Merry Christmas / Happy New Year

I hope each of you had a good Christmas, I know this is a little late but better late then never. 2009 is just a round the corner. At times the future seems so uncertain but as we look ahead to 2009 let us remember we serve a faithful God and when it seems all around us is falling apart, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Ok, let me back up a little here to Saturday Dec 20. We left Santiago at 5:30am and started our 12 hour drive to Pachuca. Saturday evening we stayed with Harry and Rebekah Rodriguez. They are a missionary couple that have been working there for a few years. They have a very nice home there in Pachuca. We were surprised at how cold it gets there because they are at a much higher altitude. Sunday morning there was ice on the bumper of the van. We almost that we were back in Canada because it was so cold.

This is the building where they gather with other Christians on Sundays.

We left right after the meeting Sunday morning with Harry, Rebekah, there three children, Rebekah's mother and several of the Christians from Pachuca to drive to Veracruz. It was a very scenic drive through the mountains and curvy roads.

Pico de Orizaba, is the highest mountain in Mexico. I am not sure if it has snow on it all year round or not but it sure does have a lot on it now.

It stands 5636 m or 18,491 feet above sea level.

We came across this accident we weren't sure what happened but there were three vehicles involved. we

At one point we got held up by a long line of traffic at a toll both we probably waited for about 45 minutes. There is a lot of traffic at this time of year.

A little bit of the scenery along they way.

Just about 45 minutes outside of Veracruz we stopped in Cotaxla. Harry was supposed to speak at the gospel meeting there but because we got held up in traffic we didn't make it till the meeting was almost over. The Christian out reach there was started by a Mexican who went up and worked in Iowa got saved.

I will try to post again with more info on our week in Veracruz, but I am very sorry but you are going to have to wait till next year though. Happy New Year to one and all.

I'm an Uncle Again

I am so sorry I forgot to make mention of my new niece. Wednesday at 4:30 am my sister Joia and here husband Philip had a little girl, Moriah Joy. We are all very excited for them and looking forward to seeing her soon. To see some cute pictures of her go here http://pjknews.blogspot.com/2008/12/our-tiny-package-has-arrived.html

Congratulations Philip, Joia and Keenan

Being Mr. Dad

Read the post below this one first. I have blogged twice in one day and I know that will throw you all off.

So they had me playing the role of Dad. Levi said if any of them were bad I was supposed to spank them and send them to bad. They were good and we didn't have to do it too many times, JK. Then we played hide and seek.

After playing for a while I decided that Me and the Boys (I am aware that is not correct grammar) could all work together and fix the ironing board. It was broken a couple weeks ago when a door fell on it. We got all our tools out and went to work. I held the drill and they had a blast pulling the trigger and taking the screws out and then we made a splint for the bottom to hold it all together again. Again I held the drill and they pulled the trigger to put the screws all back in. I am not sure who had more fun me or them but we all had a good time.

The Ironing Board repair crew

The like new board. I asked them all to look tough and strong.

I think Andrew is imagining "Boy you guys sure don't look very tough."

"This is how you do it you see my six pack here man."

After our repair work we all piled on the motor bike and went for a ride into town. First we went up on the mountain in the center of town and took a few pictures.

Looking over there big town of Santiago.

Best friends for life.

Then we went to the town square and wandered around there and took a few pictures. They wanted me to buy them a balloon from a man that was selling them but being on the motor bike I figured it would blow away. Ya I know I am such a spoil sport.



Before coming home we stopped by the burger stand for supper. We had a good night out on the town.

The person taking the picture kind of cut Simon off.

Now we are back home, I read a couple stories to the boys and put them in bed. I figured they would have come out several times like they normally do saying someone was kicking them or they needed some water or something. I guess all the fresh air tired them right out because they have been down for an hour and I haven't heard from them once. I am very surprised. My night as Mr. Dad didn't go to bad and I didn't even have to change a diaper, sweet deal. No, I don't think I put anyone to bed with a dirty diaper, at least not on purpose. Well I had better go and get some clothes pack for our trip to Veracruz.

