September 2006

September 1, 2006 - Today I worked at the church most of the day.  We rearranged our office so we could get more people in there.  This afternoon it came a huge flood.   The road turned into rivers.   I have never seen that much rain before.   The class tonight went really well.   I also got to give the announcements tonight in Spanish.  That went really well,  jaja.   I know enough Spanish that I can actually use it in class now.   Something else also happened tonight that everyone needs to follow really close.   Mexico had there elections back in July and it was a really close election for President.    President Fox has to leave December 1 because his term is up.   The man that won the election then takes over.   The man that lost is now trying to form a new government.   Tonight President Fox was suppose to give his last State of the Union addresses but the supports for the other guy that lost took over the stage and  forced President Fox out of the building.     WE all need to pray about this and hope that everything works out ok.    Remember I am only about 45 min. from the Capitol of Mexico.   My work here could come to a sudden stop if things start to get really bad.  We all just need to pray really hard about all of this.

September 2, 2006 - Today we had sports day at the church.  All the kids and adults come to play basketball and volleyball.  We also had a huge cookout for everyone.   After that I worked at the church for the rest of the day. Tonight I got to hear the UT game.  That made my day. "GO VOLS"  I didn't get to watch it though.   I am going to miss not watching them play any this season.

September 3, 2006 - Today was Sunday and Church went really well today.     I had 2 huge surprises though.        The first one was that Carlos's dad asked if Carlos could come live with me in Toluca.  Yeap, that is what he asked.     Right now there is no way this can happen.  Carlos needs a stable environment to live in.    Well my live is not that stable.     I live with 2 other guys and I am responsible for over 20 other Teenagers in the Church.       I don't have an ordinary live.         I told him we would all have to just sit down and talk about it sometime.   Even though I know it can't happen.   I wished I could give him that environment that he needs but I just can't.   The other surprise was this.   This afternoon I was working at the church building when one of my roommates came and told me I had to go home because the youth group had taken over my house.   They were yelling my name and said they were not leaving till I came home.    So I went home and well they were having a surprise birthday party for me, jaja.   It was good.    They said this was the third time they had tried to have one but it had always got cancelled because they never new what I was doing.    It was a good time and we had a few hours of fun.

September 4, 2006 - Today I worked at the church all day helping out with some stuff.   I am also getting ready now for a trip I am taking in October to Baja Missions.   I leave October 25 and return back to Toluca on November 1.   I am going to a workshop to see how things are planned for the Baja missions.   Baja missions is a work that some people from Carthage are very much involved with.   It is tied in with the City of Children trip every year.  We hope to some day have a group from Carthage go and do just Baja Missions.  If you would like to be involved with this then please send Javin Cripps an email at javinc@holliman-crippslaw.com .  He is working with the Elders at Carthage on this future work for the Church at Carthage.

September 5, 2006 - Today I worked at the church all mourning.  This afternoon I went with some friends to the mall to look for me some new shoes.  Mine have about had it, jaja.   I didn't find any though.  They stop making them at size 10 in Mexico.  Mexicans have small feet.  Maybe I can find a pair when I go on the Baja Mission trip in October.  But I don' think these will last that long.    Tonight we had the 20 and 30 class in our house.  It went really good and we some how got ever one out of the house by 11pm, jaaj.

September 6, 2006 - Today I worked at the church most of the day.  Roberto Carlos came and did his 2 hours of work.  He is the kid that got in trouble on the retreat.  We worked in some of the classrooms putting up boards and we cleaned a little also.   I hope that him having to do his work sends a strong message through the youth group that they will be good on trips.  

September 7, 2006 -  I did some of my laundry today and worked at the church the rest of the day.   Later tonight I went out to the movies and saw "The lady in the water".  I like this movie a lot but the other people I was with did not like it to much, jaja.  

September 8, 2006 -  Today I worked at the church all morning.  This afternoon I went to get a haircut and also to visit with my host family but they were not at home.  I went back to the church and worked the rest of the day.  Tonight I got to listen to part of the Smith County football game on the internet.  It was nice to hear Javin's and Scotty's voice.   Javin made me want Sonic really bad, jaja.    At half time I went to the youth class.  After the class one of the boys came to my house and stayed all night.  He is the one that had been sleeping at the church building.   I told him he could stay at our house any time he wanted to.  We stayed up till about 1am playing cards.

