January 11-31, 2006

January 11, 2006 -  Well I'm finally here!!!  I never thought that it would get here. After almost a year of planning, I finally arrived in Toluca at around 11:15 A.M.  I left Nashville at around 6:10 A.M. this morning.  After arriving in Toluca I went to the Church just to tell them that I had made it ok.  Then I made my way to the house and tried to get settled in. My host family is great and Kike has been a great help in helping me get everything taken care of.  He is the son of my host family. I am just going to have to take it day by day here. Its going to be an up hill battle the next couple of months but it will all work out for the best.

January 12, 2006 - Today I am still trying to get settled in.  I had a good nights rest from all the traveling I did yesterday.  Kike took me to like 5 different school's today. I am trying to find a Spanish school so I can start a Spanish class ASAP.  At most of the schools the cost was going to be to much but at one school they said they would teach me for free if I would teach a English class for fee. I told them I would think about it.  I don't think they know my English is not to good. (LOL)

January 13, 2006 - Today I made my way to the church building and met with Raul and Kim Solis. They are kind of like my contact person at the church.  Both know English really well.  Well Kim is from the USA so I guess she would know it well. Raul gave me a tour of the church building and let me meet all the people that work there.  He also took me to the home of a lady from the church that teaches English.  She said she would give me Spanish class's for like $2 an hour.  Her house is also like 3 blocks from the church building so that would help on travel cost.  This might be the best deal yet. I told her I would get back with her on Sunday.  I also helped set up all the chair's for Sunday worship.  This will be something I will help with every Friday.  The youth get together ever Friday night for a devotional. We talked about different things we can do in 2006 to make the youth group stronger. There were not that many present because many are still on Christmas break.  After the devotional we went out to eat at a local restaurant.

January 14, 2006 - Today was a slow day for me.  I helped Kike with his bike (I watched him) and worked on the Church at Carthage web-site.  Kike, some friends from church, and I went to the mall and to the movies.  Tomorrow is a big day and I can not wait for it to get here.

January 15, 2006 - Today was the first Sunday worship service since I arrived in Toluca.  The experience was great.  I went to the youth bible class.  They were studying about the birth of sin and that when sin is born it brings forth death.  The class was about an hour long.  The teacher used PowerPoint so I was able to follow along in my Bible and read along in Spanish.  The worship service was great.  it lasted from about 11:15 till 1:00.  You would never see that in the USA.   I had trouble following the preacher but he seemed to keep every one awake.  After Church we went to the mall with my host family and another family form church.  We ate at this place in the mall which had American food.  It was great!!!  The thing about family's in Mexico is that they are really close.  We stayed at the restaurant for about 3 hours just talking.  Well they were making fun of me a lot also.  We got home around 5:30 P.M.   It was a great day!!!

January 16, 2006 -  Today I went with Kike to his school with his dad.  Kike was suppose to help me with learning to ride the bus but he had to stay at school till 3:00.  After he got home and we ate he took me and showed me how to use the bus system.  I am going to try to get to the church building on my own tomorrow.  I hope it all goes well for me.

January 17, 2006 - Today was a busy day here in Toluca. My host family would not let me ride the bus alone today. Maybe tomorrow thou.  Kike and I went by bus to the church building and we stayed there for a few hours.  I met again with Raul and Liberato. We talked about my VISA and Spanish class. I have decide to take the Spanish class that the lady at the church offered me.  She needs the money and also she is a new Christian so maybe I can help her out on some things. She is taking care of her mother who is not in good health.  I hope to help her out by letting me take a Spanish class and if she needs help with any thing else I will help her.  I hope to start Thursday, If I ever get to ride the bus myself.  I am going to Mexico City tomorrow with Liberato to start the paper work on my VISA.  Mexico City is one of the largest city's in the world with about 33 million people.  After we got home I worked on the Mission news letter that I will be sending out in a few weeks. I also got a map of Toluca today and worked on marking all the locations that I need to know how to get to. 

January 18, 2006 - Today was another busy day.  I finally got to ride the bus alone for the first time.  This morning didn't go to well.  I was suppose to be at the church building at 8:30 A.M.  The last 2 days it has taken around 25 min to get to the church building from my house.  So I left at like 7:45.  It took almost an hour to get there.  Traffic was so bad this morning.  I was 10 min late and had to run like 5 blocks just to make it there then.  But at least I got there anyway.  Liberato and I went to Mexico City to work on some paper work for VISA's.  It took over an hour to get there by bus.  Then we had to take a taxi to the building and then another taxi to another building then we had to walk to another building then we had to walk to the same building we had been an hour before.  As you can see there is a lot that has to be done.  After eating lunch around 2:00 we started our way back home.  I rode the bus alone again from the church building to my house.  It took about 20 min this time (LOL).  Oh well, next time I will know to leave early in the morning to get to church on time.  I also sent out some emails today to all my friends around the world. 

