Random Musings of a Young Man

New Blog for New Couple

2007-03-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Leslie and I have decided to put our blogging experience together into a single page, so check out our new blog Two Globetrotters.

On this site you will be able to follow all of our exciting new adventures as we fly to Taiwan and spend one year teaching. Come join us and enjoy!

El Puente de Ojuela

2006-12-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Come visit a magical place discovered in the 1500's.

The mines of Ojuela were discovered during the early colonization of Mexico. Soon settlers came and built this ancient town atop two majestic mountains. The mines were exploited for centuries until in the 1960's the place was flooded and the settlement abandoned.

We went last Friday went it was freezing cold and so foggy at first that you cold not see more than 10 feet in front of you. I felt like I was in a ghost town from a movie. I invite you to check out the photos of our adventure.

Honeymoon and Wedding Picts from Mexico

2006-11-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

Hey Everybody!

What you have been waiting for is finally here! I have posted pictures of the wedding in Mexico and our honeymoon in Parras de la Fuente. I hope you all enjoy :D

A Beautiful Evening in Fellowship

2006-11-11T06:21:00.000-08:00

I just wanted you to know that last night was wonderful with our friends from work. One of the husbands who has been very hardened against his wife and God was very grateful to have been there with us and be presented with the gospel. He opened up to me about struggles in his life that only the people closest to him know. Also their two sons communicated that they would like to give their lives to Christ. They are young, but maybe they are ready. The wife expressed that she was very happy to have been able to come participate in a small group where she could be fed spiritually.

Also my friend from work came and he wants to come back and also invite us to his parents home. We are praying for him and his ex-wife. They want to re-marry, but her parents are strongly against it.

These opportunities are exciting, and last night I was walking on air. Leslie and I can't wait to see what God is going to do over the next few months. God is answering prayer.

Model Lessons for Jr. High

2006-11-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

For all of my Jr. High students of English, this is a link to the page where you can find the information about modal verbs that is necessary for our next exam on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

Study the charts for modals: must, have to, should and might. You will find examples of sentences using these modal verbs for each situation in which they can be used.

My Hope, Mexico

2006-11-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

At the end of this week, Leslie and I are going to have several friends over to see an evangelistic program about Jesus that is coming on national television called Mi Esperanza. I invited two colleagues from work, and I found out that one of them had a brother who lived several years in this very apartment.

The gatherings in our home will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Please pray for God to touch people's hearts by the Holy Spirit, and that Jesus may be lifted up in people's lives over religion. I am really excited.

A Weekend Retreat to the Mountains

2006-11-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

Last weekend the men of the church had a beautiful getaway in the high sierras of Durango for spiritual retreat, and a time to learn to pray. We had between 40 and 50 men go, and several of the men were new faces that are not yet Christians.

The place itself inspires one to praise the Creator with its impressive mountains, diversity of wildlife, towering pine trees, and extreme temperatures. During the day, the temperatures were very nice, but at night... it was FREEZING cold!!! I shivered all night long, even though I was wearing two layers.

We woke up with frost covering the forest floor. After waking up we all walked over a mile to the mountain lake, singing and praising all the way. The frost covering the plants almost looked like foam. I have never seen anything like it.

The most special time for me was Sunday morning. All of the baptized believers share the Lord's Supper together in an unforgettable moment. This trip was hard to beat.

Take a look at my photo page and participate in the adventure yourself.

Scenery from la UAL

2006-10-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Morning sun on a crisp, cool day.

Here are some of the beautiful flowers that I see every day at the university.

What do you think of our pet rabbit? Looks like itneeds to put on some weight.

Leslie at Photo Shoot

2006-10-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

Awaiting Internet Connect

2006-10-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, I have been without internet since we got married because we are both spending time at the new apartment, and not at Leslie's mother's house where the internet connection is. We should have our new internet connection at our apartment by early next week. Right now I am on break at school, and I am enjoying the wire-less connection for the first time because I actually brought my computer to class.

Just a freebee: this is a picture from our photo shoot before the wedding in Mexico. Isn't that a beautiful bride!!!!

2006-10-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

Cake and Punch

2006-10-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Just Married!!!!

2006-10-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Well, now I'm a married man.

More from the Shower

2006-09-08T14:18:00.000-07:00

Leslie's cousin

Leslie and her Dad

Fotos of the Despedida

2006-09-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

Showers of Blessing

2006-09-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, new events are starting in my life today. This evening, starting at 7:00, we have our first wedding shower. This is one of the four that Leslie will have here, and today's will be with friends from work. We have been cleaning all afternoon here at Leslie's house because the shower will be here.

I am glad to see that important events in people's lives (like a marriage) are celebrated with friends and family. These are time to acknowledge the end of one stage of life and the beginning of a new stage, as well as to pass on blessing and words of wisdom.

I look forward to seeing how the despedida de solteros (goodbye for singles) is different from a traditional wedding shower in the U.S. I know that here in Mexico there are not separate celebrations for the shower and the bachelor (ette) parties, rather both are rapped up into a single festive occasion. At our parties we will seek to celebrate in holiness instead of the culturally common, unrestrained ways of celebrating the right-of-passage from single life to married life.

Walk In to Junior High

2006-08-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

Now you have a special chance to walk into my junior high class. I have invited some of my students to participate in my blog conversations, so we'll see if they come along to practice English.

To all of my students, Welcome! I hope you enjoy getting a special peak into my life as a missionary and professor.

Mixing the Two/Going Against the Grain

2006-08-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

I was reflecting on the location of my apartment last night as I was walking to the corner store at 11:30 to buy ice. My location is perfect for starting a fellowship of people of different socio-economic backgrounds. To the north of my apartment is an upper-middle class area (Ampliación Los Angeles) that would parallel many common North American neighborhoods, and everything to the south is a poor area (called Moderna) with many people out in the streets until the wee hours of the morning.

Moderna has many more visible evidences of need for the Gospel because the people are more visible. In Ampliación Los Angeles people stay in their houses more, and it will be more of a challenge to enter into their lives and get to know them without some specific connection. It will be beautiful to see fellowship in Christ between to groups that society does not permit to meet together.

The Beautiful UAL

2006-08-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

These are some natural photos from the university where I teach. I just started my classes today. Things are going great with the students, unfortunately we are having problems working out the paperwork so that I can get paid.

Marcos and Mormons

2006-08-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the beginning of a seminar on teaching English as a Foreign language in Mexican Junior High Schools. It was quite interesting to get that insight as an outsider, but what was even more interesting was that God lead me to visit with two young teachers that turned out to be Christians. This was a gathering of over 100 English teachers from all over Torreón, and the two I visited with on our break were Christians!

Even more interesting to me was that one of the guys is a family friend of Marcos Witt. He grew up in Durango nearby, which is Marco's stomping grounds. The fellowship we had together was encouraging, and they were my first new friends in Torreón.

