Luxuries vs Necessities

For the past 4 years since we started talking seriously about becoming missionaries, I have closed my eyes and relished the warm water that flows over me during my morning shower.  I have said, “Thank you God for warm showers, please help me be thankful when I have to give up this incredible luxury.  That day has come, at least for a while. 

We are in a different location for the next several weeks...what’s new!  This time we are in the same state, our home, Oaxaca.  However, we are about 7 hours from the city, down on the Pacific Coast.  We are taking a seven week language course, which for this school amounts to one level out of four.  We have started at level two.  A good bit of the vocabulary we already know or it is at least familiar.  Some of the grammer is review, but much needed.  Some of the grammer has been completely new and I am encouraged at the advance in my language abilities in just the week and a half we have been here.  Sam will be helping to start a Bible Institute at a church in the city and teaching Bible classes when we return, so this is really going to help.  There is homework, quizzes, test and drills, along with the lessons.  All are much needed.

So in the next few post I will try to show you what coastal living outside the shiny, air conditioned tourist spots is like.  A casual, friendly people, who work hard, are resourceful, but don’t take themselves too seriously.

Don’t miss out as I navigate life without internet, warm showers, a washing machine, or indoor plumbing in my kitchen.  That’s right!  No kitchen sink!  As I write this on Nov 7, 2012 at 8:30 pm, temps are in the high 80’s.  Next post I’ll give you a peek in my little kitchen and show you how we wash dishes with no running water.

Son Grandes

Slow blink...soft smile...deep breath...the smells, the sounds, the feel on the carpet under us.  

In the past six months we have had many moments, moments of joy, excitement, weariness, despair and encouragement; just to name a few.  We have clung tight to the calling, the calling of first glorifying God in all we do.  It has been a time of constant change (even in ministry direction), many miles, and many different beds and sometimes floors for our weary heads, but I think we have emerged clearer in our vision and closer in our relationship, both with each other and Jesus Christ.

In the midst of all the chaos, God graciously gave two moments when surrounded by my chattering children, time seemed to stand still, breath was breathed deep.  They are growing, they have interest, school work, friends, but in this moment they were fully engrossed in the togetherness of a family God had put together.  Relishing and enjoying the attentive ear of each other and their parents.  Thank you God for these moments among the chaos of serving on the mission field.

In this time of movement and transition, several have noted that my children "son grandes" - they are big!  And as I took a good look, they were right, these treasures God has entrusted into our hands have grown in stature and maturity.  Thus making those precious moments of togetherness all the more precious.  Recognize...breath deep...slow blink...soft smile...

How to Rent a House in Mexico

You could try the internet, you'll find a few there.  When you call about them, you'll find they are already rented.  However the realtor will be happy to show a bunch of houses she knows you will just love, that don't fit in the budget you have plainly stated or any of the other criteria you have talked about.

Then you will go off on a wild goose chase and consider renting an orphanage, however I think that experience is actually exclusive to the Means family.  Maybe I'll post more on that later.  At this point you'll find yourself and your five children homeless and crashing at a friends house.

And at this point, the word will get around that you are homeless and a lady from church, a client and one of the students at the birth center will come up with houses for you to check out.  Some fairly decent options actually.  In order to see these houses you must meet the student at the birth center, ride with her to go pick up the client's mother and then ride over to go talk to the Tia (aunt).  That house will already be rented, but she will have another idea, so you go see that one and one more.  When you take the mother back, the husband of the client will make some phone calls and you can go look at one more house that will be ready in two months.

Move in madness!  Sleeping on the floor!

Move in madness!  Must homeschool!

When you decide to settle on the one that was beside the one the church member found in the newspaper, the friends you are crashing with call to say the bakery lady pointed them in the direction of the perfect house, in a great location, at a great price!  And that is how you find a house to rent in Mexico.

A Few of My Favorite Things

We are now in a new area of Mexico and we have slowly been getting to know our new home.  There are still many, many more things to see and discover, but here are some things we love about our new home.

