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Like a Mighty Rushing Wind

June 3, 2009 in Day2Day by Dave | 1 comment

Tree down in our neighborhood

Tree down in our neighborhood

Hurricane season started with a bang here in Mérida as a ferocious if short lived storm passed over the peninsula last week. Tropical force winds and a half inch of rain in the span of about 45 min brought down this tree and numerous others in the city, and brought damage as shown in this slide show of the “fotos del día” from the Diario Yucatán (Opens new window, captions in Spanish). The damage shown in the shopping mall is just about a mile away from our home.

We were safe and sound during the downpour, although without power for about six hours after the storm. A few flashlights, candles, and a bit of patience were all that were required for us to deal with the aftermath of this first installment of hurricane season ‘09.

There and Back Again: A Missionary’s Tale

May 21, 2009 in Day2Day, Missions, Progress by Dave | No comments

clearanceIf you are familiar with Tolkien, you’ll have to forgive my obvious allusion to his popular tale, The Hobbit, but no, my recent trip didn’t include trolls and dragons, and the only real danger was related to the risks of travel by air and taxi. So to save you the long story, and the 255 pages that comprise my edition of the Bilbo Baggins tale, I’ll make it short.

On Sunday afternoon, I hopped aboard a flight to Mexico City, which seems to be recovering from its bout with the Swine Flu, where, on Monday, I met with the national leadership team about our future here in Mexico. I presented them with a report of what we had done and the plan of what we feel God would have us do in the future. They approved that plan, and they invited us back to serve for four more years here in the Yucatán!

Now, that we have received this approval our upcoming itineration becomes more clear. Our goal during these upcoming months will be to reconnect with churches and individuals to show them what God has done and invite them to continue their investment in the lives of the people of this region.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we make our transition to the States with the goal of continuing to raise disciples here in the Yucatán.

Back to School

May 11, 2009 in Day2Day, Mexico by Dave | 2 comments

The Godzwa kids: Ready to go back!

The Godzwa kids: Ready to go back!

The day has finally arrived! After two weeks of being homebound, Mexico has reopened its elementary and middle schools. Rebekah, Joseph, and Jonathan were all smiles, ready to see their friends after the long suspension of classes.

Nevertheless, although our kids are happy to return, the reopening of the schools here in Mérida is being handled very seriously. Last week around the city, school buildings were being sanitized while teachers were taking classes on how to prevent the spread of the virus. As the children enter classes, they’re being checked for symptoms. If one student is found to be ill, he or she will be sent home for a minimum of 7 days. If the school finds a group to be symptomatic, the entire building will be closed for 2 weeks and the community will place itself under surveillance.

So, another step is taken back to normal life here in the Yucatán and in all of Mexico. We have appreciated your prayers and your concern through this time, and we look forward to seeing you as we plan our return to the States in June.

The Swine Flu: Worse but Better

May 8, 2009 in Day2Day, Ministry, Prayer by Dave | No comments

The A/H1N1 Virus

The A/H1N1 Virus

The swine flu has left its mark on Mexico. With 1204 confirmed cases and 44 deaths, the statistics are slightly less alarming than once predicted, but the disruption that it has caused, in the form of canceled activities and the accompanying economic hit (to the tune of millions of dollars), the images of mask wearing citizens, and the general preoccupation will not long be forgotten.

Here in Yucatán, where we were once thought to be swine flu free, the government has reported 18 cases, most coming from previously discarded cases that have since been confirmed. Still, even though the virus has yet to be eradicated, life begins its slow progress back to normalcy. Businesses, which had been closed completely except for basic necessities like food and gasoline, reopened on the 6th. Classes, canceled since the 28th of April, will resume on Monday, and, with the ban on public gatherings lifted, we’re resuming our ministry in churches starting this Sunday with another evangelism conference.

So even though we’re statistically worse off, it seems as though this round with the swine flu is drawing to a close. Still, we ask that you would keep praying for recovery for those who are now sick, for comfort and a sense of God’s presence among those who have lost a loved one, and for a realization here in Mexico of the fragility of life and the need of Savior.

Also, we ask that you would pray for us. We need to remain healthy as we transition back to the States. There is a lot of ministry to finish in addition to all of the reducing and packing we need to do before we say goodbye on June 20th.

Photo by LA100RRA 3logs

Life with Swine Flu

April 29, 2009 in Day2Day, Prayer by Dave | 2 comments

Police Officers don masks for protection.

Police Officers don masks for protection.

The early afternoon is usually a usually a time of hustle and bustle here in Mérida. Students are heading home for “comida” the normal big meal of the day. Families are planning for the rest of the day–sports activities, a trip to the mall, an evening downtown, or school meetings to attend. But everything is strangely quiet. There is noticeably less traffic on the avenue near our home. There is no sound from the loudspeaker that normally broadcasts the names of the students whose parents have arrived to drive them home. That’s because there hasn’t been school since Monday. All public events have been canceled and activities that would gather people together, from churches to team practices have been prohibited, all to prevent the spread of what is now the scourge of Mexico, the Swine Flu.

Our understanding that something was awry began when our friends, Josh and April Amiot notified us that they were returning to Mexico City to attend the funeral of one of their good friends and ministry co-workers. An otherwise healthy mother of three, Nelly didn’t fit the profile of those who die of the flu. Normally the very old or the very young, under six, are those who succumb. Of course, this was just the trickle before the flood. By last Friday the 24th, we had heard of hundreds sick and dozens dead as the Swine Flu spread rapidly across central Mexico. At the end of the weekend, there were reports of sicknesses in 19 of the 32 Mexican States and drastic measures taken to stem the spread of this highly contagious, and surprisingly deadly, conglomeration of three different flu viruses.

Here in Mérida, and across Mexico, all schools have been closed until the 6th of May and all public gatherings have been prohibited until further notice. Labor Day, May 1st here in Mexico, will be observed without the customary parades. Sporting events have been held without fans, and our district convention, set to have begun yesterday has been suspended until a later date. Even church services are against the law. Those that need to work in the public sector have taken to donning masks to protect them against the airborne virus.

But we are not writing to scare you. Our family is well, and to date, no officially recognized case of Swine Flu has been recorded here in Mérida. Still, there is a definite tension in the air as anxiety and fear have taken hold. There is a sense of helplessness apparent as society waits for word of progress against this disease.

But we are not helpless, we can cry out to God and know that He will hear and respond to our requests. So we ask you to join with us as we intercede for this nation. Ilona Hadinger, a fellow Mexico Missionary and the coordinator of our prayer devotions on MexicoAG.org offers these points to guide us in our intercession:

  • Pray for the sick; for an end to the suffering.
  • Pray for families who have lost a loved one to the virus.
  • Intercede for believers as they boldly pray for the sick and proclaim the Good News of eternal life.
  • Ask for the peace of God to be felt across the land, and for many to commit their lives to the Prince of Peace.
  • Pray for pastors, Christian leaders, and missionaries to remain healthy with a steadfast trust in the Lord

    • .

