Future Mex worship leaders

Slowly, slowly these gals are learning how to play guitar in San Vicente. During Lori's sewing class, we step outside and make a joyful NOISE to the Lord.
These three girls have been very faithful in learning the worship songs and chords. Yeah, they're a long way from cutting a record, but they're working hard!
Equipping the Saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians Ch 4),
Chris

Feliz Navidad 2011

We had a wonderful time celebrating Jesus birth with our friends in San Vicente. The Wed. before Christmas was a day filled with celebrating the holiday with our church family there. All the chairs were filled as a variety of dramas and music were shared in honor of our Savior. Tears filled my eyes as several young people responded to receive the "True Gift" as heartful worship filled the room. Afterwards, we joined in sharing our meal in a unique potluck type form. There were tamales, mole, posole, tostadas and lots of other yummy foods to enjoy. Best of all, spending time with our San Vicente family!

sewing Christmas gifts 2011

As the "Giving Season" is upon us, I enjoy helping my sewing students to create handmade gifts for their families. This year I focused my energies on the young girls who were anxious to take advantage of their school vacation to make presents. Scarves, aprons, and decorations were whipped up in time to celebrate Christmas. Michelle (pictured with me) is one of our neighbors in San Vicente. As I was walking back from my first day of classes, she questioned about the minimum age of the sewing students, which is 10 years old. She told me that she would be turning "10" in Jan. So, the next morning, I invited her to join me for the day so that she could start her lessons. She was so excited to make a wool scarf for her Mom and a fabric Christmas tree to adore the inside of her home.

fleece outfits

How thrilling to see the ladies who are involved in their own sewing micro enterprises finding orders in their local. As cold weather has set in, Albina and Yolanda have received requests to sew warm fleece outfits. The quality of the work they are doing is impressive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Each time I arrive in San Vicente, these ladies are anxious to learn new techniques or have questions how to proceed.

San Vicente winter: frozen mud, rains

Just a slice of our life... frozen mud until mid-day, it thaws and tries to become a sentient life-form, night falls, it rains more, then it clears up, the sky is wide-open to outer space and it freezes again...
THAT's why we give away HATS out in the work camps... Crisbaj

When it's cold, we give hats away in the camps

SO... down here in San Vicente, there are a couple of working 'farm camps' where field hands and their families live. They are miles from the town, and most live in trailers, small chapparell houses (like ours!) or concrete 'shelf' housing...
Being it's been SOO cold, and predicted to continue, we found a helpful 'person of peace' (thank you, Albina!) to take us around, and we supplied hats to around 100 people at multiple locations in Rancho Mesquitito... built alot of friendship, and prompted a couple of people to come into town for church the next day! It was especially good to get hats on those little heads...
,,,and yes, it was pretty cold the next night
Chris

Before Hats and After Hats... 9 Dec

Chris here
SINCE it was totally freezing here (reported well below 35 degrees F), we went to the San Vicente kindergarten and gave each student... and the staff.. nice warm HATS to wear... check out the before-and-after pics... and the one with Lori and helper Miriam with the Kinder staff... this was at 9am and it was still hovering around freezing here (YES, it gets really cold in Baja Mexico...)
Thanks to all those wonderful peeps who make and send hats thru the year... there's a lot of warmer heads here because of your love!
Chris

it's COLD in San Vicente!

Chris here, in San Vicente... brrrrrrrrr!
It got COLD lastnight, the puddles froze, and so did WE!
Here's a shot of Lori sitting in our 'house' trying to keep warm... that and lot's of warm tea, then off to the sleeping bags!!

Chris

San Vicente Sunsets

7 Dec, Chris here.
We're in the US, getting ready for the next trip to San Vicente. We've had to delay a couple days because we both came back extremely sick the last trip, requiring antibios and more 'throat coat' tea than I could ever dream of.
We're finally mended enough to go back.
I found this sunset pic from the last set of pics shot on the last trip. The San Vicente sunsets can be pretty breath-taking!
We are in the throws of a very, VERY cold winter in this region. Record lows being set in San Diego AND Baja. We hope to get some hats out to needy kids in the next few weeks.

We sure hope our 'readers' are praying for us... protection from another respiratory infection, protection during our travels, ministry opportunities and 'God-moments'...

ready for the next bit, your bro, Chris