How would we describe church in Mexico?

Loud!!

If there is one word that sums up for us a church service here, it's loud. everythign seems to be at top decibles. They like it loud!

We've been to the church a few times so far this week. Wednesday Night is midweek service with about 25 people or so, lots of singing and a message.

friday night is youth and Ladies study. Youth is alot like wednesday night with lots of loud music and a message by one of the young leaders at the church.

Sunday morning is different from any other service I've ever been at. It starts at 10-ish AM. It looks alot like a Sunday school opening with Memory verses etc. they have some loud music (for about 25 minutes) then the kids go down to their classes and adults to theirs. We have a Bible study, everyone comes back together- and every class does their memory verse together (or read the Passage they were taught from) and gives a brief description of what they learned. After that at about 11:30-ish, we're dismissed. No real worship service. In our church- i think it happens at 6pm Sunday night. We'll find out in a little over an hour when we go.

The kids are starting school at the local school tomorrow or Tuesday. Tomorrow we register them. They'll go half days (all 3) and do some homescholing the other half of the day. That will give Shar and I some time to pursue some classes or tutouring and they get the full immersion experience. It'll help them immensly learn the language. We know of another family here that put their kids in a school and the kids were almost fluent after 5 months.

I (Mike) am in a bit of a quandry. In my past ministries, I've had a vision for what i wanted to accomplish in that place for that time. Here, as far as minsitry goes, I'm not sure how or where I fit or what can be accomplished with limited language or even what I'm supposed to be doing minstry-wise. It seems as if, right now, my main goal (same for the whole family) is to acculturate ourselves and learn Spanish. I know it sounds simple and obvious that that would be our goal, but there is a desire to be more involved, but am hampered by language. Pray that we'd be diligent!

Thanks for reading and for many of your emails, good to hear that there are a few of you reading, it makes it worthwhile ot jot my thoughts down if it assists you in praying for us intelligently!

Bless you and thank you,
Until next time...