September 9, 2006 - Today was a very busy day.   We had to be at the church at 9am because we were all going to the volcano today.  A young man from the church decided he wanted to baptized at the volcano.  The volcano has 2 lakes in its crater and a lot of people from the church go there to be baptized.  From Toluca it takes about 1 hour to get into the crater of the volcano.  There was also a little snow at the top today.  When you get to the top you are at the one of the highest places in Mexico.  About 9,000 feet above sea level.  Its hard to breath up there also.  After that trip I went back home and took a nice long nap.  Tonight I got invited to go to a party with one of my friends.  He is the one that works at a radio station.  I almost did not go because I would not know any one there but I decide to go for my friend.  They were celebrating there 2 year anniversary with the radio show.   I am glad I went.  I had a lot of fun and meet some cool people.  I also got invited to do a interview on the radio.  To tell why I am in Toluca and how I got here.  That is going to be cool.  I don't know when I will get to do it though.

                    The Volcano ( I am going into that thing wow)                                   The baptism in the crater

                                              the crater of the volcano ( I am in the crater of a volcano, wow)

                                                                           another view of the crater

September 10, 2006 - Today was Sunday and I went to church.  It was really good today but most of the times it is.   After church the youth group had a meeting about the party Friday night.   Friday is 15 de September which is a big holiday here.  They are having a big party at the church for everyone.   I am not for sure if I am going.  I have already been invited to go to the Centro with some of my friends.  After church I went over to the house of one of the members and had lunch.   That is about all I did today. 

September 11,  2006 -    Man,   A lot can happen in 5 years.  Today I watched some of the stuff that was going on in the USA.   I also watched the President tonight on the internet. Today is one day that I wished we could go back and erase.  I stayed at the church most of the day and worked.  I got invited to go with a friend Wednesday night to his school for a party to celebrate the September 15. 

September 12, 2006 - Today I worked at the church building all day.  I sent out a lot of emails that I have been trying to get to for awhile.   This afternoon I went home and cleaned my room because tonight is the 20 and 30 group class at my house.   I also went with a friend to "the buzz"  it is a Coffee shop.   Its really expense though and this was the first time I had been.   I had fun though.  It was cool place.   I went back home to for the class but I was about 2 hours late.  The sad thing is that more people came in after me.    I guess I am almost Mexican now if I can be 2 hours late to something and it not bother me.    So today was a good day until about 11:30pm when I got a text message on my cell phone.     Carlos said he is coming this weekend.     The problem is I have already made planes for this weekend with my friends.  Its a holiday weekend and I am going to one of my friends house to have kind of a cookout with Mexican food.         I sent Carlos a text message back and told him I was sorry but that I would not be at the Church party Friday night.   I thought he would understand.  I was wrong.   Here is the message he sent back to me.   "WHY? YOU NEED TO BE THERE, YOUR A VERY BAD DUDE".      So at 11:30pm I am trying to fix a very big problem.       What do I do?    I decided that it was probably best that I go to the church party because of Carlos.   My friend will understand that I can't go with him to his family's party.   He knows what my job here at the church is and that that comes first in my life or I hope he understands that.  So I sent Carlos a text message back and told him I would be at the church Friday night for him.      I think he is still mad though.     Well maybe I can fix it tomorrow.      

September 13, 2006 - I worked at the church building all day.    Tonight I went to a school party with one of my friends.  It was a kind of like a fall festival.   Friday is the big holiday here and all the streets are decorated in green, white and red.  The colors of the Mexican flag.  At night it looks like Christmas around here with all decorations.   I got a lot of the Mexican culture tonight.  It was fun.