Later as I was leaving the school building, I met up with several Mormon missionaries who had just finished a regional meeting. I think it was pleasant for those on both sides of the religions to have found fellow Americans, and they were suprised that I knew about their religious background and history. I think I won some special respect, and they already have my respect because the Mormon missionaries have been good to me all over the world, even in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.

FUN STUFF

A Weekend Update

2006-08-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

Now that I am in my own house, I don't have constant access to the internet. I will be trying to access every one or two days to keep communication up. I would love to hear from all of you.

I would like ask for your prayers for Leslie's family. Financially it is a very difficult time for them. The family restaurant is going under because clients just aren't coming, and Leslie's brother's boss has not paid him in more than 2 months. Apparently he will not pay him, and her brother is looking for other business opportunities. We are all quite strapped, and Leslie and I are having to help provide for them temporarily. Together we will make it through by God's grace.

I met two of my neighbors today, which are two university students that live in the other building in my complex. I also met the guy who lives across from me; he is a part of the intelligence agency that investigates drug traffic. Interesting mix, and definitely great opportunities for ministry.

Again, thanks for your prayers and generosity. May God continually bless you all.

Signing out for tonight,
Brian

Study Room

2006-08-10T19:56:00.000-07:00

Plenty of Shelves

Kitchen

2006-08-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

This kitchen is next to the breakfast room, separated by the breakfast bar that can be seen in the photo of the breakfast room.

Wash Room

2006-08-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

This room is completely screened-in, but receives plenty of natural light and fresh air. I wash my clothes on a scrub board (tallador), and hang the clothes to dry on the line.

Hallway

2006-08-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

Same hallway : 2 different pictures

Breakfast Room

2006-08-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Tio Josué, Esther, and Leslie

Master Bath

2006-08-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is a wirlpool!

Our Bedroom

2006-08-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

Just mine until October when Leslie and I get married.
Currently I'm sleeping on a pallet blankets on the floor.

Guest Bath

2006-08-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Before Cleaning

Living Room

2006-08-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Living Room (otherwise known as the cathedral)

Dining Room

2006-08-10T19:27:00.000-07:00

The dining room right as you enter the house.

New Apartment! & Pics Coming

2006-08-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

Tuesday we received a green light from the Lord, and Leslie and I rented our first apartment (which will be for me until we get married on October 7 here in Torreón). Our landlady is from an Arab family that is super nice. It turns out that even though our apartment is not in the same city, Cecilia (our landlady) attends a Bible study in the home of one of the members of the congregation in Lerdo.

(Click here for a map of the area)

Another exciting fact is that last month our pre-marital counselors looked at and considered the same apartment. They own a Christian bookstore in Gómez Palacio across the state line, and our landlady has been to their store. When Leslie and I rented the apartment, we didn't know about any of these connections! Crazy considering that we live in a metroplex of over 1 million people!

The apartment is way beyond anything I had ever dreamed of living in, and the price was the same as that of many other tiny places we had seen that were much less luxurious. God had an awesome blessing in store, and we praise his name. Thank you for your many prayers.

I am taking some of Leslie's batteries to my apartment today to take some pictures so that hopefully I can have some up for you tomorrow. I think you'll be impressed.

Prayer for Health Needed

2006-08-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

I ask for your prayers for my health over the next few days. I have had a respiratory infection that started a week ago, and I began taking an antibiotic to knock it out. The antibiotic apparently has not had effect and my doctor says I should have already been well. I am going to begin taking another antibiotic today that is stronger to see if we can overcome. Most of all we ask the Great Physician to heal and restore complete health. Thank you for your prayers and concern.

A Sandy View

2006-08-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

This is a view of Sam's Club across the boulevard from Leslie's house during a sand storm. They are pretty mean around here.

El Vado Turned Rio

2006-08-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Here in the region of the Laguna, there is a dry riverbed that divides the two largest cities of this metroplex, Torreón and Gómez Palacio. The call a dry riverbed "un vado", and my guess is that this comes from the Arabic word "wadi" for a dry riverbed. The bed of the Rio Nazas is quiet wide, and soccer fields and basketball courts have been developed side-by-side along the length of the vast area.

Several months ago I saw a large photo at Mc Donalds of the Rio Nazas full of running water. They say this happens once every 40 years or so. Since that day I have said with a prophetic tone that I would see that day come soon when water would flow in that river.

Well, I am here to tell you that that dry sand is soaked from the recent rains and water is standing throughout parts of the no-longer dry river bed! I praise God for the abundant rain he has sent to this region.

Concluding House Search Soon

2006-08-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Leslie and I have been looking for a house for almost a week-and-a-half and I have completely worn myself out. I am trying to rest this afternoon to get over a case of laryngitis. Hopefully I can make a deal on a house in the next day or two and move on to other things.

For the last two Sundays I have been working with children at Leslie's church. Until I have a base of new Christians to start a new congregation in Torreón, that will be my home church. There were 34 children in my class today! but at least we had five teachers to help out.

In a few minutes Leslie's small group comes over for Bible study and fellowship. I'm going to go help get ready for that. May God shower his riches graces and mercies upon you through his Spirit.

More Rain in the Desert

2006-08-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

It has been raining here quite frequently here still in the desert. It has been really nice because it makes the afternoons and evenings a little cooler, but quite muggy.

Leslie and I are just about to choose a house. We are down to two options and hopefully tomorrow we will be able to close a deal. Once I get settled in and find my battery charger, I'll be able to take pictures and let you see a little bit of my new world here.

I went to the university today and met with the university president. He was telling me of good memories with my grandfather and my mom's family. He also said that they are wanting to change some of my classes and give me classes in the afternoon in their new developing language center that will offer classes to the community.

This will be an excellent way to establish contacts for future evangelism. I have to spend time getting to know people and learning culture here before I can be an effective missionary.

Pray that God will begin preparing the cultivating the hearts of the my students and colleagues, and that he will open my eyes to opportunities to minister. We want God's reign to come along with the rain he has sent!

Rodeo Up!

2006-07-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Last night Leslie and I went with several friends to a "charreada" (similar to rodeo). It was really neat. The grounds are beautiful, and the place is adorned with typical Mexican decorations. Most of the events are much like events you would see at a typical rodeo in the U.S., but some are completely different.

Some of the guys wore traditional Mexican sombreros, and others wore Texan cowboy hats. There was a charreada band, and they seemed to enjoy themselves like we used to in the rodeo band, but the music was very traditionally Mexican of the cowboy lifestyle. It seems like every song had the same beat and melody, just different lyrics.

I wish I had taken my camera!

I Have Moved

2006-07-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Just to let everybody know, I have successfully moved to Mexico by God's grace! Last night the trip was a little treacherous because there were floods in the desert. I had to stop for more than out hour in one small town because the water was flowing 5 feet deep over the road. Once it finally got down to 2 feet, people started driving carefully across, and I followed.

