Buenos Noches Everyone!

It is very late so I know this post will need to be shorter, but also that these will be days that you'll need to ask your family member/friend about as they've been so full with really important and great events/happenings.

Yesterday was our day off, and we headed out on a bus we rented to go to the Pyramids.  Teotiquican (that spelling may be wrong) is a Unesco World Heritage site.  There are several pyramids there but the two main ones are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.  These were built but the Aztecs in 100 - 650 AD.  They are really amazing.  We were able to climb the Pyramid of the Sun.  It is so much higher than expected and the climb didn't take long but was harder than I expected too.  But Oh the VIEW!  From the top of the pyramid you can see a 360 degree view of the area of Mexico City.  So impressive.  It was raining again (now we realize what the rainy season looks like).  We were also able to tour the shops on the site, and then Edgar took us to an area where they manufacture natural materials into piece of art to sell, plus a silver shop.  Mexico is known for it's silver as you may already know.  He also showed us fascinating things about the Agava plant (what we would know on a much smaller scale in Canada as the Aloe Vera plant).  These plants are massive and can give you so many useful materials from the plant.

Later the bus took us to Yvonne and Jose's home for supper and a Mexican birthday party.  Yvonne was one of the translators on the 1st trip to Mexico for the team 4 years ago.  It was an absolute delight to be in their home.  We had a special party soup called Posolae (that's just phonetic spelling there).  Wow it was fantastic.  Highlights of the night, seeing Hayley drink Coca-cola, Charades with Jesse, Singing songs (the Mexican and Canadian versions of Happy Birthday, and a Mexican goodbye song).  These are truly hospitable people.

I have seen many conversations between the team take on some really fantastic spiritual discussions about God, about faith, about what the Bible says.  It's such a rich environment.  It feels so much like what I believe the early church must have felt like.  They are learning from each other and asking questions and wanting to grow deeper.   I love seeing that kind of hunger.

Today was church, and we worshipped in English and Spanish, Pastor Juan preached, we prayed over some in the congregation and some of our team that have been sick, Terry was privelaged to baptize 5 people from teenage years to grandma ages, and we shared a wonderful meal together again.

Later in the afternoon we went to Xochimilko (again phonetic not proper spelling) to go to the Hanging Gardens, they are canal boat rides where you are pushed along the canal by a driver with a 12 foot stick who propells you down the canal, there are mariachi singers/ bands, people selling you flowers or snacks down the way in smaller boats, and it's really fun.  There also was a market there where some of the team bought some thing.

Then we went to Terry's very favourite place in the world to eat.  Amanda Luna and Sara Beccera's cousin owns a taco restaurant and we had supper there with some of the Mexicans.  What a fun time.  Alex broke the record with 12 tacos, Terry 10 and many of the other team had many too.  They really are outstanding!

Alright it's super late.  Tomorrow we hope to do some construction/clean up at the church.  We are unsure about the Soccer camp.  If it continues to rain it may not work, but we trust God to show us what to do in it's place.

Blessings!

Christine