Please join with us during this crucial time.

Photo provided by sarihuella on flickr.com

The Restored Life

April 15, 2009 in Day2Day, Devotional by Dave | No comments

New Life We needed to replace the grass in our front yard about two weeks ago. A busy schedule and low water pressure had taken it’s toll on our previous lawn, and all that was left after the dry season that we’ve had was a lot of dust. So, after a change to our water system was completed, what was left of the old lawn was removed, and new grass was brought in.

As the Agustín, the gardener, was removing the remnant weeds, he looked over what used to be a flower border. “You want me to take these out too?” he asked. The border was a disaster; it looked like a mess of limp grass. Still, I said, “Let’s keep it. Maybe it’ll grow back.” So the limp-grass-once-upon-a-time-flower-boarder remained. Perhaps just to suck up water that would be better spent on the new lawn, I thought, but I had hope.

And that hope wasn’t disappointed. After about one week of watering, one sunny morning I was greeted by the picture above–dozens of tiny white flowers where once only limp grass stood. It was amazing to see the power of life in what seemed to be a hopeless situation.

Nevertheless, a dying flowerbed pales in comparison with the hopeless situations that many of us face. While we’ve been on the field, we’ve watched sadly as many of our friends were hit with what seem to be knock-out punches–unemployment, sickness, and divorce just to name a few. They are situations that are devastating for the parties involved and that leave those of us who must watch confused and questioning. “What is going on?” we ask, “Where is God in all of this?”

Of course, we have just celebrated the triumphant outcome of another seemingly hopeless situation–the resurrection of Jesus after a his death on the cross. The disciples had fled for their lives. Peter had gone as far as denying that he had ever known his former teacher. Jesus Himself, while dying cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The situation was irrevocable, or so it seemed. Nevertheless, just when it had seemed that God’s plan had been checkmated, the table was turned and the outcome was forever changed. That is the reality of Resurrection Sunday, the reality that still reverberates even two thousand years after the event.

I was reading Amy Maxwell’s blog the other day, when I happened upon some free music downloads. One of the songs, Rescue, by Ten Shekel Shirt, caught my attention when I was in the middle of thinking about one of my friends’ seemingly hopeless situation. The chorus of the song reads, speaking of God’s power:

You rescue, you redeem
You save, you intervene
You rescue, you redeem
Our lives, the stories of our lives.

It’s true. As the flowers reappeared from the dust of our yard, so God is able to redeem us even in the most difficult of situations. Like the prodigal son who’d cast away the riches he’d demanded, if we turn to Him, God is ready to receive us and restore us as His sons and daughters, even if we have squandered the chances we’ve been given.

So, if you have a chance to download the song, I highly recommend it, and if you happen to be in one of those seemingly hopeless situations, or know someone is going through one, renew your hope in the fact that God redeems. His empty tomb stands as a testimony to the fact that a restored life is possible.

There and Back Again, A Missionary’s Tale

November 15, 2008 in Day2Day by Dave | 5 comments

IMG 1612Those of you who have read the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and recognize the style of the title of this post are possibly anticipating a story of magic and mystery or an epic struggle between good and evil. In that you may be a bit disappointed. This story is instead about the reality of missionary life. How, try like we may, we are unable to set aside one role for the sake of another. We are missionaries, but we are husbands and fathers first.

It all started on Saturday, November 9th, following a long night and an early morning of family activities. (Jonathan had just celebrated his 6th birthday, and had a basketball game the next day to boot.) I was set to embark on a 18 hour bus trip to the Mexican Assemblies of God General Council, a once every two years meeting of ministers, in Puebla. I boarded the bus at 10:00 and began an adventure that would span four days and about $30 in cell phone credit.

The first two days were fairly uneventful, a stop for seafood in Champotón, Campeche, a late night taco feast in Cardenas, Tabasco and then the push to reach Mexico City for a bit of a tour of Chapultapec Park and the Plaza Garibaldi, all expected preliminaries as we prepared to participate in what was shaping up to be a fairly important council. However, the excitement that was generating as we were arriving at Puebla was not related to the council issues at all.

“Hi. Hurt my foot. Icing it now,” read the message from Kelly at 11:00 AM Monday morning. The rhythm of the council had been broken, at least for me. I had tried to dedicate myself to the role of council participant, but the role of husband and father had turned my attention back to a different reality. Kelly had fallen bringing groceries in from the car. A false step on entering the house had left her with pain and a rapidly swelling foot.

Kelly was putting the best face on the situation, grabbing info from the Internet about how to treat the injury at home. I advised that she head to the hospital for an x-ray, but she was still hopeful that it was only a sprain. A few hours later, I sent another message asking how she was: “peor (worse),” read the reply. So, 18 hours apart, I sat praying and wondering, while Kelly picked up the kids and headed to the hospital for x-rays.

The x-rays were taken, and the diagnosis was a slight fracture of the left foot. A splint and complete rest for the foot was the prescription. Bravely, Kelly told me to stay in Puebla. I recommended that she call on a few friends to help with the chores around the house, something that was already in process. Still, the next 8 hours would change Kelly’s situation from difficult to near impossible.

A call at 5:00 am on Tuesday woke me up from my uneasy sleep. Jonathan had thrown up 2 times. Now, Kelly not only had to maintain a functioning family, she had to attend to a sick child. I was no longer a council participant, I was a husband and father trying to get back as fast as he could.

Phone calls to friends were made, flights and buses checked, and I was on my way. In the taxi at 6:30, on the bus for the two-hour trip to Mexico City at 7:00, at the airport at 9:00 and on the plane by 10:00. In 6 hours, I was back in Mérida, amazed and thankful for a return trip that took only a third of the trip there.

So here I am again in Mérida doing minstry, ministering to my family and injured wife. Instead of voting on measures I’m measuring servings of cereal for breakfast, instead of trips to the convention center, I’m taking trips to school, but I know that I’m where I’m supposed to be.

Reflecting on the events of the week, I was reminded that God doesn’t just call individuals to the field. He calls families, and those that He calls he doesn’t leave to fend for themselves, nor does He give any member the ability to specialize (i.e. “My ministry is preach and teach, yours is to the family.”) He has sent us all so that when one is weak another can be strong. It just turned out in this case that the one who was called to be strong had to travel 750 miles in order to get home.

¿Qué opinas del nuevo presidente?