When I got to Torreón at 1:00 am, they had had floods as well, and the main thoroughfair was covered with about 12" of water. I carefully drove through the many blocks of the southern half of the city. It felt like I was in a boat again, except when I saw a terrible wreck that reminded me of my terrestrial grounding just below the water.

The sun is shining again here, and steam rises from the streets. The trees and plants are raising their boughs to the One who gave them a much needed drink. Let us join them and praise God for watering this thirsty desert.

Elk in the Highlands of Tecuán

2006-07-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Elk at camp in Tecuán.

These elk don't have to worry about their lives, they are protected.

Last Day in US

2006-07-27T07:11:00.001-07:00

Today I am finishing up packing and storing the belongings that I won't take. Some things I will just give away. I hope to finish tonight and take off tomorrow morning on a new adventure and new life in Mexico. I begin teaching on August 14, and Leslie and I plan to get married at the beginning of October. Big changes are in store!

Taking Back Torreón

2006-07-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

TAKING BACK TORREÓN FOR CHRIST

Dear Partners in the work of Christ,

The Mission

You have a new opportunity to participate in the advance of the Lord’s kingdom in the foreign field. Torreón, México has been targeted as the sight of a new church plant by the Christian Community of the Laguna, a congregation of the Lord’s church in Lerdo, where my fiancée serves as director of children’s education. The metropolitan area of the Laguna includes the cities of Torreón, Gómez Palacio and Lerdo with a total of close to one million people.

Christian Community in Lerdo has a strong, healthy congregation of 500 members that reaches the cities of Lerdo and Gómez Palacio, but now, in its 16th year the congregation is strategizing to establish a new congregation in Torreón, the largest of the three cities. The preacher invited me to participate in this ministry with six members of the Lerdo congregation earlier this year, and the Lord has opened the door for me to go teach in a local university starting in August.

This opportunity would allow me to connect and develop relationships with students, faculty and their families while gradually starting group Bible studies. The objective is to form a congregation in Torreón after the first new believers are baptized, and equip them to minister in the power of the Spirit back to their families and friends. I will be working together under the guidance of the ministers and elders there. By God’s power and guidance, you and I can reach this city.

My Job

I will be working mornings at the Autonomous University of the Laguna teaching English, and in the afternoons and evenings I will dedicate time to evangelism, Bible studies, and eventually leadership training. I look forward to your participation and continued communication. Exciting things are in store!

How Can You Help?

Prayer Partners – we need partners who will be dedicated to pray regularly for the lost in the city God has called us to, our financial provision, and for our ministry.
One-time Financial Gifts – one-time gifts are needed to help with my move and transition from Abilene to Torreón.
Monthly Financial Support – for those who are called to give on a regular basis, we have a monthly need of $1,750 to cover personal expenses over the next year.

Checks can be sent to the Kingdom Advance School of Ministry with a note attached setting the funds aside for Brian Hailey. Please do not write my name directly on any part of the check.

Thank you for your love and participation,
Brian Hailey

Return address:

Kingdom Advance
P.O. Box 3504
Abilene, Texas 79604

Mexican Pine Forests

2006-07-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

The lush mountains of the state of Durango in Mexico are MARVELOUS! My parents came to visit Leslie and me in Torreón, and we traveled to an encampment (Tecuán) in the mountains about 5 hours west of Leslie's house. The cool thing is that my mom remembers all of this area from when she was a kid. Just a few miles away from Tecuán is where my mom's family got their "chichimoco" or chipmunk. He was their pet for several years.

Desert Watered Down

2006-07-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

I am writing from a rainy spot in the desert. I have been here in Torreón for a week now, and it has rained several times. With the rain have come more comfortable termperatures, and that is wonderful because it is usually like an inferno here in this part of Mexico during the spring and summer. I have some beautiful pictures that I have loaded on my comptuer, but I haven't been able to connect it to the internet in order to post them. I also took pictures of a dust storm blowing through before all the rain. It is really impressive to watch a dark shadow come over the earth. You can see half of the picture clear and the other half dark with sand.

I'm Off

2006-06-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys! I'm off for Mexico this morning (5:27am). Two jobs pending, one in Mexico one in Texas. We are praying that the one in Texas opens up. Pray for my safety, for I slept little last night from anticipation. Love you guys!

Signing off,
Brian

Job Interview, IN TEXAS!

2006-06-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

The Lord has shown his favor once again. He acted miraculously several times yesterday and the day before. But the exciting event today is that I have a JOB INTERVIEW at a junior high school in Comanche, Texas! They called me yesterday and are interested in having me teach Spanish at their school. Let's see if God opens this door.

The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord show you his favor and give you peace.

Eye-Witness Interpretations

2006-06-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, thanks for your posts. They have been very revealing. My eyes provoke a variety of responses. To one they seam brown with green surroundings. To another it provokes a whiplash-like Monty Python moment: "They're green, no, they're brown!" This one will have to have therapy :P My favorite was from Joel in Taiwan. He wrote us beautiful words in Chinese...
您的眼睛是象婴孩莲花蟋蟀跳跃在金鱼春天小河发光象月亮在我的豆腐是软和湿软的黏米饭 Just heart warming. OK, here's what he really said. Enjoy...

Your eye is likely the baby lotus flower cricket jumps in the goldfish spring the creek launches the optical phenomena moon is soft and is wet softly in mine bean curd mounts the rice

Tell Me About My Eyes!

2006-06-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Well, what color are my eyes. They have been in a process of changing color since I went to college in 1999. I'll let you give me your input after checking out this photo.

Presidential Rally

2006-06-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

It is election time in Mexico, and one of the cantidates had a rally right down the street from Leslie's house. I hiked out through the thousands of people to get a closer look, and I climbed up on a bridge to steal a look over the crowds. Here's a peak for you...No traffic was coming into this side of the city because it was all cut off.

¡¡¡Moving to México!!!

2006-06-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have more good news! I am moving to Torreón in July to begin teaching at a university. They have asked me to come teach English for a year. It is called the "Universidad Autónoma de la Laguna" or (la UAL). I never imagined teaching at the wall (pronunciation of UAL), but here I go. Leslie and I plan to marry after the first semester on December 15. Exciting things are in store!

Health Developments

2006-06-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

Well, I'm back again from México, and things are in the change process again. I was in Torreón for the last two-and-a-half weeks doing some medical exams to find out what is the problem with my health that has been plaguing me all my life, but has been worsening in recent months.

Ever since I was a child eating has been a problem for me because I tire and get light-headed before I can finish eating, and later my heart races. In recent months I have all but fainted several times after eating, and I have come to while driving to many times for comfort.

