Night Pictures of the Cathedral in Morelia

I have posted pictures of this cathedral before but these are different - much more beautiful. This is the biggest and most visited cathedral in Morelia. It is located right by the town square. Travelers come from all over the world to see it.

I took these pictures standing beneath the cathedral. A person feels sort of engulfed in it's majesty. This is only one small section.
A unique view...

Winding Down Our Time Here; The Future For This Blog

A few butterflys flying above us.

As of today, we have about two weeks left in La Huacana Mexico. Our plan is to head for home on Wed. March 18th. For the next two weeks, I will continue posting more on how we are spending our time and what I think you might want to know and see. I am excited to answer some questions that a friend had sent to me by email. One was "what will you miss about Mexico" another "what will you NOT miss". I am currently polling my entire family because I know that these answers will vary. Each member of my family has had a their own unique experience.

Once I return to my home town, I plan to finish off the blog. I will post on our travel across Mexico and then into the US, and finally our arrival to our home town. This blog will continue for a short while as the Lord leads. Since I can't predict the future, I am guessing that I might blog about readjusting back into the US, lessons we have learned, how God has changed us, and the like. You can imagine how much we have all learned and how many great stories there are to tell! Eventually, this blog will come to an end, just as our stay in Mexico has to come to an end. I do believe, however, that our time in Mexico will impact us all forever.

Stay posted for the results of the poll.

Snapped a Few Pictures on My Way Home From Santa Clara

The Soul of the City

The front doors leading inside the cathedral.

The Soul of Morelia

This is the cathedral located in Morelia, Michoacan. It is not just gorgeous; it's inspirational! Your surroundings beg you to get on your knees and worship in reverence. We were on holy ground.

On Saturday nights, the streets glow, classical music blares and cannons blast fireworks into a black sky where they explode and drip color on the bell towers.

I could not stop taking pictures. I fell in love with Morelia with the ancient buildings, the busy town square and the breath-taking cathedral.

Mike and La Huacana Teens; A Good Combination

Mike gets along with teens. He has always amazed me. Back at home, kids like him. I have knocked it off as him being their 4-H agent. After all, youth development is his specialty and what he gets paid to do.

I have been surprised that it is the same here. Teens in La Huacana want to be around him. It is clear that the kids come to our home to see Mike just as much, probably more, than they come to see our kids. I watch him interact with them students closely. The teens enjoy his company and respect him. That can be easily seen through their body language and how much they laugh with him even as they struggle to understand each other's words. More incredible, the students are eager to teach him, spending a lot of time saying the same words and phrases over and over until Mike can get it out correctly. In this picture above that is exactly what is going on. Maddy and I were amused with this conversation that went late into the night.

This is Tony and his cousin, Rando. Mike is studying Proverbs with them. Mike read a verse in English and then one of the guys read it in Spanish. We are so thankful for the Spanish bibles we brought with us, thanks to a friend!

What a wonderful way to study language together.

A MESSAGE FOR THE LADIES @ CREEKSIDE COMMUNITY

Hi All! Want to let you know I am thinking about you and praying for you this weekend. I know the ladies retreat is this weekend and I wish I could be there with you. I went last year and had a fantastic time. I was greatly encouraged spiritually through the teaching but what I liked most about the retreat was the ability to let my hair down, to laugh and enjoy my sisters in the Lord. There was a lot of time allotted to enjoy each other, to play together and share in the things of the Lord. Last year, I particularly remember having the opportunity to get to know and appreciate Cindy J. We have been friends every since.

This weekend I pray for these things for you! I pray God moves heartily in each of your hearts accomplishing want is needed in you as individuals. May you laugh, and cry together, grow closer to God together and come home refreshed and better equipped to serve your Lord and King!

Love to You All, From Mexico! Tammy

We are Half-way There!!!!

I can't believe it! I just realized today, we are at the half-way mark.

We left Dec. 9th from our home town in Oregon. April 1st is the tentative date for our arrival back. I flood of emotions have hit me. Just last week I was desiring to fly home, and now today I realize that I have so much that I want to accomplish here, with only 7 weeks left to do it.

Amanda H., my good friend, sent me an encouraging word last week. She encouraged me to make every day count, that in light of eternity, our stay in La Huacana is extremely short. At the time, those words were like smoothing sauve on a wound. That week was my hardest yet. Isn't God's timing always perfect? There was a few of us in the family with real bad attitudes. Missing family and friends, exhausted from the heat, sleep-deprived from the crowing roosters and barking dogs, weary of constant company, sick of Mexican food, fed-up with the dust and dirt, irritated from loud, continual music and just plain cranky. And, I was sick and tired of being, sick and tired! Today, my heart has been renewed. Half-way, already! Could it be true? So little time and so much to do! There is no time for bad attitudes or ungratefulness.