November 6, 2008 in Day2Day, Devotional by Dave | No comments

“¿Qué opinas del nuevo presidente? (What do you think about the new president?)” is a question that Kelly and I, being Americans living in Mexico, are hearing quite a bit lately, and it’s one that I’ve had difficulty answering. It’s not that I don’t have an opinion, but serving as form of spiritual ambassador, we’ve found that it’s not wise to involve ourselves in political matters. So often politics tend to divide, while, as members of the Body of Christ, we are called to be united. Philippians 2:1-4 mentions being like-minded, one in spirit and purpose.

Fortunately, we belong to a community of believers who, I feel, are in touch with the mind of Christ on this matter. They’ve risen above the wrangling of partisanship and focused us on the true task at hand, the proclamation of the Kingdom which transcends the cult of opinion.

The first example of this kingdom wisdom was posted by our General Superintendent, George O. Wood. In this video, he gives us a clear call to return to kingdom living along with a biblical guide on living under elected authority. It’s fully worthy of the ten minutes you’ll spend watching it.

The second example I’m submitting is a post that I encountered on Facebook. Steve Smallwood, posted there a dream that I feel should be in the minds and hearts of all followers of Christ. You can read his dream below:

I Have a Dream

It’s based not just on the American dream,
And it goes beyond justice related to skin color,
Though who could not be moved at the tears
Streaming down the cheeks of black men and women.

I have a dream that transcends ethnic differences,
One that moves beyond the divisive issues of yesterday’s battles,
And calls on citizens red and blue to beat their tired rhetoric
Into plans for action to address issues of significance.

My dream envisions Christians who would embrace the Kingdom,
Above and beyond any denominational or national loyalties.
It challenges the close-minded simplicity that requires large blocks of Truth
To be defined by and contained within small cranial cavities.

I have a dream that is based in the example of Jesus,
Who endured ridicule and refused to throw stones
At those who were beset with the legacies of sinful lifestyles
In order to deliver refreshing living water to their parched spirits.

My dream yearns for true believers to set aside,
Partisan politics and theologies of left versus right,
To not just oppose abortion but to truly cherish and nurture life
And to love God and others just as we ourselves want to be loved.

It’s a dream that refuses to divorce the gifts of the Spirit,
From the fruits of the Spirit—especially goodness and gentleness,
Toward those we disagree with—even our enemies,
Who we are called by Jesus to love—because they need it most.

There are days when I fear my dream is merely a vapor,
When I find myself at odds with the din of the crowd,
Then I remember that Jesus said we’re not to travel the well-worn path,
But instead to listen with discernment to his small voice and follow his costly example.

I proud to be linked with such men and women and glad to benefit from their wisdom. What’s more, I’m proud to be a part of a community that awaits, not a political solution, but an eternal redemption.

And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

–Ephesians 1:9-10

This verse just happened to be the verse of the day on Biblegateway.com

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Maya Class

October 30, 2008 in Day2Day by Dave | 8 comments

A Typical Pemex Gas Station

A Typical Pemex Gas Station

I had left early for my Maya language class because I had to get gas on the way. Before leaving, I had asked Kelly if I should use cash or our handy-dandy debit card for the purchase. Liking the way that the bank informs us about the debit purchases, Kelly asked me to use the card. So, leaving the cash, I went out the door to the station.


There at the gas station, before the attendant, Robert, started pumping, I verified that they took credit cards. After assuring me that they did, he proceeded to fill the tank and top off my oil, a process that took all of about 10 minutes. Gassed and ready to go, I handed over the credit card for him to swipe it. That’s when the fun began.

After about a minute of waiting, the receipt spit out of the reader. “Try again later.” So we did, with the same results. Then we tried another card, again receiving the unwelcome advice. At this point, it was getting late. The manager was called over; another reader was tried, all with the same results. I was stuck with an $80 gas bill and no way to pay it.

I thought about the 15 minutes I had driven from my house just to reach the station, “How about one of you comes along to the ATM so that I can make a withdrawal and give you cash?” After a quick conference, Robert jumped in and off we went. We arrived at the cash machine in about 5 minutes where I jumped out and attempted to get the amount I needed. “We are unable to complete your transaction at this time. Try again later,” read the screen. What had started as strange had quickly evolved into the ridiculous. Now, we were to plan C.

Plan C consisted of a 30 minute road trip to my house in order to get the money that I had left behind. Getting approval at the station, Robert and I, fast becoming friends, headed off to get the cash. On the way there, we talked.

I asked him how long how long that he had been at the station, and that opened up the door to allow him to ask me about myself. Having long since dismissed the idea of making my Maya class, I told him what we did, and he began to open up about his family situation: separated parents and a constantly drunk father. Before we knew it, we were at my house where Kelly met us with the money and a healthy tip for Robert’s lost time.

On the trip back, I got a chance to speak to Robert about my history. A former Catholic with 4 separate beliefs represented in his 8 member family, he seemed to have assigned religion to something like personal taste in music, but I challenged this idea, speaking of how Christ had changed me and of how the Bible is the only set of sacred scriptures that deals with reality and offers a solution to the human condition. As I was relating to Robert’s situation and answering his questions, I realized that after nearly an hour getting gas, I wished I had more time.

We arrived at the gas station and shook hands after we had finally made the transaction. He returned to his pump and I drove away praying that the words that I shared would hit home. At the same time, I was determining to return to that gas station hoping to continue the conversation.

So a funny thing happened to me on the way to my Maya class. In middle of an an inconvenient and awkward experience God presented an opportunity for real-life ministry. Perhaps I should pray for more credit card machine failures?

The Top 5 Posts You May Have Missed

September 4, 2008 in Day2Day, Ministry, Missions by Dave | No comments

The start of September marked the anniversary of our second year in the Yucatán. Here is a look back at some of our favorite posts that you might have missed:

  1. Rethinking the task of teaching

    2. This post was written as a reflection on a major part of our work here in Mérida, that of teaching. It serves to remind us that if we seek to impart the tools necessary, and convey an attitude that promotes learning, we can create an investigator who seeks to find the answer and apply truth in such a way as to create change.


  2. Leave if You Can!

    3. This article was inspired by our trip to the flood stricken region of Tabasco, where we found that in a town where even the name encourages people to stay away, God had decided to take up residence.


  3. Living In-Between

    4. A reflection on the human condition, this post reminds us that, although we struggle in our “in-betweeness” of imperfection and disappointment, the promise of Easter is that the redemption of our soul that we currently enjoy will one day be universally applied.


  4. The Most Excellent Way

    5. This post reminds us that, when it comes to evangelism, the real question should not be, “How should our evangelism look?” but rather, “How should our evangelism be motivated?”


  5. Learning to Fly

    6. This last selection is a light look at sharing responsibilities in a missionary home.


We’re thankful for the two years of ministry that we have had here the Yucatán. It’s our prayer that, with your continued partnership, we will be able to celebrate many more.