I went to Mexico to see a specialist because I don't have insurance here, and it was much more affordable than here. When the internist heard that my heart races in those times, he did an electro-cardiogram immediately and found that I have a Cardiac arrhythmia that had to be treated.

The doctor send me to a cardiologist to have an echocardiogram (video of my heart) done and a twenty-four hour holter heart monitor at home while I recorded my activities. The echo showed that I have a little hole in the septum between the two ventricles of my heart, but that is not the presenting problem.

I saw another cardiologist a few days later, and he surmized that I have a defect in the pacemaker of my heart. It does not regulate the beating to keep it steady, so he has given me medicine to regulate that.

I also found out that I had Typhoid, but that is treated now, and hopefully gone.

I praise God that I was given the gift of seeing the head cardiologists in Northern Mexico for free to get a third opinion. She is a Christian lady and wanted to help knowing that I had already spent all of my money. Praise our Father, the great physician!!!

We're Engaged!

2006-05-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Leslie and I are now engaged! You can see photos of our engagement and the trip I made to ask her parents for her hand in marriage. We also made our engagement formal before her congregation.

http://bdh98a.multiply.com/photos

O Compromisso!

2006-05-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Oi pessoal. Disculpa pela falta de atenção ao meu site. Desde que o meu computador foi roubado, eu nem tenho pensado em voltar a escrever na minha página. Na verdade, no meio da frustração, eu esqueci completamente que tenho um website. Mas tenho boas notícias: no entretanto, eu pedi a mão de Leslie em casamento, e agora somos noivos. Nos pretendemos casar em dezembro!

Depois que ela veio pro Texas e eu lhe dei um anel, conversamos com meus pais, e depois eu fui junto com ela pro México. Lá eu pedi a mão dela pros pais dela, e no domingo fizemos o nosso compromisso formal frente à igreja dela em Lerdo, no estado do Durango. Tudo foi muito lindo.

Depois voltei aqui pro Texas, e agora nós estamos trabalhando e esperando pra podermos ver outra vez. Viajar tá tão caro!

The Job Search Is On

2006-04-06T12:56:00.001-07:00

Well, back to the posting board again. During the last two weeks I have been on the job search a little more intensely. Two weekends ago I went to the University of Texas at Austin for a full day of interviewing for Teach for America. I think things went really well, and by April 13 I should know if they have accepted me into the core.

This week I talked to a small private school near my home about teaching Spanish, and they told me I could have the job, but the salary is too low to live on. Other than that, I am in contact with a few small schools around Texas. The starting salary at a public school is definitely sufficient for me at this stage of life, even for when Leslie and I get married.

Leslie is coming this weekend. I am to pick her up in San Antonio this Sunday morning. This is exciting because it is the first time for her to have a look into my life here in Abilene. Exciting times!

Punctured Tires

2006-03-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

Tuesday morning I got up to enjoy a delicious breakfast of oatmeal with cinnamon and crepes with strawberry marmalade that Leslie’s mother made. Leslie and I later went to their old house in Chapala to pick up some gifts for my mom and sister. While we were driving over to the other neighborhood, suddenly my car ran over something and made a terrible horrendous noise, but because my tire did not go flat, I assumed it was OK.

After we went back to Leslie’s house in Lerdo, I packed up everything and said my final goodbyes to all the family (lots of extended family was there eating at the restaurant). I loaded into my faithful old car and headed out on the Boulevard Miguel Aleman. Thousands and thousands of people were lining the boulevard at that hour for a huge parade that was soon to began. I had a vision in which all those people were anxiously awaiting the Messiah instead of the parade. I long to see the day in which metropolises like the Laguna will in unity seek the coming of our Savior.

I continued on to Torreon to meet Brother Ernesto Lomas (a friend of my grandfather’s since the 1940’s). We met and went to get gasoline, and while I was filling up, he started checking my fluids and tires. One tire was 15 lbs. low, so we inspected the rubber. To our surprise there was a huge piece of metal sticking out of the tire! I praise God he showed us that before we set out for the endless deserts of northern Mexico. Although almost everything in the city was closed for the holiday, we found a small tire shop that was open. The quiet old man repaired my tire for $8, and Ernesto and I set out on the road only 1 hour later than we had planned.

More adventures to come… and hopefully some pictures.

In a Small Town

2006-03-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

Thank all of you guys who were praying for my preaching last night. I was feeling a little out of place to be back in the pulpit, but the Spirit gave me the words and the fluency I needed. Many people expressed that they were edified and encouraged, and I praise God for glorifying his name through me.

I gotta go meet Leslie now. She gets off of work in a few minutes.

Finally in Mexico

2006-03-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally made it to Mexico. I drove down in to the border on Friday, but I had to return all the way back to Coleman because at the Mexican immigration chech they demanded that I bring back my old car and cancel the permission before I register another car to go into Mexico. That was extremely frustrating, but I trust that God had a reason. Needless to say, I made the trip twice.

I have been having a great time here, and I am preparing to teach tomorrow night about Mission. I hope to get you more news soon. I have neither internet nor telephone where I am staying, but I will do my best to catch you all up soon.

God bless!

Friday Night Fiesta

2006-03-04T21:37:00.000-08:00

Last night several of my dear friends and I gathered at Jorge and Peggy's house to hang out and have a good time. Probably about half of the people that came are from FountainGate (my church family). We started out just chatting and laughing together in the living room. Scrappy (the dog) was really excited when I got there. He has really missed his parents since they traveled, and I am a familiar face (or smell as it may be for a dog) to him.

After a while they turn on music and the girls started to have fun moving to the music (most of the music was Latin, my favorite). I was in the other room talking to Leslie on the phone when this started, and when I came back to the living room, all the guys were just sitting around, so I joined in the middle and began moving too, even tough my ability to choreograph moves is basically non-existent :P haha

After that the guys came along, and we all really enjoyed ourselves. It is nice to be able to dance in an environment that is clean and safe. That is one of the few environments in which I have actually danced (moving the body to music) outside of a congregational praise setting (not counting when I just get after it when I am all alone).

In my opinion dancing, just like all other activities in life, should be an act of worship to God, even if we are not in church. If my dancing is not bringing glory to the King I represent, I better just give it up.

After the dance session, four of the guys gave us a musical performance as a group, and then I performed my whole repertoire of one song. It was hilarious.

Well, I took some pictures for you guys just as we were about to go home. Sorry that I missed most of the action. Enjoy.

I fell out of the chair while shooting this.

_
_
The band adoring the pictures from their photo shoot.

That is an awesome bag of chips Eddy has!

_____ Esmeralda & Megan ____ _________ Marcela _________

My Sister Sarah

2006-03-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

My sister Sarah came to see me today. She lives in a small town an hour away from Abilene (where I live). She is so special to me! I cannot even describe with words how dear she is to my heart. I think the intensity of the feeling of love is similar to intensity you would feel toward the one you love, but it is a brother-sister love.