Why Are We Here, Part 2

I posted a blog on January 8th, explaining what we are here to do in Mexico. I’d like to add a few more details. These details date back to when Mike and I first got married. On Nov. 5th of 2008 we celebrated our 20th Anniversary. There has never been a dull moment as Mike’s wife. I appreciate his loving leadership in my and my children’s lives.

Mike told me right from the start that he desired to take our family on a trip out of the country; this was even before we had any children. He knew that teachers often exchange country to country. I can’t help but think that God new the need to plant this seed well in advance to get this girl ready. I am not much into spontaneity (unless it is going out for Chinese food).

In my heart I made “my” plans for the past twenty years. I had read all the fantastic, adventuresome missionary stories. We will go far far away to a remote country with no running water and eat only beetles for food. Well, God determined the outcome, not us. There were several attempts to bring it about this last year. First it was a location in Brazil. Then, he worked on plans to travel to Argentina. Each time, his efforts were in vain. God picked Mexico. Mexico? Mexico was the last place I would choose. It didn’t suit my criteria.

It was a year ago Mike started coming home with ideas. Willies jumped in my stomach each time he wanted to talk with me about it. Our oldest child would be turning 17 so time was of an essence. If it were not for the fact that we had discussed this long ago, I most definitely would have recoiled and come up with a hundred excuses as to why I couldn’t possibly go. I knew that if I wanted to, I had the power to shut this whole operation down. God’s calling early on is the only factor that assured me that this was from Him. I knew that I could trust my loving savior. i most certainly knew who the real idea creator was.

Mike continued to work with his colleague, Mario, to refine plans. Mario had a brother in a small town in Mexico. Both Mike and Mario knew the ins and outs of the system on how they could make something like this come together and find funding. In fact, Mike became a “trail blazer” for a brand new program they were designing; a teacher exchange program specifically between Mexico and Oregon State University. Each time Mike would come home to privately give me an update. I would weakly say, “ OK” feeling very shaky about such a life-changing event. After some time I figured out how to reason it out. God would confirm this trip as being the one that He laid on our hearts years prior through the mere fact if all circumstances came through.

The next 6 weeks of waiting was both exhilarating and scary. During those weeks God built our faith. There were loose ends yet, and we learned that we would have to leave the unfinished details to Him. No more waiting for everything to work out “perfect” to determine if we were to go. The call 20 years prior gave me incredible strength and faith. The “loose thread” was an additional $2,500 worth of funding. Without it, we may not be able to afford to travel back home. Mike didn’t find out that we would get that money until a couple of weeks after we left home. I also had to trust God with a daughter's health. God had moved in our hearts strongly to trust Him.

Why did God choose Mexico? I am sure that God will spend the rest of our lives revealing those reasons to our entire family. Daily I pray that God will reveal more of what we are to do here. We have been tempted to think we aren’t serving enough. “Lord, we want to love on little orphans! We want to feed the hungry!” All those missionary stories have conditioned our thinking. Then God reminds me that He laid this on our hearts 20 years prior, and that I can most definitely trust Him for the rest. I don’t have to “do” but I can just “be” by following Him. In my walk with Christ, He has proven over and over that God is at work in and through His people even when they don’t know it. In my experience I have also learned that this is when God works the best! For me and for the rest of my family, living in Mexico has been a day by day faith walk. Every day is full of surprises and requires us to exercise trust in our God.

God Protects His People, Again . . .

Another Unwelcomed Visitor

We learned the importance of wearing your shoes in Mexico. Every time Lupe has come to visit and has caught one of my children meandering barefoot, she has practically thrown a fit. She points at her shoes and in her broken English shouts, “Shoes, shoes, shoes! You get sick!” Lupe will grab her throat and squeeze to signify sickness. Skeptically, I tried to reason it out. Are there parasites in the soil that can be absorbed through the skin? In faith, I began to warn the kids in the same alarming manner, adding, “I may not be able to explain it but we are going to do what Lupe says.” I decided it was likely some old wives tale; Lupe had also told Madeline not to drink cold drinks due to her Asthma. Her throat would swell shut. The kids were to play it safe but more importantly, honor Lupe.