Taking Advantage of Opportunities

August 25, 2008 in Day2Day, Ministry, Prayer by Dave | 4 comments

Here on the mission field, we’ve come to recognize that it is important to take advantage opportunities. Take the grocery store for example. Certain staples that we depended on in the US, like applesauce, make appearances for a limited time only. So, when we saw the display of “puré de manzana” at the local Wal-Mart, we bought 5 jars.

Of course, taking advantage of opportunities requires a certain amount of preparation. First, you have to be looking for them. If we had decided that we would never see applesauce again, it’s possible that we would have passed by the display without even noticing. Second, you have to be able to make the investment. A hand-to-mouth style of living doesn’t allow wiggle room for large purchases, so without the needed cash we would have had to pass up the sweet appley goodness.

Ministry can be the same way. Opportunities arise at time when we least expect it. Take this week: a casual dinner conversation turned to a daughter in need; a meeting the next day touched on the subject of a marriage in trouble; and a greeting after service brought with it a story of sickness and family strife. How would we view each situation? Would we see them as opportunities to apply the gospel we preach and teach or would they be taken as distractions in our otherwise busy day?

I’m happy to say that each situation that I mentioned we took the opportunity to minister. A daughter was counseled, a marriage encouraged, and a fellow believer prayed for. Still, I wonder, did we see all of the opportunities? Was God working in other ways that we weren’t prepared for? Or perhaps we simply weren’t willing to invest?

Paul asks the Ephesians for prayer in chapter 6 verses 18-20 that he might boldly speak the gospel. I believe that this petition not only has to do with attitude but also with availability. Paul wrote his letter in chains. He did not have the freedom to travel and to teach. It would have been easy to say that others now need to take up the work, that now was his time to rest. He could have closed himself off from the world, and yet he asked for prayer so that he would “open his mouth” to share.

We too ask for that prayer, that we who have been called as ambassadors of Christ will take advantage of every opportunity available to us. That we will be able to recognize how God is working in each situation and align ourselves to cooperate with Him as He carries out his mission here in Mexico and around the world.

Oh, and if you’ve got the scoop on where to find some Twizzlers here in Mérida we’re ready to buy.

Encouragement or a New Theology?

May 25, 2008 in Day2Day, Misc by Dave | 6 comments

Is this a slip of the English language or a new theology?

The English language is much in demand here in the Yucatán, especially with the tourism that places like Chichén Itzá attract, so we often run into students who want to practice what they’ve learned with us as we go about the city. Businesses as well like to get into the act, capitalizing on the popularity that English enjoys, and billboard and signs in English are common. Unfortunately, some businesses such as the one above use English but don’t quite understand it.

This sign in the picture says: “Super 32 Thanks God is Monday” I’m trying to decide if it’s a Monday morning encouragement or a new theology. So far we’ve not had the chance to ask the owner about it. In the meantime, what do you think? Do you have any ideas as to what they might be trying to say? Leave us a comment if you’d like to take a stab at the interpretation.

It’s Hot!

May 12, 2008 in Day2Day by Dave | 3 comments

It\'s hot out there!

Enough said?

Fear Invades Mérida

February 6, 2008 in Day2Day, Missions, Prayer by Dave | No comments

New Equipment to Combat Crime

“Mérida is a tranquil place.” It’s a place where “no pasa nada (nothing happens),” the residents enjoy saying, but this headline from today’s edition of the Diario de Yucatán, one of the major newspapers of the city, seems to suggest that things may be changing.

No, we are not under military alert, nor have we hired armed guards to follow us around the city. And yes, children still do play in the park down the street, and many enjoy evening strolls along the avenues. But what many once thought was impossible here is now becoming somewhat routine.

Let me give you a run-down of the events.

  • January 13th: Police officers and suspects trade fire in the Gran Plaza, a popular shopping center. Officers would later confiscate an AK-47 rifle from those charged in the shootout.
  • January 14th: A homicide, thought at first to be an assassination attempt, puts the city on edge. Later investigation makes the husband the principal suspect.
  • February 1st: A bomb explodes near the home of the the Secretary’s of Police home in Monte Albán (one neighborhood north of the site of our previous house).
  • February 2nd: Citizens of Mérida take to the streets to denounce the escalating crime in a “March for Peace.”
  • February 3rd: Meridians receive a report of the assassination of one officer and the wounding of three others in the west of Mérida.
  • February 3rd: Ivonne Ortega, governor of the state of Yucatán declares that the the assassination was the result of new measures to “step on the toes” of criminals in Mérida and was an unrelated incident in the new wave of violence.
  • February 4th: In what some are saying was a violent reaction to the words of the governor, a resident of Progresso, apparently involved in the drug trade, is found decapitated in a house in Garcia Ginerés (our dentist has his office in this neighborhood.)

Again, I’m not writing this post to alarm you, only to show you the current state of events here in Mérida and ask you to pray. Sure, we’d like to see Mérida return to the sleepy city that it once was, but we would also like to see this wake up call to the police become a wake up call to non-believers and Christians alike.

This world that we live in is broken, and increased security can’t fix it. Only the message of forgiveness of Jesus and a restored relationship with God can, and only a unified, mobilized church, reaching out to it’s community can bring this message.

Pray for peace, but pray for the lasting peace that only salvation can bring.

Photos are from www.yucatan.com.mx. You may also read the special section detailing these events in Spanish.

Meeting the Need?

August 30, 2007 in Day2Day, Devotional by Dave | No comments

Left BehindNeed. It confronts. It demands to be met. Take for example a stone in our shoe. Even the tiniest pebble can cause reduce our gait to a hobble. What’s the response? Well, it’s impossible to negate, and limping to avoid the stone usually only lasts a few steps. Basically our feet demand that we sit, take off our shoe and get rid of the stone.

Here in Mérida, poverty is a need that demands to be met. The poor stand in doorways and wander the streets looking for those who will help them out of their situation. Even those that do work are trying to make ends meet on $5 US each day, and unlike the tourists in the picture above, we can’t leave their need behind when we return to our hotel or board our plane.

After my run in with the Ronald, the con-artist that took us for $8 in Costa Rica, I searched for a way to avoid the needs. I believed that a policy would help protect me, or maybe I would be able to direct people to ministries that could lend them a hand in their situation. Still, the need kept nagging.

Reading the Bible didn’t help either. Jesus, when confronted by the clamoring masses, would usually reply, “What is it that you want me to do for you?” He had no policies, no list of places to which he could direct them and wash his hands of their problems. He was personally involved–feeding, healing, touching.

