Mexicali Day 2

Gday! or Hola! or Buenos Dias!

6:00am woke us up with a cockle doodle doo this morning as the neighourhood roosters gave us the ol natural alarm bell today. The place we aree staying and serving is in an Ejido or village on the outskirts of the city. The Mexicali Valley is situated on the Colorado River and so they have siphoned off some of it and canals run all through the valley. They get about 3 inches of rain ayear, but the irrigation allows them to grow things and harvest about 8 monts of the year. Not much grows or is harvested in summer because the 105-120F Desert temperatures burns everything up. But this time of year it's like an oasis...

Anyway, all that to say that the ejidos are little villages sprung up amidst the fields that the workers live in. The homes are made of concrete block structure- and mostly from 200 sq feet to 1100Sq fet or so with most being in the middle. The yards are mostly large and some folks will grow produce to sell in them or keep cows or chickens in the yards- thus the cockle doodle-dooing this morning.

Our neighbourhood dog that has called this yard his home got hit by a car last night- he was limping pretty bad and I haven't seen him tonight at all. He was a bit skittish and charged at Caleb once our first morning- so maybe it's all for the best if he licks his wounds somewhere else the rest of the week.

After breakfast at the Bible School we looked on the program / shcedule for the week and found out that Sharlene and I were not sandwich makers- but sandwich coordinators. We were running the sandwich show. A promotion so soon has to be encouraging... And it would have been, if we had a clue what to do! So with some instant training we were set into gear to lead a team of sandwich makers in producing some 300 sandwiches of various ilk and kind so that the teams could eat at the ministry sites and continue with their evening services at the church without having to come back.

We went with a group to another Ejido about 17 miles away to take pictures of their ministry and to get a feel for the work. We met the pastor an his family and about 20 kids after we got lost looking for the church. I stopped to ask directions from a fellow who was fishing by the canal and was very proud of my attempt at Spanish... He turned around and looked at me and in a cheech and chong kind of way said " sorry man, I don't speak any spanish". A great effort wasted on a gringo. He had no idea where we were trying to get to but pointed us to a group along the canal further who spoke spanish and could understand me better... So try # 2 was attempted- and accomplished quite well- The lady understood me well and I understood some of what she said- just enough to get lost a little bit closer to our final destination. Eventually we made it and as we drove into the church "parking lot" a bunch of kids came ant attached themselves to us- slightly diaspinted that we weren't "The Team" with the van of teenagers-, but happy to see we brought them kids to play with. And play they did. I don't know how kids can play together without understanding each others languages, but they managed. Elijah and Caleb ended up watching a video at the pastors trailer behind the church for a few minutes and Jacob played with whoever would play with him. He learned the phrase "Juego Futball?" ( play soccer?) and kicked tghe ball around with the big kids.

About 30 or 40 kids came out for soccer and crafts / story time and about 8-10 ladies came out for coffee and craft and Bible study. For soccer the team said that they were going down the "road" (basically a sand path behind the houses) to the "park" which turned out to ba another road with harder sand that was easier to play soccoer on- and they did! a bunch of the kids, a few teens and the team from Michigan got together and sweat out a good game of futball with most of the american learning one spanish word well "Aqui!!" ( Here!). I took pictures and hung out with some of the younger spectatord (3-6 year olds) and learned about their families names, who their brothers were on the "field" and how old they were.

Sharlene spent most of the afternoon holding babies, talking as much spanish as she can muster with th eladies and helping out with crafts. She enjoyed herself immensly. Alot of the time this ministry reminds us of our work with Canadian First Nations people. The cultures are similar, the dificulties are similar and the need is similar- the language is the greatest difference, and that can be learned...

Caleb found a puppy. He carried this little "perrito" around all afternoon, sometimes having it sleep in his arms all curled up in a little ball. The only time he let it down was to go to the bathroom! Thankfully he didn't ask to take it home... that would not have worked. He also found that he likes oranges from trees. The church yard has several orange trees and grapefruit trees on it so he and the other kids were helping themselves. Most of the ones near the bottom were already picjed- so Caleb being Caleb, climbed the tree and reached out onto the edges to get himself three more oranges. He was very proud of himself

After the team left, I went to speak to the Pastor to say adios... he and his family were on their yard in front of a brken down trailer that was their home having supper. Wehn I came to say goodbye, he offered us tacos. He had 6 or more to feed ( kids and grandkids) we had 5 and there were only about 8 tacos, so I declined. He seemed disapointed, but I couldn't take the food from someone who had not even enough for them. I had to ask myself if I even have the slightest idea of what generosity is? They would be willing to give all they have to me, trusting God to provide for their needs. Is this what the scriptures mean when they say

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Thankful,

Mike and Sharlene and boys.