dedicated soulwinner!

Language Update:

This week in Sunday morning church we sang "Si, Christo Mi Amo"

which is "Yes, Jesus Loves Me."  I was so excited becuase I already knew the chorus and most of the words of the verses in Spanish.  Something you may find humerous is that I am attending Sunday night choir practice to help me learn Spanish better and faster.  Most of the songs are the same songs you hear in your church, only translated into Spanish.  When I recognize the tune, then I know what I am reading in Spanish.  The first one we practiced was "God and God Alone."  I know you are wondering, so I will go ahead and tell you: No, I am not singing in the choir during services. :)

Meanwhile, Back in Arkansas:

Heritage Baptist Church 

(my home / sending church) experienced VBS this past week.  This year's theme is the "Super-Natural State." VBS is always a lot of fun and I hate that I am missing it. They had many visitors with three saved; one who was baptized the following Sunday. I am thankful to be one of the Missionaries for whom

 the children are praying.

Blog 3 07 July 2015

Helping Mama with her 3 Handsome Boys!

This week I have had a little down time.  Other than a few days of babysitting I have had some time to write, take pictures, and learn a little of how this blog works.  I did not see until two days after posting how difficult last week's entry was to read.  If anyone has experience with Google Blogs and would like to FB Message me some tips, I would appreciate it.

 Here are a few pics of the church and property.  

The mountains are visible from everywhere; it is truly beautiful country.

New Food of the Week:

Galleta sabor pina
    (cookie)    (flavor)   (pineapple)
Pineapple flavored cookies
(actually read backwards from English)

These cookies are very similar to fig newtons, except the middle is pineapple.

They are also available in strawberry, but the pineapple is my favorite.

Ladies' Soulwinning:

     Alas, I am STILL the silent partner.  This week I went with Hermana Jessica, who also happens to be one of my neighbors and the parent of four students in the Christian school.  Nine ladies went soulwinning and nine souls were led to the Lord!  I greeted a few people and carried the tracts and pens.  
(I felt a little like Lydia and Shayleigh, my Pastor's daughters, who did {do} that for me and their mother each Saturday.)

     We met a man who told us he had been led to the Lord by Bro. Tommy Ashcraft and that his family had been saved at our church services.  He has been several Sundays in the past year, but his extended family (parents and siblings) have pressured him to returning to the Catholic church.  This testimony is often repeated through other families reached by our soulwinners in the area.

     Mrs. Brenda led two while her partner Ana led one.  Later that afternoon Mrs. Brenda went to the doctor because her ankle had been bothering her.  The x-ray revealed a clean break.  I think it will be a very long time before I have an "excuse" to not go soulwinning!

Language Update:

I continue to use the Rosetta Stone and phone app, DuoLingo. Jessica has agreed to work with me when she and her family return from visiting their family out of town.
A lady in the church commented to me that I seem to be learning quickly.  I at least have the greetings and a few simple phrases down.  

Some things I haven't gotten used to yet:

1. Changing water pressure

    Right in the middle of my shower the pressure (and sometimes the temperature) changes.

2. Cars driving in various directions and various speeds

    So far, though, not on the highway, only the streets

3. Horses on the road

    Horses and donkeys often pass by on the road by my house; and sometimes there are people riding the horses. There is a rodeo not very far from my house.

4. Concrete floors

     Although some people have small rugs in their kitchen or living room, and I have a small rug at the end of my bed; I have not seen a carpeted floor yet. Most homes have tile over the concrete.

5. The heat!
     We have had much rain and a very mild summer so far.  The temperature has not yet exceeded 100* which I have been told is more normal for July.  For my Hot Springs followers, the temperature here is generally 10* hotter in Monterrey than in Hot Springs.

Some things I am especially thankful for:

1. Gracious hosts!

     Dr. Tommy and Mrs.Brenda Ashcraft (along with Jon and Jenny) are taking very good care of me.  Until I learn the language and the area better I cannot go anywhere by myself, and they always offer to take me with them.  

**Also-- they feed me!**

2. Patient people

     The church people are helping me greatly with my Spanish.  They are all very kind and understanding.

3. Working Wi-Fi

     With texting, e-mails, and FaceBook, it sometimes seems I am only in a different state instead of a different country.  

4. Faithful Pray-ers

     If you have taken the time to read this much of my blog, then more than likely, this is you.  Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and yes, finances that make all of this possible.

5. Peace that Passes Understanding   

     I know that I am exactly where I need to be for this chapter of my life.  God continually sends reminders of this fact to me in various ways. I am already excited for school to start!