Sarah is a young lady who loves the Lord and desires to please him. She is friendly, pleasant and just about everybody loves and respects her. Even though she is only 13-years-old, I can talk with her about deep spiritual matters, and she understands and is able to engage meaningful conversation at those profound levels. I have no doubt that she is, and will be, a power servant of God.

...oh, did I say that she is BEAUTIFUL !!! ???

(note: the shade of brown that you see in her eyes, that is the color my eyes were until I started college. Then they started turning green.)

Day in ISS

2006-03-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night I was called back for an interview with Teach for America. I am thankful to be considered worthy of an interview. I will travel to Austin the weekend of March 25-26, and my interviews will be held all day Monday the 27th. The prospects are exciting, but also quite humbling considering the task.

I spent part of a day in an ISS (in-school-suspension) class today as a substitute teacher. I felt like I was trying to maintain order in a juvenile detention center, but with no arms and no recognized authority. It was like a madhouse, but none-the-less, an important learning experience for me. I had kids laugh at me, threaten me, smoke in the bathroom connected to our room, and more... There were only about 30 suspended students in my class.

I started taking students to the office to try to bring order, but I had to quit because the principals were not in their offices to deal with the students. One young lady even ran out of class without my permission. I ran after her and escorted her to the office.

When the coach who regularly babysits in ISS finally came to class, the students suddently returned to their seats and showed respect. I had been had. After a few minutes, I asked to be excused, and I left to recover the lunch that I had missed to babysit the discipline class. I have been reflecting on that experience all afternoon.

To Sleep in Brazil

2006-02-27T21:23:00.000-08:00

On my Multiply site, you can see where I have posted the lyrics of Brazilian lullabies bi-lingually for my Portuguese class. There are also short explanations of each song. They were given the CD's at the beginning of the semester, but I did not give them the lyrics.

As the weeks go by, the are able to access more of the lyrics to explain what they have been hearing as they listened. I only have 3 songs listed so far. I think you might really enjoy them.

Spring Break in Planning

2006-02-27T21:16:00.000-08:00

I talked to Leslie tonight, and it looks like we will be meeting in Saltillo on Friday, March 10. She needs to travel to Saltillo to turn in some papers for her magisterial work, so I am currently planning to drive there to meet her. We would stay with her uncle's family and then drive to Torreón/Gómez Palacio.

I am looking forward to that trip. I will hopefully remember to take my camera along this time so I can take pictures of beautiful sites along the way, and also have some better photos of Leslie to show you. That Wednesday night I am have been asked by the pastor of Leslie's church to speak to the church about missions. I don't know yet how I will focus a single half-hour period when I studied missions for seven years, but I trust the Holy Spirit to help me prepare and lead me as I speak.

If you would like to see more photos of Leslie and me, you can visit my photo page.

Am I Going to Teach?

2006-02-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

Today I finally was able to mail in the application for the program I Teach Texas. If I am able to get accepted, I will be able to take a job teaching Spanish in the public schools in Texas as soon as a job opens up. I would have to teach for a year with supervision, and then I would be certified to teach Spanish. I pray that God will open up this opportunity.

I have also applied to a second alternative certification program called Teach for America. This program sends teachers-in-training to a low-income school in the U.S. to teach for two years. They say this program is really challenging because you are sent to one of the hardest, and sometimes most violent schools in the nation. I think my chances of getting accepted are not to high.

If I were to begin teaching in the public schools, that sure would help me to get stablized financially. I pray that this will work out, but I trust the Lord will take care of me regardless. He is faithful.

2006-02-23T18:06:00.000-08:00

La casa de Tio Saul

Brian and Leslie in the front entrance of the house.

. . . more photos at http://bdh98a.multiply.com/photos

Blitz Trip to Saltillo

2006-02-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,

Back to the exciting trip to Saltillo... Two weeks ago on Saturday night I was talking with Leslie, and she told me that the next weekend she was going to need to travel to the capital of the state she teaches in to straighten out some things for her magisterial (post-graduate teacher's) degree. I got the crazy idea that I could spend the next week working and getting ready and maybe drive down to meet her in Saltillo to visit her and her Uncle Saul (with whom she was going to stay).

Near the end of our conversation, she told me that I may not have understood the dates of her trip correctly, but, "I am leaving tomorrow." WOW! I was a week off in my calculations. By that bit of information, that meant that I would have to leave in like... 8 hours from that moment instead of 8 days. And the drive to Saltillo from Abilene, about 13 hours.

Well, I pack up, shut my eyes for a few moments, and set out the next morning. We had a marvelous long weekend there with her brother Oscar and her Uncle Saul's family. It was freezing cold up in the mountains (Saltillo is a mile-high city like Denver). One night it got down to about 25ºF.

My trip was also beautiful because I passed over several huge mountain ranges along the way. The trip down there I crossed the mountains by moonlight, and I cannot even begin to tell the majesty of those moonlit mountain silhouettes at night.

Leslie and I are very thankful to God for the trips he has allowed us to make this semester to spend time together. I plan to travel to Gómez Palacio again in March to spend a week with her family and church. God has been good.

My Mentors

2006-02-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

Peggy and Jorge

We had a leadership breakfast this morning with the leaders of our church, and I took this picture of Jorge and Peggy there. Beautiful couply, aren't they!

2006-02-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

You should click on the images and see them full size; they are pretty neat.
Debe de clicar en las fotos para ver el tamaño original; son muy interesantes.

2006-02-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

2006-02-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

Ice a Comin'

2006-02-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had the desire to just get up and leave the country? Well, I had that desire last Thursday night, and I'll have to tell you all about it. I had an amazing trip to Saltillo, Mexico. There are details you won't want to miss.

We are supposed to have ice here tonight and tomorrow. I don't currently have my camera, but I plan to go pick it up in a few minutes. I hope that if ice falls, I can take some pictures for you so that you can see what an ice storm looks like here in West Texas. In the meantime, I am going to bundle up and stay warm.

God's Amazing Provision Today

2006-02-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

As I have been learning to trust the Lord fully to provide for me financial in this new phase of my life, he keeps pouring on blessings. His miraculous work in my life has been far beyond my wildest imagination. After I made a weekly tithing commitment to the Lord for this year based on an estimated salary that I had no promise of receiving, he spoke through a sister-in-Christ three weeks ago at our life group meeting on Wednesday night. As my group prayed over me on behalf of my girlfriend's health, Sister Cathy received a word from God and said it to me in the presence of the others. The Lord had showed her that He would provide for me financially in ways that I could not even imagine. I just needed to walk in complete trust. The Lord has answered that prayer over and over in ways that I truly never imagined.