September 14, 2006 - Today I worked at the church most of the day.  Every one is getting ready for the big holiday tomorrow.   Ever where you look there are Mexican flags all over the place.  I am so excited about tomorrow.  I can't wait to live all the Mexican Culture.  VIVA MEXICO

September 15, 2006 - Well today is the day.  I have heard about this day for a long time.   This morning we went and watched the World Trade Center movie.  It was a really good movie. This afternoon I stayed at the house and cleaned up a little.  I am not for sure if Carlos is coming to stay all night or not.  At around 6pm I went to the church were they were getting everything ready for tonight.  It is all decorated in red, green and white.  The party started at around 7pm but a lot of people didn't get there till about 8pm.  Carlos came with his dad and grandparents.  It was good to see him.   He also seemed glad to see me also.  I tried to let him go off by his self and talk to the other kids from the youth group but he wanted me beside him all the time.  I did get away for a few minutes.  I always try to make sure all the kids in the church don't fill like I am always watching them.  The truth is I do always try and do that.  I just do it in a way they can't tell.   The party went really well and there was a lot of people there.  It is always good to have a time of fellowship with other Christians.  It is custom here in Mexico to go the Centro at around 11pm on September 15 to watch the governor ring the bell and then watch the fireworks.   I was suppose to go to another party tonight but decided to go to the church one instead.  I did promise my friend that I would go with him to the Centro latter that night.   Of course this caused problems for me.     Carlos was mad that I was not going with him and the rest of the kids.   I think the other kids have learned that I also need time for my life and other things I like doing.    I like hanging out with my friends sometime and not with the youth group all the time.  When I am with the youth group I feel like I am working.  I am always watching them and what they do and I will call them out on stuff I see them doing wrong.   Its a balancing act that is hard sometimes to balance.  Carlos knows this because I have told him all this before but he always wants me to go ever where with him.    Sometimes I don't know what to do but in this case it was the best thing for me.   I need my friends also.  The people around my age that I can talk to and not feel like I am working.   So any way,  The youth group went to the Centro and my friend and his girlfriend came to the Church and we went to the Centro also.     So the Centro on September 15,  WOW.     Words cant tell you everything that happened.   It kind of reminded me of Time square on New years eve.     Except with a lot more stuff.   You know the spray foam that you can buy?  Well imagine about a half a million people with those things.  I had two of them though, jaja.     It was so much fun.  The clothes I was wearing are now ruined, jaja.     It was the biggest mess in the world.    But a lot of fun.  Well after all of that I got in the bed at around 2:30am.  

September 16, 2006 - Today I got up early and went to the church building to clean it up and get it ready for tomorrow morning.  It took about 3 hours to get every thing cleaned and ready.   Later today I got to hear the UT game on the Internet.    It was a good game but I didn't like the way it ended.  I also talked to Carlos.  He is over is little mad spell, jaja.   He wants me to come to DF next weekend to see him and hang out with him.   I am going to try and go unless something else comes up at the church. 

September 17, 2006 - Today I went to Church for worship service.  I can really follow the preacher most of the time.  Which is good and you don't get bored really fast.  I can find almost all the books of the bible in Spanish now and follow along in my bible.  After Church I talk to my sister for a little bit on the internet and then I went to the mall with some of the other people from the Church.   

September 18, 2006 - Today I worked at the Church building all day.  I also went to visit the Spanish teacher that I used to have class with.   She was not at home though.  I learned later that she started teaching at a new school close to her house.   That is good that things picked up for her.

September 19, 2006 - Today I spent most of the day at the Church building.  I am trying to catch up on paper work and emails.   It is very hard trying to get things done when you don't even live in the country where everything is at.   I hope to get most things done this week though.    

September 20, 2006 - Today I spent most of the day at the Church building working on some stuff.   I tried to send some fax's to USA but the fax line would not let me fax to USA.  I need to get some papers to a church in Alabama for my trip to Baja in October.   I will have to try and find another fax line some time.

September 21, 2006 -  I worked at the church today for most of the day.  I also found out today that some stuff has been planned for the youth group and I was not involved with it or told about it.  I had to read about it on the internet. Some of the Americans girls here are having a sleep over for the girls in the youth group.  Which is a great idea.  I just wished I would of know so I could of had something for the boys the same night.  There is a huge break down of communication here.  I have tried to fix it but I feel like I am getting pushed out of the way.  I know some people are mad because I didn't like the party atmosphere that the youth group has but I am still apart of the youth group and I need to know what's going on. Tonight I went to the mall with Zack a friend of mine.   We went and got coffee and walked around the mall for awhile.