Today, I was on a search for some items to get our house finally set up. Taking the wrong way to get to Home Depot, I stopped at a local hardware store. In the parking lot, there stood Raul, a disabled, middle-aged man, who, along with his wife, had been looking for garden work so that he could pay for his kids’ school supplies and uniforms. He asked me if I could help him. My schedule was free, but my impulse was to say that I couldn’t. After all, I had just cut my lawn the day before, and my ministry is equipping not compassion. Still, his need was clamoring for attention, and the example of Jesus from my devotionals was fresh in my mind. “What do you want me to do for you?” I asked.

I decided to get personally involved. I talked to him and called one of the references that he had given me. Then I spent the next 30 minutes praying and driving them to the places that they needed to go. As we said good-bye I gave him about $20 towards the uniforms and some dry goods that we had been carrying in the car so that his family would have food to eat. He gave me his address and an invitation to visit him.

Did I do the best thing? It’s hard to tell. I would rather have taken him to buy the shoes and uniforms that he needed, but at that moment I couldn’t. So perhaps I settled, or perhaps I was used as one response to the prayers of a desperate couple with a need that wasn’t going away.

Photo Credits: “Left Behind” a photo taken by gerriet available at: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=43491111&size=l and used under a Creative Commons License

Oh the Humanity, Continued

February 13, 2007 in Day2Day by Dave | 3 comments

Deviated SeptumI’d received some feedback from my post inspired by my on-going sickness, and I thought that there may be those who would like to hear an update.

After two different antibiotics and an attempt to treat my symptoms as an allergy, I was finally sent to get a nose culture and an x-ray. The nose culture, a very uncomfortable procedure by the way, revealed that I have a pretty nasty infection, which is bringing on the very real possibility of having to go through 5 days of injections followed by oral medication in order to clear it up. It seems as though my sinus infection that I thought I had dealt with in November/December never really went away. So now I’m faced with a whopper.

I would really appreciate your prayers as the treatment comes with certain side effects for the kidneys as they have to process this powerful antibiotic. This continuing saga also comes at the end of the bi-semester at the Bible Institute and the start of another hot on it’s heels. I’m caught in the middle of developing a class on Christian Evidences in Spanish with my energies at low levels.

Now, about the picture: The root of all of my problems seem to be an irregularity with my nose. The x-rays showed that I have a deviated septum. Those with a deviated septum collect fluid (seen as the gray in the right nasal cavity) in their sinuses that should drain through a normal nose. Instead the pooling creates a perfect environment for the breeding of bacteria. This explains why I come down with a new infection with every change of the season.

Usually, a deviated septum comes about in an accident with some kind of shock to the nose. This pattern of infections started during my time in CBC, but I can’t seem to remember any kind of accident that would have caused it. Of course, there was that one night while I was up reading Millard Erickson’s one volume Systematic Theology that the book might have slipped out of my hands onto my nose, but then that was thirteen years ago, so my mind might be a little fuzzy. Update 2/14/2007 It just came to me as I was watching the kids playing tennis in the Salvador Alvarado Sports Complex, that I was struck in the face with a raquetball raquet my second semester at CBC. The sinus infections began soon after.

I said all of that to say that while I won’t be ordering those android lymph node implants anytime soon, I may be looking into a bit of corrective surgery. Of course it will have to wait until the rest of my health situation is dealt with.

My thanks to all who have helped me get to the bottom of my problem and search for solutions: Sandy–our fellow missionary, Berta–a local pastor and doctor, and most of all, Kelly–my very patient and caring wife who has been great through all of this.

picture from http://home.ptd.net/~warnergt/Sinus.html

Life from the other perspective

February 1, 2007 in Day2Day, Misc by Dave | No comments

Joseph and Jonathan.I don’t dedicate much space to plugs on this site, although I could definitely spend some time talking about the great insight that I get reading the thoughts of others all across the net. However, there is one site that I just can’t afford not to mention. Seeing as how it’s run by the woman with whom I just happen to share my life.

Across the way, literally on the other side of our study table, Kelly has been recording the events and happenings of the Godzwa family with a focus on the kids in her blog, “From the Mouth of Babes.” She has healthy dose of pictures, video and even funny sayings peppered with a bit of her own commentary. All worth your time!

So click on this link and stop on by Kelly’s site, and while you’re there you might as well sign up for her newsfeed or email subscription as well. I’m sure you’ll find lots to keep you coming back.

Like riding a bicycle

October 16, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | 6 comments

Learning to RideWe got a chance to take the kids out to help them learn to ride their bikes this Saturday. One of the drawbacks of being a missionary kid is the lack of a constant environment and routine in which one can learn basic kid things like riding a bicycle. Well, Rebekah is now 7, and we decided that it was time that she learned this basic skill. Of course, her brothers wouldn’t be left out.

So we took Rebekah, Joseph, and Jonathan to the park, along with their bicycles. We had practiced a few times before, but for Bekah and Joseph, this was the day to go without the help of the training wheels. After about an hour, Bekah had it down and was running circles around us in the basketball court, while Joseph, although he had made significant strides, was sitting on the side with a broken pedal.

This got me to thinking about our methods of teaching as parents, and as missionaries. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. We have to establish a level of trust so that we can begin the training process:

Until we reach a certain level of intimacy, we may be able to give information, but training really isn’t possible. Kelly and I have a built-in relationship with our kids because we have lived with them for all of their lives, and we have been working with them in other areas as well. It is natural for us to be the ones to train them to ride their bikes. However, we have arrived with a cursory knowledge of the people and culture of Mexico, and we have to start from scratch in order to build relationships of trust so that we can begin the training process.

I have been given a great opportunity to develop these relationships in the Bible School. There I’m getting opportunities, not only to teach, but also to be with the students. It is through these times of being with them that they see who I am and what I have to offer as a missionary. This effort has paid off. We have had opportunities to preach and teach, and we are developing a seminar on leadership in order to address the needs of a student’s church. More opportunities to help are materializing as I continue to teach.

2. We need to teach so that people don’t expect failure, but at the same time are not afraid of it.

While working with Joseph, I realized that he would be riding very well, but with the slightest wobble, he was literally causing himself to fall. I needed to constantly remind him that he could do it, and although a fall or two was inevitable in the learning process, he could learn to keep his balance.

In teaching the class of hermeneutics, the students at first were almost deathly silent. Many of them were afraid of the ridicule of their fellow students. They were afraid of failure. However, as we established a safe place for them to do the work and a confidence within them that they could interpret the scripture, the class has become quite an animated place. What is more is that they are beginning to undertake the process on their own.

3. There will be hindrances.
Joseph had his pedal break as the result of a fall. Jonathan’s chain kept slipping after a previous bike-riding session. There are always unexpected items that we have to deal with. Still, a set of $3.80 pedals fixed Joseph’s problem, and a wheel adjustment Jonathan’s. Obstacles will come, but they don’t have to be insurmountable. What we need to do is find a way to get over them.