The next day, Thursday, I received an email from one of my students requesting to have private Portuguese classes separate from the class, and she was willing to pay the extra costs.
The day after that I was contacted by another student who wanted me to begin to teach him Spanish. Again, unexpected income.
This week a brother-in-Christ who has noticed my need for a new car bought me a more recent automobile! (he chooses to remain anonymous) I was flabbergasted! I could only give praise to God!
And yesterday I found out that I might be able enter a program very soon that would certify me to teach Spanish in Texas, and I could begin teaching as soon as I find a job opening in Texas. I would stay here for a year through that process before possibly moving to Mexico.

I had felt almost hopeless about getting a good job because of my lack of specialization in my studies, but God is opening the doors! I can't thank him or praise him enough. May he receive all the glory! His is faithful to provide abundantly when we fully turst in him. May you be encouraged with these words.

The Muslim-American Dream

2006-02-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

Thank you guys for the responses you made about the purpose of life. I can see that you have had your eyes opened to God's glory and the exciting purpose and promise he has for you.

I have come across something else that is very interesting. This video is about Texan Muslims who have converted from popular Christianity. Most of them from deep denominational roots. Take a look at this video and lets talk about what this reveals about "popular Christianity" in America. Listen to what the Muslims say about their reasons to convert, and listen to the shallow, uncompassionate responses that Christians give to the questions the interviewer asks.

I found this article on a friend's blog in Massamá, Portugal: Igreja Simples, by Nuno Barreto

Purpose?

2006-01-03T20:09:00.001-08:00

Hey guys. I have a question that I would like to have your feedback on.

What is the purpose of life?

You can leave your answers as comments.

Cristo de las Noas

2005-12-30T06:37:00.000-08:00

Second Highest Statue of Christ in Latin America

Monument in a cave replicating the birthplace of Jesus

Brian and Leslie atop the mountain of Las Noas

Back in Texas

2005-12-30T06:18:00.000-08:00

I'm back in Texas by the grace of God! Christmas morning at church, I was talking with the pastor's son, and he told me that Monday morning they would be traveling to San Antonio. I was exstatic! I told him that I was going to be making the same trip, and then on the Houston. God had provided me traveling partners for crossing the expansive deserts of Northern Mexico. The pastor's son, Juan Carlos, rode along with me in my car. He is only 16-years-old, but he is unusually mature, and I enjoyed getting to know him. He has a heart for God's kingdom.

I also enjoyed getting to visit more with his father Juan, the pastor. The stories of our spiritual journeys share many common elements. I spent the night in San Antonio with a couple that hosted us because it was already midnight when we got there. Tuesday morning I drove on to Houston, and I spent time with my dad's parents and my cousin Mike.

Yesterday I traveled back to West Texas, and I am here with my parents and sister finally. It is a blessing to be able to be back with them.

The extra time that I spent in Mexico was really special, and I got to spend much desired time with my friend Leslie and her mother and brothers. I praise the Lord for providing for all of my needs while I was in Mexico. Even though my car broke down over the holiday weekend, a brother from church agreed to fix it on the morning of la Noche Buena (Christmas Eve). It was not an expensive repair, which is a great relief to me since I have not been able to start working yet since graduation. Everyone I was with there was very generous with me, and the spirit of giving was evident in all. Our God is good!

Change of Plans

2005-12-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody! Well, I continue here in Mexico. I had planned to leave early tomorrow morning (Friday), and today those plans changed. My car overheated today while I was driving downtown Torreon with my friend Leslie, and I have not been able to see a mechanic yet. Tomorrow morning I will take my car to Brother Nacho from the church here, and after he has a look at the car, I will hopefully be able to have a prevision of when I will return to Texas. Thank you all for your continued prayers.

I don't know if I will be here or there for Christmas, but for sure I will be celebrating the birth of our Savior wherever I am!

Signing off,
Brian

Living the True Christmas

2005-12-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a relaxing day. In the afternoon we went to the mall to back tickets for the movie "Las Crónicas de Narnia. " The mall where the cinema is located is beautiful! Then Rolando, his friend Pepe and I went to bowl. Well, I came out victorious!... if the lowest score were the win the game :P Just kidding. I lost both sets, but it was fun.

Then we went to visit Rolando's older sister and her kids. I am so thankful to have met more of Rolando's family.

Then last night ten of us went to the movie together. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is such a beautiful story! It is a powerful illustration of the fact that reality is so much more than we see with our normal eyes. The Creator had to deal with a great cosmic rebellion, and we play a big role is the restoration of creation to his "shalom." I liked some specific scenes, like when Aslan (who represents the Christ) breaths on the dead creatures to give them life again. That reminded me of Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit on the disciples after his resurrection in the book of John.

I also like the statement that the Lion (Aslan) is not tame, but he is good. We cannot figure him out, and he is dangerous at times, but he is good!

This morning I called Don Pedro H. Rivas, the president of a local university here, and a long time friend of my family. Rolando and I plan to go visit him this afternoon. Brother Riva and his dad were great friends of my Papaw. It is a pleasure to get to bring them greetings for my family in the name of Christ.

I hope you guys are being able to celebrate Christmas in its true meaning with your families. Christ has been born in our hearts!!!! May we boldly share this wonderful news so that others around us might have the blessing of celebrating true Christmas, the gift of Christ being born in their hearts. May we especially be attentive to family members that don't know Jesus themselves.

God is with us!!!

Meeting with La Comunidad Cristiana

2005-12-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

Last night was really neat. Rolando and I first went to a ceremony for the graduating class of the medical school where his mother teaches. She was their favorite teacher so they asked her to be the guest of honor and make a speach. She is highly respected there.

Then I went to meet Rolando's paternal grandmother. She is also the grandmother of three of my other friends at ACU: Elizabeth, Carlos and Rodrigo Macías. It was really good to meet here.

After that I went to a celebration of the local church here at the home of a sister in Christ. We sang, and a lesson, and then ate tamales. I got to meet Leslie, one of Rolando's friends that I have been corresponding with for a couple of months, and that was really a blessing. I was really thankful to get to meet with the community of faith and worship the Lord together. I haven't been able to load my pictures of last night on Rolando's camera, so I will try to put them here later.

Be blessed!!
Brian

Some Photos

2005-12-14T14:22:00.000-08:00

My time here on the net is limited, but I'll try to keep you informed as I can. Tonight we are going to go to a posada with the church group. It is a tradition here in which groups act out the scene of Mary and Joseph wandering around Bethlehem seeking a place to stay (posada).

Then we will be going to the movies to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. They say that the theaters of leather seats and tables with waiters and waitresses. Wierd! but cool.

Well, I better go for now. Abracos!

De Torreón, Coahuila

2005-12-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody!

Everything went well with graduation Friday night. I had the weekend to visit several special people and prepare everything for my road trip. Now I am in Torreon, Mexico with my friend Rolando. We are staying in his mother's house. I look forward to meeting several of his friends this week.