September 22, 2006 -  Well today did not go to good.  There is a huge break down in communication and I get the feeling it is being done on purpose.   The youth class tonight did not go very well.  The kids played some game about problem solving.  Which is ok but it should of been tied into the Bible and Christ.   Also after the class is when the problems started.   As I was leaving to go home Hatie (one of the parents that does a lot for the youth group) asked if I was going to the meeting tomorrow night about the youth group.   mmmmmm,  I told her I knew nothing about a meeting.   She said it was going to be in my (Jody's) house at 7pm and that we were going to have a cook out.  All of this was news to me.  I knew nothing about any meeting.   She said that the AIMers were organizing it.   So Hatie and I got one of the AIMers to tell us what was going on.   He told us that the meeting was only for the AIMers and some other people in the church concerning the youth.  So yes I was really upset about it all.   A meeting taking place in my house about the youth group which I am suppose to be working with and I was not even invited to it and then told that it was not for me.  I think anyone would be upset.   Then to make things worse he told me if I had any ideas for the youth group to let him know and he would tell the other people.  So now I don't know what to do.    Do I go to the meeting because I do believe Hatie was inviting me to it and it is at my house or do I just leave and try to avoid any problems?

September 23, 2006 - Well today I went to the church building to work but one of my friends (my old Spanish teacher) called and asked me to go with him to a family reunion in another town for the day.  So I said yeah it would be nice to get out of here for the day and I could avoid the whole meeting thing tonight at my house.  So he and his mom came and picked me up at the church building and I went to a town about an hour north of Toluca.  I had a lot of fun and we played a lot of Volleyball and soccer.  The family was really friendly also.  The only thing I don't like about things like this is all the drinking.  I know its Mexican culture and I deal with it but I am just not use to being around it a lot.  When we were leaving to come home his grandmother fell and hurt her arm.  So they took her to the hospital to make sure everything was ok.  It was late when they got done with the hospital so they decided to stay over night with his family.  This means I will not be able to be in Toluca for church tomorrow and I don't know if there is a church of Christ in this town.  It's a small town and I don't think there is one.   

September 24, 2006 - Today I didn't get to go to Church because I am stuck in this town.  My friend's mom does not want to leave until this afternoon.  I don't blame them because there is no use for them going back to Toluca so soon. We got home at around 6pm and I was suppose to be at the American girls house at 7pm for a birthday party.   So I had to hurry it up.  I didn't want to go but I knew if I didn't I would make some people upset.    So I went.   I found out at the party that the meeting yesterday was for everyone except me.     Though when some people got there and found out I was not invited they got upset.   A lot of planes were made for the youth group and I don't know what they were.    I am giving up. I don't know what to do anymore. I tried to guide the youth group away from the party atmosphere and that has seemed to have got me in trouble.  There is just no work for me here with all the other Americans.   So I am going to talk to the men tomorrow and let them know I am leaving at the end of October and going back to the USA.

September 25, 2006 - I went to the Church today and worked on rearranging all my plans and trying to take care of some stuff.  The men that I wanted to talk to were not here today so I will have to talk to them tomorrow. 

September 26, 2006 - Today I went and talked to one of the men that I wanted to and told him my plans.   He was really upset about what had happened over the weekend.   It seems that this has happened before at this Church.   I did tell him that I wanted to protect the youth  group from all of this but I also believe the problem needs to be fixed.  If not fixed at least I need to tell the men what I believe to be a huge problem going on.  

September 27, 2006 - Not much went on today.  I worked at the church building all day.  I did talk to Raul some more and he is really upset with what is going on.   We are going to have a meeting with the men next Tuesday so I can give my opinion of what happened and also I want to leave on a good ground.   I don't believe in running from your problems and I would like them to know why I am leaving.  This has been going on for awhile and I think the longer I stay here the worse it will get.

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