Now I can see how God had been using Lupe to warn us about bare feet. Last night, Jake walked to the kitchen and returned with Madeline following him. I heard a loud, fearful screech. Madeline had stumbled upon a scorpion that Jake had just crunched with one of his shoes seconds prior, unbeknownst to him. The scorpion was wiggling, half alive. Thankfully, Jake and Madeline were wearing their shoes, having been admonished frequently the prior two days. There had been regular traffic between the kitchen and living room by all of the family the entire evening. Josh presently sat on the couch in his socked feet.

I thank God for using Lupe to warn us. Of course I took the opportunity to use my mothering skills and pointed out the fact how easily any one of them could have been barefoot at that moment. God had truly gone before us knowing that scorpion would visit. I still don’t know about parasites, but scorpions alone are reason enough to wear your shoes in Mexico. In the future, I doubt that mom nor Lupe will be needed to warn kids to keep their shoes on.

God protects His People!

Ministering to Our Neighbor

Fernando Fernandas has already been introduced to you. He is the one who shouts, “My brother” to Mike when he sees him in public. We regularly bump into him in the market place. We usually ending up strolling together and land back at our home for a time of fellowship and language study.

Yesterday evening wasn’t the normal stroll. It became obvious that Fernando wasn’t feeling well. He confessed to us that he had been up all night the previous three nights caring for his grandfather. Fernando’s grandfather is 110 years old and requires full-time care. Fernando has given up a life guard job in Acapulco to live in La Haucana the last four years to care for his aging grandfather. He works during the day preparing tacos and then he stays up every night helping his grandfather through hallucinations. Mike and I were both moved to take Fernando home to show him some much needed care.

It wasn’t long after we were home that we realized that Fernando didn’t know what we meant by “We would like to pray with you.” He kept changing the subject and was declaring how he prays all day long, every single day. Fernando is a man with a very grateful heart, thanking God for his hands, his eyes and the beautiful trees.

As we brought out our English Bible, his eyes lit up. He directed us to the Lord’s prayer and we read it to him in English. You could hear his spirit sing. Fernando very excitedly declared he would be coming over tomorrow to memorize the Lord’s prayer in English and that he wanted us to do the same in Spanish. Mike very quickly erased his name in his personal bible and signed it over to his friend.

Finally, we said again that we desire to pray for him and his grandfather’s needs. Turning to Matthew 18:19 & 20 , I read,

Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am in their midst.

Fernando is a “free-spirit” here in La Haucana. He has many friends but it is doubtful that any of them are believers. He has made it clear to Mike and I that he has no interest in attending a church. He has no respect for the pastors in the local churches and states that “he has church every day in his heart”.

Our desire is to show Fernando what a blessing it is to be in fellowship with other believers. Last night we bowed our heads and each took a turn to pray for Fernando and his grandfather. Fernando, however, did not bow his head or close his eyes. Corporate prayer was nothing that he had ever experienced before.

Pray for us as we seek to show him the importance of being connected with a local body. We want him to experience the joy, the strength and growth that comes from Christian fellowship and studying God’s word corporately. Pray for us as we walk with Fernando as fellow believers these next few months. May he desire to have the richness of Christian relationships with other believers in the community after we return home.

Why Are We Here?

This week everyone went to school for the first time. Mike, Molly, Josh and Jake all went to the esculea secondaria (middle school). Madeline is picked up every morning by her 5th grade teacher. Since Mike is a professor for Oregon State University, they allowed him to come here on a sabbital leave to immerse into the culture and learn the language. He is teaching English classes at the middle school, providing guidance with the school farm (agriculture background) and taking the spanish classes. The same is true for the rest of us. English is highly regarded here and the people are very excited we are here. The kids are recruited to help in the English classes. Mike´s growth here will be valuable for his job back at home. It will provide him with language skills and understanding for the Spanish audience in our home community, enabling him to better reach spanish people with the 4-H program. Our children´s growth is valuable too. I can´t even imagine at this point all that the Lord is going to do through this.



Mike and I decided this was the best way for them to get as much as possible from our trip is for them to go to the public school. They are forced to interact all day long with Spanish speaking adults and children. Oh, the stories that I heard this afternoon. All the children crowd around my kids in large groups. It´s a very unique experience for the children to have white English kids in their school. Josh said that if he slowed his walk or paused to sit down, in 30 seconds he was surrounded with excited, jabbering kids. Madeline has found herself to make friends easy. All are eager to help them with their very poor Spanish.