Last night we spent the night in Piedras Negras just across the border from Texas. We were hosted in the house of some special family members of my mentors Jorge and Peggy. It was a wonderful stay.

Today we left Piedras Negras at 9:00 in the morning for Torreon. We stopped along the way at a place called Cuatro Cienegas in the middle of a vast desert. It is a place were beautiful blue springs of water emerge into pools of water that are as clear as glass. And the place was sooooo peaceful! You could not hear a sound.

Between Cuatro Cienegas and Torreon we passed through the most desolate place I have ever seen. Just white sands and sparce desert vegetation. The mountains were beautiful and majestic! I hope to upload pictures for you soon.

After the Freeze

2005-12-09T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well, tonight is the big night. I will be seated in the colliseum at 7:30 with a thousand other students ready to walk across the stage. Graduation is finally here. I will take time to relax as Rolando and I make a road trip starting Monday. It should be quite fun.

Next semester I will stay here doing some teaching and translation work. During that time I will be seeking open doors to go serve the Lord abroad. I am looking for a team of people with whom to plant churches who are filled with the Spirit.

It has been bitterly cold here for the last few days. The temperature did not rise above 0°C for more than 60 hours. We spent a couple of nights with low temperatures of about -10°C. Now things have warmed up, and currently we are at 8°C. Most of the fall leaves lost their color during the cold spell, and things are as dry as they get. The current humidy is 15%. You cannot apply enough lotion to keep your skin for cracking and bleeding.

The sun has been a blessing today. Even though the temperature is fairly cool, that sun feels warm on our skin after the bitterly cold days behind us.

Ah, my friends Joel and Jessica have been preparing to go to China, and God has finally opened a door for them to go teach in Taiwan! It is a beautiful story.

Terminando

2005-12-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

Hoje eu terminei minha última aula do mestrado! Glória a Deus. Ainda falta um grande projeto pra fazer, e depois uma prova final que faço em casa. Dentro de pouco estarei LIVRE!!! Mas pela graça de Deus, mesmo com muito trabalho ainda por fazer durante esta semana, sinto a paz do Senhor. Para Ele seja toda a glória pela vida que eu tenho, e pela oportunidade de continuamente servi-Lo e as pessoas ao meu redor. Tb quero Lhe dar graças pq se está mostrando fiel para me prover trabalho para o ano que vem. Deus é fiel.

Lhes peço que estejam orando pela viagem que vou começar segunda-feira, 12 de dezembro. Vou dirigindo pro México com um amigo meu para a casa dele. N sei quanto tempo vá passar no México, mas espero que seja uma bênção para ele e prà família dele.

Obrigado por todas a suas orações, e pelas suas palavras de encorajamento. Que Deus continuamente abençoe vcs.

Fall Colors at ACU

2005-11-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

These are the last natural colors that will be seen here at the university until the new foliage of spring opens forth in March and April. They are beautiful examples for a desert place like Abilene. Praise God for his beautiful creation!!!

Soon the last leaves will drop off with the freezing winds, and winter will officially set in. When snow comes, I will try to open up that winter wonderland to you here on the site.

A Bug's Beauty

2005-11-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

Papaw's Peculiar Corner
Last night Papaw was telling me a story about when he was still living in Los Angeles. His older brother Donald was married, and there was a little 4-year-old girl with reddish-blond hair that would go and sit in Donald's lap. "She was as cute as a bug's ear." I don't know what a bug's ear looks like, but it must be pretty cute :P

College Lunch and Fellowship

2005-11-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

Dave and Christie_ _ _ _ _ _ _ Estéfani, Marcela, Megan

Today after morning worship, the college group from FountainGate was invited to eat lunch with one of our friends Joey at his apartment. It was a really nice occasion to all eat together in one room and be able to enjoy fellowship. He also played some music that brought back memories from our childhood, and that was fun. Oh, and Joey makes some exquisite chicken enchiladas!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Daniel García

2005-10-31T19:53:00.000-08:00

I should post a warning stating that I have not previewed most of these videos; therefore, I do not endorse the content contained in each. I hope that most of it can be enjoyable for you guys.

Film Fest

2005-10-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

Good evening everybody! I'm back after a busy weekend.

There is a website available that I discovered this afternoon, and I am really excited about the door that it opens up for you. We have a competition (Film Fest) on our university campus each year for which teams of students produce films to compete for specific awards. All of these movies are available at the website linked on this post. You can see scenes from our university campus, and the film "Thanatos" even opens up with a shot of the beautiful monarch butterflies that I was wanting to shoot with my camera during their migration.

Enjoy!

Facial Lawn

2005-10-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

Papaw's Peculiar Corner
Our family is known for having really tough, thick hair. Especially facial hair. Some mornings Papaw forgets to shave his face before he comes to breakfast, so after he eats and cleans the dishes, he'll say, "I guess I better go mow my face now." Again, all I can do is chuckle inside.

(Mow is the verb we use for cutting the grass in the lawn with the big, loud lawn mower.)

Silhouette Against the Setting Sun

2005-10-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

Some more fall pics for all you lovers of the seasonal changes. I took these Sunday. Today I cut the grass, so maybe a can get a picture of our yard for you soon.

Mesquite tree, Maple tree, Pecan tree

Symmetry

Reflections_ (top of my car)

Cotton Ball Clouds.

An Eary Saying

2005-10-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

Papaw's Peculiar Corner
A little tongue-and-cheek for you this time . . .

Tonight I met a couple (Enrique and Noemi Martorell) who is visiting here from Spain. I found out that they met my Papaw many years ago in northeastern Spain, and he had stayed in their home. Noemi told me a funny saying that Papaw used to say when he was with them. It was not a saying they had heard before, but it was so funny that they continue using it to this day. I decided to use that as the peculiar saying for today.

Voy a planchar mi oreja. (Voy a acostarme en la cama)
I'm going to iron my ear. (I'm going to bed.)
Vou passar ferro na minha orelha. (Vou deitar na cama.)

Achei isso muito engraçadinho :P

Have a great day!

A New Religion?

2005-10-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

Did Jesus ever intend to found a new religion? David Bosch speaks to this question:

I have suggested that Jesus had no intention of founding a new religion. Those who followed him were given no name to distinguish them from other groups, no creed of their own, no rite which revealed their distinctive group character, no geographical center from which they would operate (Schweizer 1971:42, Goppelt 1981:208). The twelve were to be the vanguard of all Israel and, beyond Israel, by implication, of the whole ecumene. The community around Jesus was to function as a kind of pars pro toto, a community for the sake of all others, a model for others to emulate and be challeged by. Never, however, was this community to sever itself from the others.