1. It's incredible rich and diverse culture.

The area is littered with ruins from Mexico's indigenous past.

Tejate is a yummy local chocolate drink.

2. Rainy season, which is accampanied by more greenery than we had seem in several years.  But seriously I love the sound of pitter-patter on the roof.

3. CafeCafe!  See the this post for more about CafeCafe!

4. Centro de Abastos, the large central market with all it's smells and colors and fresh fruits and vegetables.  It's so large that even though we've been there 3 times, we still haven't seen it all, not to mention you save a bundle of money shopping there.

This women was kind enough to show off her beautiful breads.

Can you guess this vegetable?

Sam carrying a whole crate of apples through the market for me. I made apple cider vinegar , which we can't get down here and yummy apples sautéed in butter, suger and cinnamon.

5. I'm loving attending pregnant moms and births again, with the added bonus of teaching.  No matter how much I try to suppress it or deny it, one of my purposes on this earth is to care for women during pregnancy and childbirth and I'm thankful for the opportunity to minister in this way.


6. This Tacos stand is owned by one of the brothers at the Baptist church.  They are incredible and trust me I've eaten enough tacos to know.  He has a beef taco, a pork taco and tacos de cabeza (meat from the head of the cow) all amazing!  Really it's his wife and daughters who prepare them, but I'm sure he helps.

Stay tuned for more mini tours of this amazing place we have the privilege of calling home.  I even considering changing the name of the blog since it feels like our "wandering" may have come to an end, such an unfamiliar concepts to this family.  However, even though we are making the city of Oaxaca our home, eventually we feel we will be ministering more and more in the vast unreached rural mountain areas that surround us.

Stay tuned, soon I will be posting about our new home we will be moving into this week.  It will titled "We Bought the Zoo: or in our case rented it".  Should be interesting!

UPDATE:  Before I could get this posted, because of our sporadic internet, the house we were supposed to move into fell through.  We are sad, because we were excited about all the ministry possibilities this building represented, but we are thankful for God's guidance and protection.  However, that leaves all 7 of us humbly accepting help from friends, as we "crash on their couch".  In reality, Sam and I have our own room with a private bathroom and our children are quite comfortable too.  Pray with us we find a house very soon, so we can be much more effective here in Oaxaca.

Novios!!!

My camera is back and even better!  YAY!

A little Spanish lesson today.  Novio means boyfriend, so novios is a couple.

Sam and I found this amazing coffee shop that sends Starbucks running off with it's tail between it's legs!  And at a better price to boot!  The coffee is grown and prepared here in the state of Oaxaca, and they know just how to grow it under the shade of the banana trees, not to mention the climate is perfect.  It's rich and flavorful, just like Oaxaca!  And as an added bonus, you can sit in comfy chairs and enjoy the view of the mountains out the open store front.

Sam and I are known to sneak over mid afternoon quite often, especially after a day at the birth center.  We sit and sip our amazing coffee, admire the view and enjoy the pleasant company (each other).  Usually we just order coffee, but occasionally dessert and maybe a sandwich if it has been an extra busy day.

One day after ordering our coffee and sandwich, Sam ran over to the cell phone store while we waited for our food.  The girl that had been our server several time before, came out to inform me that they didn't have all the ingredients for my "friend's" sandwich.  I chose another one, but I couldn't wait for Sam to get back to tell him she thinks he's my boyfriend!  Tehehe!  Mind you I was wearing my wedding band, which I have worn for the last 16 years, but wedding rings are not as big a tradition here as they are in US.  Later she got up enough nerve to ask Sam if I was his girlfriend and was surprised to find out, I was his wife and we have 5 children!

My honey and I in front of our favorite coffee shop, CafeCafe.

Recounting the story makes me smile inside.  Truly thankful I have a wonderful husband who treats me so well people thinks we are dating.  Just as it should be, right girls!