4. Success will come with time and patience.
Americans, myself included, think that we need to see results in the first week. Joseph was asking me to take his training wheels off on the first day. Still, the society that we are working in with its walled homes and busy work schedules doesn’t permit this to happen. Our persistent efforts to reach and teach will pay off, but they will take time. Sometimes it may feel like the training wheels are still on, but progress is being made.

One example is our neighbor, Marta. She works full-time in the house next-door, watching the children. Kelly, returning a ball to their home, provided an open door for her to ask about our work, and during a two-hour conversation about her life, she asked if we could take here to church this next Sunday. Marta is just one of the lives we can reach as we focus on living and modeling the basics of Christianity in our daily lives.

So continue to pray for us as we raise up disciples here in Mexico, and as we teach our kids to ride their bicycles!

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Dealing with the Heat

October 6, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | 4 comments

DashboardTo the left you’ll find a picture of our speedometer in our Ford Expedition. The thermometer (numbers on the bottom) read 102. That reading was taken in late August as we crossed the border between Texas and Mexico. Imagine my surprise when this Thursday I looked down to see a reading of 105! Yes, as you have read in my previous post, A Culture of Waiting, we’ve been dealing with the heat quite regularly, so regularly in fact that although the post season is on in baseball, it’s been nearly impossible to “feel the fall in the air.”

Still we’re finding that the people of Merida have a bead on beating the heat. Many stores and businesses close from 2-4 when Mexicans normally have their mid-day meal. Not necessarily an official “siesta” time, it is still a time to get in to a cooler place at the height of the afternoon temperatures. It’s no wonder most of the houses are constructed of block here instead of wood. While also providing more strength against the hurricanes that have been known to sweep the peninsula, they also keep much cooler than their pine constructed counterparts.

Don’t try to find anyone at a park during this time. While there are many in the city, they stay dormant through the day, only to come alive in the evening around 6:00 PM when things start to cool down. Restaurants see business pick up around 8:00 and most cultural events don’t start until 9:00, quite a challenge for this family that was accustomed to turning in at about 10:30. Still, we’re adjusting little by little. Besides two showers daily never hurt anybody.

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Opportunity Knocks

September 18, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry, Progress by Dave | 2 comments

Dividing up duties in my hermeneutics (Bible interpretation) class with Paul, I got a chance to lead the group in making observations about the texts that they had been given for homework.

What they were assigned to do was to determine the component parts of the passage, verbs, pronouns, conjunctions and the like, as well as to find any comparisons, contrasts, and cause and effect sequences that there might be within the text. From there, I began to show them the way that their observations can lead to questions that can guide their study of the passage.

I found it interesting to note that, although these students had taken a class in hermeneutics, before, many of them had never mined a passage in this way. While I find that to a certain degree alarming, I also see the opportunity that we have. We have the opportunity to teach them what it means to be true students of the Bible, disciples of the Word, and it is my prayer that they will be disciples that will make change in Merida and throughout southeastern Mexico.

What God is teaching me these days…

July 1, 2006 in Day2Day, Devotional by Dave | 4 comments

Guy Muse who writes the M Blog, has started a series on what God is teaching him these days. In part from his inspiration, and in part from the events of this past week, I’d like to chime in and share what God has been sharing with us these days.

Sometimes it takes more than one teaching in order to learn a lesson.

Jonathan went to the hospital last October in order to correct a congenital hernia. Those of you who have been reading this blog may remember this post about the event. He had the operation which corrected the problem, and one would think that we wouldn’t need to revisit the situation again, right? Wrong. This week we found that he had a hernia on the opposite side as well. He went in for the additional surgery yesterday. (He is recovering well. Thannk you to those who prayed.)

To us this has been an example of how, in the same way Jonathan needed two surgeries in order to correct his problem, we often need more than one teaching in order to learn the life lesson that God is trying to teach us. Kelly had the opportunity in Thursday’s chapel to share this reality. We think that we understand how to abide in Christ, and yet God reveals to us that we have much to learn. We feel that we have a handle on how to be a humble servant, and yet we find ourselves in the painful circumstance where we need to humble ourselves in front of others.

Is it some kind of terrible game that God plays with us? Although it feels that way sometimes, I would say no. I guess it is more like what Aslan revealed to Eustace Scrubb in the Chronicles of Narnia book, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Converted into a dragon because of his lust for treasure, Eustace found himself alone and pitiful until he had an encounter with the lion Aslan. Aslan took Eustace to a pool where he told Eustace to “undress and wash.” There, in front of the pool, Eustace found that he could shed the dragon skin. So he peeled it off of himself in order to wash in the pool. To his horror though, he found that no matter how hard he tried, the dragon skin would always reappear. It was only when Aslan “undressed him” with the deep cuts of his claws did Eustace find that he was truly free from his dragon skin and the isolation that it had brought upon him.

I believe that God teaches us his lessons in an ever deeper way, so that we too may shed the “old man” the natural, selfish mindset that keeps us from reflecting Christ in this life. His teaches often hurt, wounding our pride and self-reliance, but the product is always worth the price because, in the end, what remains is less of the corruption of this world and more of purity that reflects the kingdom of God.

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Taking time

June 8, 2006 in Day2Day, Prayer by Dave | 1 comment

When I wrote down my thoughts at the beginning of the year, I intended to form a base from which to work, a foundation on which I could build the rest of my missionary life. But, as many of realize, our intentions are not always what get carried out. My conversation teacher, Giselle Mata, says, “Hay algo entre el querer y el hacer.” As I have reviewed my concepts for living, I have found that in some areas, I have moved forward, but also that in several, I have lagged behind, or fallen flat. I guess that is precisely the reason why many don’t make resolutions, because they are afraid that they can never live up to them. On the contrary, I believe that without a clear goal we’ll never know when we have arrived, or possibly we’ll never arrive anywhere. With a goal it is easy to see when you have failed, but without one it is impossible to know when you have succeeded.

Evaluating the past 5 months, the areas in which I have failed the most have been in the areas that have required taking time. Not that I haven’t been without excuses. This morning, for example, caused me to find a car that could borrow to take a lunch that my daughter forgot to her school and make it back to attend chapel at CINCEL by 7:45 AM all after running 3 miles and getting the boys showered and ready. I say this not to complain, but to show that time is something that has a tendency to slip through my fingers. Unless I mark out a place in time intentionally, I never get the time that I need to do the things that I believe are important, like pray with purpose, read the Bible allowing the words to affect my soul, and be an intentional spouse and father. I have been recommitting myself to these priorities.