This high level of calling was, however, not maintained for long. Already at a very early stage Christians tended to be more aware of what distinguished them from others than of their calling and responsibility toward those others. Their survival as a separate religious group, rather than their commitment to the reign of God, began to preoccupy them. In the words of Alfred Loisy (1976:166), "Jesus foretold the kingdom and it was the Church that came". In the course of time the Jesus community simply became a new religion, Christianity, a new principle of division among humankind. And so it has remained to this day.

David J. Bosch. Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission. (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1991) 50.

What do you think about this? Were we intended to be a new religion? or simply a movement of people committed to the reign of God?

Shari's Poem

2005-10-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

This is a poem written by a sister in Christ in Jasper in response to Hurricane Rita. I'm sorry, but I can't figure out how to maintain the beautiful format of the poem. Be blessed...

Katrina & Rita’s Wrath & Aftermath

Winds of the world came . . .
Ravishing the land . . .
Blowing my life away . . .
Storm clouds of hurricanes . . .
Raining torrents . . .
Flooding family and friends . . .
Wind whirled . . .
Rains pounded . . .
Lightning cracked . . .
Mighty oaks crashed,
Power ceased,
People panicked,
Tempers flared,
And darkness descended . . . all around me
In the natural world where winds blow and floods flash.

Evacuated, fleeing for life, homeless, running scared . . .
What to take? What to leave behind? How to know?
Now a new town . . . knowing no one;
Just a trunk-full of treasures to call my own.

“Where is my God?”

Here, He is right here; here with me; He is within me!
He hovers over me and shelters me from all harm.

“I am with you always”
He promises
“And I shall never leave you.”

O, what perfect peace, what refreshing rest for my soul!
Knowing my Lord personally
Sustains me . . .
In the midst of all life’s storms.
Partaking in such an intimate relationship enables me to
Trust the Jesus of Galilee, the man who stills storms
With just a word.
And through this trust He uses me to turn to others –
To speak – To bless – Others who are more afraid,
More in need, more desperate, more without hope
Than I.
We reach out to each other – to hug, to comfort, to share a meal
And in doing so share the love of the Lord.

Rebuilding life . . .
Trying again to gain some normalcy.
But how?

Waiting in lines an entire day . . .
Filling out papers till hands cramp . . .
Staying on hold till you want to scream . . .
Red tape, frustration, red tape, then finally: “You don’t qualify.”
World government tries to help, but falls short.

Suddenly realization dawns: “Where can I go, but to the Lord?”
Yes, stop the hassle, take a breath, and smile . . .
My dependence is on God Almighty;
In Him alone can I trust!

I pray . . .
I ask . . .
I wait . . .
To see Him open Heaven’s gate!
Helping hands, safe shelter, encouraging words, hot meals, fervent prayers,
and the money comes . . . blessings for others and also for us.
Praise the Lord!
God’s bounty pours forth from His Body on earth!
Provision is here. God’s children taking care of one another.
Father smiles . . .
He is pleased . . .

Even though winds of the world come
They cannot blow my life away
For my life is safe and secure,
Hidden in Christ.
And even storm clouds of hurricanes
Cannot flood away my family
For my family is God’s family
And my inheritance is the Kingdom of God
Which endures forever!

So . . . blow winds blow . . .
Flood rains flood . . .
Flash lightning flash . . .
Crash trees crash . . .
Come what may . . .
I shall not fall
I shall endure to the end
With strength from Jesus, my Lord, my friend.

By Shari Gunter 10-4-05

A Perfect Day for Recovery

2005-10-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Thank you guys for your prayers. God has answered, and today I have been doing much better. I have been in class, and I was able to teach my ESL class in the afternoon. My voice is still very weak, but by God's grace, I should be fully recovered soon.

We have been having unseasonably warm weather recently, but today a cold front has blown through again and cooled temperatures back down to normal (23ºC/75ºF). I am thankful that I have been able to be out and about on this beautiful fall day.

How is the weather today in the place where you live?

2005-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

Papaw's Peculiar Corner
Often at night when I am just sitting in the living room reading, Papaw will come in from his place of study in the dining room leaning on his trusty cane and say, "I think I'm gonna go wash off a few layers of dirt."

This always makes me laugh because it's as if he'd been working out in the fields for a week without showering. Even though it's a mild exageration, life would be so boring if he didn't put things in his own peculiar way.

"Thank you, Lord, for putting me in Papaw's home for this special time."

Spiral Down

2005-10-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

I took a down turn during the night and worsened quite a bit. I stuggled to breath, and I wasn't able to sleep until sunrise this morning. After sleeping today I am doing a little better, but I continue with severe congestion. Please pray with me that the Lord might restore my health.

Thank you for your prayers and concern,
Brian

Papaw's Peculiar Sayings

2005-10-18T20:47:00.001-07:00

One of the joys of living with my 92-year-old grandfather is hearing the funny things he has to say. He has a peculiar way of saying things that must be a hodge-podge of mannerisms that he has picked up through almost of century of interacting with people from literally all over the globe.

I have decided to begin making a collection of "Papaw's Sayings" as a special memory for my family to remember, laugh at and cry over as we remember our patriarch after he has preceded us into our Father's presence.

Would you like to read some? I thought I might start including them regularly in my blog. Why not start today...?
____________________________________________________
Papaw's Peculiar Corner
When we look at the wall-size window in our dining room that looks over our backyard, Papaw sees the squirrels scurrying across the power lines or the top of the fence, and he makes the remark:

"Those squirrels can't walk across that power line like that, [he hesitates] but they don't know that... so they go ahead and do it anyway."

Then he smiles and chuckles softly in admiration of the marvelous way God created the little critters. I will never watch a squirrel cross a fence top or a power line without remembering my Papaw with a little chuckle and a tear in my eye.

Os Ditados de Papaw

2005-10-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

Você sabe como é quando alquém que você conhece e ama diz alguma coisa que te faz sorrir por dentro, e rir por fora...?

Eu moro com meu avozinho de 92 anos, e ele tem uns ditados comuns que são muito engraçados. Deve ser por ele ter vivido durante quase um siglo com intercâmbio constante com pessoas do mundo inteiro. Vou começar a incluir os ditados dele nos meus post, mas tenho que dizer que a maioria deles vai ser em inglês. Talvez houver uns em espanhol de vez em quando; vamos ver...

Life Group at the Rangel's

2005-10-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

_________Peggy, Paola, Jorge, and Phil___________

Here are some pictures of the life group at Jorge and Peggy's house on Wednesday nights. We gather to eat, commune, sing praises and study scripture.

2005-10-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Jorge shares and eats.____It's good to bless the pizza.

O PQ do Novo Blog

2005-10-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Aqui eu vou estar publicando mais dos meus pensamentos diários para vocês lerem. Como meu outro blog era o site da missão, esse blog será o meu site pessoal. Vou tentar postar em várias línguas para todo mundo poder desfrutar. Espero que vcs gostem. Enjoy the new blog.