Monday James, Tim and I went to El Cora a small town about an hour and a half from here. There is a gospel outreach there and they have gospel meetings Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. James and Tim both spoke. They meet in a little house made of mud bricks. There were about 20 people out. The way of life is very simple and laid back in El Cora. The drive there is very beautiful if you can stomach the road which has many hair pin curves. There are rolling hills covered with Mango orchards, that words cannot describe. I would have taken pictures but I left my camera at the house. These two pictures I did get I took with my cell phone sorry about the poor quality.

The mud brick building.

Tim preaching, this was just the third time he has preached since being in Mexico, because he is still working on getting a good grasp of the language.

Wednesday afternoon we all went up to Tepic. We went to Burger King for lunch and then went to a large park. It was very nice with lots of things for the kids to do, like slides, swings and a fair few different real animals to look at.

Andrew & Simon

This monkey was really enjoying himself by just swing by one arm and his tail and then he would keep himself swing by pushing with his feet on the ground every once and a while.

Andrew flying a helicopter

Kyla & Tim enjoying a stroll in the park.

I can still hardly believe she is walking.

Shaelyn wanted to ride on every animal in the park.

Simon, Levi and Andrew with Bigfoot

Kyla, Shaelyn and Mika riding on Aslan

I have just agree to watch the boys while James, Nelly and Natalia go to Tepic to get some supplies for the burger stand for the next week while we are gone to Veracruz. I hope I haven't got myself in to deep here. I am sure all of us boys will have a great time while they are gone and hopefully the house isn't in too big of a mess when they get back.

We are getting packed up, because Lord willing we will be leaving early Saturday morning on a 16 hour trip to Veracruz. We will do it in two days. We will be joining a group of about 180 people there from Mexico, U.S. and Canada. We will be delivering Seed Sowers.

This is what the Seed Sower looks like. It has John 3:16 on it.

I think there are about 150,000 to be delivered so we will have a busy four or five days to get that done. Albert Nelly's brother is going to fly into Veracruz on Wednesday the 24th and help with the delivery for the last two days and then come back here to Santiago with us and stay here till Jan 8 when we will both fly back home.

The boys have just informed me that they are playing Mom and Dad. Simon is the mom, Andrew is the dad and Levi is the brother. Oh they have just informed me that I need to get off the computer and be the dad and Andrew and Levi will be the boys. I guess I had better go then and take care of my "family."

We Have Visitors

I don't think I mentioned it but there is one more kid around here. Another one of the goats gave birth to a little kid. This one wasn't able to drink from it's mother and was getting very weak so Nelly brought it home and has been bottle feeding it four times a day. It is doing much better now and has gained a lot of strength.


Here are a couple pictures of the last burger stand that we just finished working on.



Both burger stands are now in operation. Tuesday evening was the first time they were both up and running.

This is the first stand that we were working on when I got here, now in it's new location and all decked out for Christmas.

Wednesday evening Tim, Steph, Eleo and the girls arrived here at about 8pm. Jason and Shelly and there girls came down from Tepic to take Eleo back with them. We all had a wonderful meal of Tacos together when they arrived. It was good to see Tim and Steph and the girls again, even though it has only been about two months.
All the kids

Friday morning we all went to see the goats, while James milked one of them.

This is the kid that was born two and a half weeks ago. He is doing very well.

The kids in with the goats and other kids.

Simon, Shaelyn, Andrew, Levi and Mika

Friday evening we had an English sing here with all the missionaries. I think I heard that it was maybe the first one they have had. We all enjoyed it and it will be something that will probably be done more often now.

Saturday we went to Lago Santa Maria Oro.
The view from the restaurant.

All of us enjoying our seafood.

The kiddos

We went for a ride around the lake in a boat.

The lake is surrounded my mountains

Since we are finally finished the burger stands we have now moved to a wood project. We have started making the vanity for James and Nelly's bathroom. There is just a little wooden table with a hole cut in the center that holds there sink right now so we hope to get a proper counter in there for them.

Tim, Steph and the girls will be here till Tuesday and then they are heading up to Tepic to spend a couple days with the Cains before they head home. On Saturday Lord willing we will start our long drive over to Veracruz, hoping to arrive some time Monday.