In recent days, Kelly and I have started reading a devotional “My Utmost for His Highest” together. It has served as a springboard for sharing our feelings and out prayer needs like never before. But it would never have been realized unless we had put aside the books for a few minutes in order to share this time together. This last weekend, Joseph and I went on to a Father/Son camp. The picture above is of Joseph and me along with a few of the friends that we made there. We spent time learning to build fires, (campfires), shoot BB rifles, and roll in the mud. Certainly none of these activities was necessary on its own, but the time that I spent with him was priceless, especially as I got to see him pass to the altar on Saturday night to accept Christ.

We received a statistic from DeLonn Rance, a fellow missionary and AGTS professor that said that 90% of missionaries spend less than 10 minutes a day in prayer. Why: I believe for lack of time. I can understand this. I see my time taken up with homework, study, projects, preaching, and miscellaneous activities everyday, but I can’t allow them to be my excuses. I need to take time, time from the urgent in order to do the most important. How about you?

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Sickness, missionary ingenuity and why tubs are scarce in Costa Rica

June 1, 2006 in CostaRica, Culture, Day2Day, Prayer by Dave | 3 comments

Well you can’t tell from the picture, but this week found Jonathan sick for the third time in 2 weeks. This time with a fever. We are now in the start of the rainy season here, and like what happens in the States during the onset of winter, it seems like people come down with sicknesses during this time of year in Costa Rica.

With the kids in the Kinder program here at CINCEL it has been quite a ride. The ladies are doing there best to keep up, but sickness has taken hold of many as the children pass germs more readily because of the need to stay indoors. Today, the day Jonathan went back, three were sent home with fevers or symptoms of infection. So pray, please, for the kidos. When they’re down it really adds to the pressure of learning and adapting to the language/culture.

Now of course with sickness comes the great variety of home remedies, and Costa Ricans have an abundance. (One that was prescribe for the stomach flu that hit last week was a rice/cinnamon drink.) Now one home remedy that most believe in is the use of a tepid bath to bring down a high temperature. The only problem is that, here, bathtubs are almost as scarce as dish washers!

So what is one to do with a sick child, and no tub in which to give a bath. Well, if you are a missionary, you improvise! We hauled 11 action packers full of clothes and household stuff to Costa Rica. Their size and shape made them perfect for the taking on the plane with us, but the one-piece plastic construction also makes for a great substitute for a tub for a toddler with a temperature among other things. (Fellow missionary Kevin Stewart used one of his for a bassinet for his newborn.) So, the night before last, Jonathan got one of only a handful of baths in Costa Rica. Only this time his plastic tub also doubles as a suitcase.

That brings me to the last part of the post. Why are bath tubs so scarce here in Costa Rica? Well, the first answer that I received to that question was that it was because they were so expensive. However, is it because they are scarce that they are expensive, or is it because they are expensive that they are scarce? (If that confused you email me and I’ll explain that subtlety.) So in probing deeper, Kelly found that the Costa Ricans believe in taking cold showers. They feel that the cold shower helps their skin to stay younger, and helps their breathing as well. (One teacher explained that deep breath that one takes in when entering the cold stream is good for the lungs.) In fact, missionary Jon Dalahger when hosting a building team had to have electric shower heads installed in homes where the construction workers would be housed because none of the homes in that area had hot water tanks. So, according to one theory, since tubs are usually for taking baths in hot water, the fact that Ticos shower in cold water made the tub unnecessary.

So, if you are planning trip to Costa Rica, don’t assume your hotel will have a tub, or hot water for that matter, and if you are traveling with the kids, you may be surprised at how versatile your luggage can be.

Update: 6/7/2006 Jim Cottril has included this post in his compilation of missionaries blogging about culture on Missionary Blog Watch Check out his comments and the other posts that he has included.

The tongue…

May 24, 2006 in Day2Day, Language, Progress by Dave | 1 comment

A thing for talking. A thing for taming. A thing for tasting?

It’s funny how things seem to tie together in one’s life, but I recently came upon an interesting convergence of sorts. I was planning for my first Spanish Bible Study, and I was reading in James 3:1-12 where James talks about the tongue as an uncontrollable fire that can burn up our very lives. As I wondering how we could control such a savage beast, Myra, one of our Costa Rican friends, was introducing us to a new dish, tongue! Aha! I said to myself, pull it out and serve it for dinner! Of course, the idea quickly left the table of viable options.

However, As cataloged in one of our classmate’s blog, the tongue of a cow (pictured in Kelly’s hand) is indeed an edible, and actually quite tasty item. It is slow cooked overnight and then simmered in tomato sauce. (Myra used Prego.) The outer covering is removed during the process produce a very soft, pleasant meat.

Of course it may come to mind that what you are tasting may have at one time been able to taste you, but really, how many of us really know what goes into some of the things that we eat…like hot dogs? I highly recommend cow tongue, but if you buy it for the family, be sure to buy a big one, or get two because they shrink when you cook them.

But back to the convergence, the taming of the tongue is a daily process, is it not? We have now been in this stage of language-learning for about 8 months, and one of the more difficult things I have dealt with has been the phonetics involved in producing what I want to say. In Spanish a word with the same letters and different accent can have a completely different meaning. Also, words like “aeropuerto”, or “inmediatamente” were just a challenge for this Gringo to master. At times I’ve wanted to ask where I could buy a Spanish tongue so that I could trade it out with my American one before heading into class, but I have realized that there is no shortcut to pronunciation. It takes time and patience in order to speak correctly a foreign language.

So it is with God’s process in taming the words that we say, be it in out native language or a foreign one. We must admit that we need His intervention to pull out some of our cynicism, sarcasm, and complaining. It is a decision to allow Him to do his work, but it is also a process that takes time and a continual dependence upon the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I have more to say on this in my Bible Study (in Spanish).

So there you have it: The tongue: a thing for talking (in languages foreign or domestic), for taming (through time and the work of the Spirit), and, as long as it is tongue of cow, a thing for tasting!

It Lives!

May 16, 2006 in Day2Day, Misc by Dave | 1 comment

You may have remembered my casualties post, in which I had written about my Pocket PC that met its demise when I fell on it during a practice for the Luis Palau outreach earlier this Spring. Well, it lives again!

Proving that God indeed cares for the details in life, I had thought about purchasing a new screen for the PC after the fall, but the price, nearly $150, the hassle that is involved in shipping anything overseas, and the fact that Kelly philanthropically donated hers to me made me put off the purchase. I put the unit aside and put it out of my mind. On the desk it sat, unusable until our children decided it was time again to explore.

Rebekah, Joseph, and Jonathan are adventurous types. They would rather be anywhere but in their own home. So when Uncle Garritt and Aunt Tara* arrived home, they decided that they need to go upstairs to “see” their apartment, even though they had seen it many times before. The permission granted by the Kenyons allowed the kids to hang out in a different place for awhile, but it also gave the adults a chance to talk.