Ross Warner said to me before leaving the states, ¨It will be interesting to see how God uses this in your children´s lives in the many years to come¨. That was eye-opening for me. My heart did a little leap as I considered his remark. I had been so focused on the here and now that I hadn´t yet considered this. Our children have needed reminded over and over that they themselves have been called to be in Mexico. It has been a lot to ask to pull them from their home and their friends to come to a foreign place. The only way to makes sense is to be serving a higher purpose. I tell them that this is what it means to walk by faith. We may not fully understand today why God he has us here or can physically see what He is doing. We can fully trust that He is always at work. It is likely beyond what our little ol minds can comprehend.

I am content as I watch my kids gain a better understanding of these people. I desire for all of us to have a greater love for them and to be able to communicate with them. I know there are many Mexicans who live in our home town that need to be shown God´s love. We all look forward to seeing God´s plans and purposes unravel, in His timing.

Taking a Time-out in Ixtapa!

Hola to all our familia y Amigos! It is good to be on the beach for a few days. Our family was in desperate need of a good night's sleep. The noise level has been tremendous every since our arrival in La Haucana. Our hope is that life will settle down after the holidays but we are doubting our neighbors' roosters will go on sabbatical anytime soon. (LOL) The continuous loud music may subside, but the dogs will likely stay on guard. Can you believe that it was quieter in our resort hotel on New Year's Eve than in La Haucana? I am not joking! There was a lively fiesta by the pool and the beach front was full of people. The fireworks all the way down the beach were amazing. Anyway, we have been enjoying the tropical ocean, the sunshine, the comida Mexicana (Mexican food), swimming in the pool and baking in the sun. This is our vacation time. Once we return to our pueblo (town) then it is time to buckle down. Mike will start teaching in the escuela (school) and the three oldest of our niños (children) will be joining the Spanish niños in escuela. Maddy has decided to continue in her home schooling with me. Carmen, me la amiga espanol, will come to me casa every day to give us lessons in both language and cooking.

Mike and I enjoy all your comments; they prevent home-sickness! It is agreed that this blog is keeping us connected in the states. Like I said on a comment, our family is so blessed to have been given this wonderful opportunity that we want to pass on our Mexico experience as much as we can. I have hardly had time to miss home yet. Since we are at the 3-week point, reality is starting to set in. We aren't going home anytime soon. The past three weeks has been an adjustment/settle in period and now we understand that the real stuff is about to begin. Our heart is that God will work in us and through us, effecting others' lives as well as our own. We know it is only through God that our family is here. This could not have been pulled off by little 'ol us. We continue to pray as a family for this, trusting God for His purposes that we may not yet fully understand or see. We are walking by faith, not by sight.

I will be posting a series of pictures soon. WARNING: pictures will contain warm ocean beaches and sun-tanned bodies. As hard as it may, try to be happy for us. We love you all and miss you a great deal. Everyday we are reminded of how much we love our home in America. It may be rainy and cold but "there is no place like home"!

Thank you immensely for those who pray daily. Those prayers give me an amazing amount of strength and faith. ~T

This is NOT the Average Mexican Home in La Haucana

We truly are blessed to be living in such a fantastic house. It is much larger than the one back home. There are four bedrooms and three baths. The upstairs is unfinished so basically the kids only sleep up there. The bathrooms aren't plumbed yet. (Bummer!) We are well equipped with conveniences many Mexicans don't have, like a microwave and washing machine. The backyard is a good size with a patio attached. I discourage the use of the yard since we saw a scorpion in the wood pile. A single mother of two owns this house. Lopae is a kindergarten teacher. We like her very much and are thankful she has been so willing to share with us.

This is Mike and Fernando studying the languages together. Fernando knows some English. He adores Mike and lights up whenever they meet. When we are walking in town, Fernando will jump out of nowhere and shout, "It's my brother!" I've tried to get in on the excitement but it's just not the same. When parting one evening I asked him if there is anything I could pray for for him. He responded, "Oh, yes, I have God in my heart 100% and pray all of the time." I was delighted and told him we shared the same faith. Fernando said, "Yes, I know. The God in my heart sees the God in your heart." That was a blessing since we had been wondering if he was one God had brought into our lives to tell Jesus about. Instead, He has brought Fernando to us to enjoy christian fellowship, to study the language and to learn the culture here in Mexico. This friend is full of joy and has a way of making you feel special. ~T

Jake gets his Christmas wish. When we rolled into town he was declaring how badly he'd like a kitty for a pet while living in La Huacana. On Christmas Eve, "Chica" was captured outside our house. She was obviously dieing of starvation, unable to walk, patches of hair missing, paint in her fur and in desperate need of a bath. Maddy and Jake feed her as much as they can. She is the friendliest kitty we have ever known. (There are numerous neglected animals in Mexico; we are glad to have saved one!)