Garritt likes technology and gadgets abound in his apartment. Blessed with new iPods before coming to the field, he “just happened” to have a Dell Axim x30 that he wasn’t using, not the same exact unit as the one I broke but with the exact same screen. I told him of my situation, and he offered it to us free of charge. So after about 30 minutes of wrestling with both units, I was able to swap the screen of the lesser, functioning model for the screen of my non-functioning unit, and, as the picture shows, the old friend is resurrected!

That a replacement part for my specific Pocket PC could be hand delivered free of charge to Zapote, San Jos?, Costa Rica to our apartment complex is absolutely a miracle. Situations like this remind me that God is truly in control of the big picture and the details as well.

*In A/G Missionary Culture, adults in the missionary family are called Uncles and Aunts by the missionary kids.

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Happy Monday!

May 1, 2006 in Coffee, CostaRica, Culture, Day2Day by Dave | 5 comments

There is a saying in Costa Rica that reads, “Lunes ni las gallinas ponen”, which means On Mondays, not even the hens are laying. We certainly can relate to Mondays in that way. With all of the activities and projects, it sometimes seems like we need another weekend in order to rest from our weekend. For this reason, it is important to start off with a good breakfast to get our energy going, and on days like today, Costa Rica’s national holiday of Labor Day, we have the time to prepare it.

For starters:
Of course, no breakfast is complete without a good cup of coffee, but how to prepare it? Prepare it Costa Rican style, caf chorreado. First, you need a chorreador, the coffe maker pictured in this post, which essentially is a cloth bag suspended by one of a various arry of wooden frames. I picked up what I thought was a fairly attractive one for about $12. The coffee, ground fairly fine, is placed in the wet bag at the desired strength. (I prefer 2 tbls. per 6 oz. of water.) Then, water, just off of the boil, is poured over the grounds slowly, so as to create a stream, or “chorro” from the bag into the cup. The result is a fine brew that allows the natural oils of the coffee to pass through to the cup. And although many Ticos have switched to the “coffee maker” because of convenience, the choreador is still the most repected way to make coffee.

The main course:
OK, the coffee is taken care of, but what to eat? Gallo Pinto of course! The traditional breakfast food of Costa Rica, Gallo Pinto consists of beans, (normally black) and rice to which is added cilantro, bell peppers, onions, and the top secret ingredient, Salsa Lizano. A truly Tico flavoring that gives gallo pinto it’s charateristic taste. Added to this is usually eggs, the tomato for color, and in this picture, some Mexican chorizo or spicy sausage. We added it to give the meal some Mexican zing. (We are missionaries to Mexico.)

So there you have it, a good Monday morning pic me up. Sorry that this came on Tuesday for those of you who are subscribing via email.

All good things…

April 23, 2006 in Day2Day, Language, Missions, Progress, Thanks by Dave | No comments

They say, all good things in life must come to and end, and life in language school is no different. There were a several things that came to an end in the past week that we’d like to fill you in on.

First of all, the trimester of school finished this Friday when we said goodbye to 13 graduates and 1 instructor. Fellow Mexico Missionaries David and Carolyn Huneycutt, Ryan and Christie Thomas and Terisa and Fredy Vasquez were among those who said goodbye to Costa Rica to head to their appointed destinations in order to begin their ministries. We wish them well. Also leaving the school was 13 year veteran grammar teacher, Iris Chavarria (pictured in this post from last year). She was our teacher for our two trimesters, and we owe all of our knowledge of the functioning of irregular verbs and the uses of the subjunctive to her. Gracias por todo Iris, ser extraada.

Second, the end of the trimester also means that we received our evaluations from our Oral Proficiency exams that I mentioned in this previous post. Both Kelly and I finished well, scoring above normal for our group. Not that language school is a competition, but the ability to advance more quickly here will mean that we will have an easier time adapting to the language in Mexico when we arrive. We want to take a moment to say thank you to our teachers (pictured above),thanks to you for your prayers on our behalf. Without those, we are certain that we would not have made it this far.

Finally, yesterday meant the end of my 31st year, and what a year it was! We finished our itineration by speaking in over 55 services, travelling by car to each one, participated in the first ever commissioning of new candidate missionaries at the 51st General Council in Denver, CO, moved twice, arrived in Costa Rica in August, and survived a couple interesting trimesters which saw us through sicknesses, and accidents, but also has brought us closer to ministry in Mexico. Through it all, we have to marvel at the faithfulness of God and His people as we have received the help of so many that they would prove too numerous to mention. My 31st year is over, and, if it served as any indication, 32 should prove to be wonderful!

Wrapping this post up, we realize that good things do come to an end, but as we finish one thing, we find that God continues to offer us new beginnings, which bring rewarding challenges and opportunities to view his faithfulness.

Easter Expectations

April 15, 2006 in Day2Day, Devotional by Dave | No comments

In the photo to the left, you see our children, Rebekah, Joseph, and Jonathan smiling. They are smiling, because they believe that the cookies in front of them are going to be eaten in a few minutes after they are placed into the oven. But, you see, these are special cookies, Resurrection Cookies.

This year, Kelly felt it important that we do something more tangible to celebrate Easter with the kids, so using a recipe from the ladies of Calvary Christian A/G in Springfield, MO we introduced Resurrection Cookies to them. These cookies are made in such a way as to give children visual, hands on representations of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. Reading Bible verses to accompany each step in the process, we made cookies, but we also reflected on the reasons why Jesus had to die, and the manner in which he suffered for us. Crushing almonds signified the beating that Jesus took on the cross. Vinegar represented the gall that Jesus was offered, and so on until the process was completed.

In all I think the part most significant in the process was the sadness of closing the cookies in the oven for the night and going to bed. As we taped the oven shut, sealing the “tomb”, the children complained. They wanted to have a taste of the cookies before bed, but we wouldn’t relent. Besides there being raw eggs in the mixture, we felt that it was important for our children to experience in a small way, the disappointment that the disciples felt as the tomb of Jesus was sealed shut, as all of their hopes and expectations of something great were dashed. Our three saw their treats being taken away from them, the disciples, their very lives.

The joy and the excitement of Easter morning couldn’t have been more real then as the seal of death was broken and the tomb was empty. Jesus was alive and hope was reborn. Our children weren’t expecting to go to bed in disappointment, but they will wake up tomorrow to perhaps an unexpected sweetness. In the same way, Jesus didn’t fulfill the earthly expectations of his band of followers, but the new life that his disciples tasted on that Sunday morning could not have been more sweet.

The wonderful thing is that all of us get to share in the benefits of the finished work of the death and resurrection of Christ, and the flavor that forgiveness can bring to life cannot be compared!

Taken

March 28, 2006 in Day2Day, Devotional, Missions by