January 19, 2006 - Oh what a day!!!  I got to church around 10:00 this morning.  One of the family's from the church have been missing a family member. They don't know what has happened to her. So everyone at the building came together and had a prayer. I worked on a lesson about friendship that I hope to use sometime in the near future. I went with some of the men from the church to a members house who has been sick.  We visited with her for about an hour.  I went to Raul and Kim's house for lunch today at around 3PM.  3 PM is the time that most family's around here eat lunch. After lunch, I went with Raul and his boys to soccer practice.  Raul and I talked about a lot of different stuff going on in the world and the church.  I enjoy his company.  After soccer practice we went back to the church for a class that they have on Thursday night.  Raul translated most of it so I would understand the lesson.  I got back home at around 9 P.M.  I hope to start my Spanish class on Monday.  I have put it off because I am still trying to get settled in.

January 20, 2006 - Today was both a good and bad day. If that is possible.  The lady that was missing was found safely. So that turned out good.  I went to the church building at around 10:00 and worked on my Spanish for most of the day.  I went and talked to the lady about my Spanish class.  I start Monday from 5-7 P.M. It will be Monday - Friday.  It's going to cost about $2 1/2 per hour.  I also help set the church building up for Sunday worship.  This involves putting up around 300 chairs. The bus trip home was hard.  It took me 3 tries to get the right bus (LOL). I knew which one I was suppose to get its just that by the time I see it and read all the names on it, its already gone.  So I have to wait for the next one (LOL). Oh well it will get better over time.  Tonight was the youth devotional but I was unable to go.  I had made plans to ether ride the bus or with some friends to church.  My friends did not come home before the devotional so I was just going to ride the bus. But my host family did not like the idea of me riding the bus alone at night. Kike was at work so he could not drive me. My host family had a situation in there family and could not drive me all the way to the church.  So I was unable to go.  I feel so helpless here, like a baby that has to have everything done for him.  I really felt bad that I was unable to go to the youth devotional.  I'm hoping that this week I will be able to ride the bus alone at night since my Spanish class is not over till 7 I will have to.  My host family had all there family over yesterday.  They all stayed all night.  So it was kind of different around here last night.  We stayed up till after midnight talking.  I was trying to learn Spanish and they were wanting to learn English. So we learned each others language and had a great time doing it. The situation that my host family had has been worked out and hopeful the next few days will turn back to normal.  I have tried to give them there space as they worked thru there hard times.  It was not a problem with the family I am staying with but with another family member. But everything has worked out ok. One thing I have learned today is that the family bond here in Mexico is a strong one. That would probably out do most family's in the States.   WHAT A DAY!!!!

January 21, 2006 - Ok yesterday was busy but today was just wild.  There was like 15 that stayed all night here last night. Talk about fighting over the hot water. Saturday is suppose to be my slow day or at least that is the day I have set aside for it. Not today!! We went to a city close to Toluca this morning and ate tacos.   That was fun.  Then my host family's family took me around the city and showed me all the cool stuff to see.  Then we went to the Centro (downtown) and looked around at all the shops.  We went into a candy store and bought a lot of good candy to eat.  Also, In the Centro there was this van parked along the street and it had some red bows around it.  A priest was reading from the bible to the van (I wonder what verse he was using). He then sprinkled water all over the van. I would like to know what Bible he is reading from. They told me that is was something they do in Mexico when they get a new car or something. How strange. Tonight we had a bible study with my host family and there family. A couple from the church came and helped out with it. We then had a meal at like 9 tonight.  I love the way they have there meals around here.  You never know when to expect one.   I sent out a lot of emails tonight because I had a lot.  Everyone seems to enjoy the online journal.  Well tomorrow is Sunday so I get to go to worship services again.  I can't wait.  That's the highlight of my week.

January 22, 2006 - Today was another busy day.  I went to worship service this morning.  I met a guy from Germany there. (maybe I can learn German also LOL) He is a student at a local school.  Today in class we continued our talk about the plan of salvation and how it is possible to fall back into the world and away from God.  After worship service I went with some other members from church and had lunch.  After lunch, we went back to one of there house and worked on the retreat for the youth that is planned for February 17 - 19.  We are going to talk about friendships and relationships during this retreat. We are going to have a devotional on Friday night and  on Saturday the 18 we are going to have 2 bible classes with girl's and boy's separated. This way we can focus on the things that need to be said. We are having a  bond fire on Saturday night with hot dogs and we are going to make some gram crackers smores that night. (yeah I'm bring the south to Toluca). A lot of the kids here don't know what smores are. (LOL). On Sunday we will have worship services and then some time for fellowship before we make our way back to Toluca. I am going to teach the class this Friday night (that is if I make it there).  I hope to ride the bus this week after dark. That way I can get around a little better.  The Spanish class also starts tomorrow which I am ready for. All the people that have been staying here are still here but I have been gone most of the day so I have not seen them.  I am not for sure when they are leaving.  It rain here a little today.  It has been in the 70's the last couple of days which has been nice.  I think it is suppose to get cold again later this week.  The lights went out tonight.  That was kind of scary.  I was standing out side the house at the gate and you could not see any thing. Then I hear someone say Jody but it was in Spanish which sounds like JJJJOOOODDDYYY. Real long like that.  I knew that my host family was inside so I was like oh no. Then he started to talk to me in English.   I know some of the people around the house here and one of them knows English real well.  He was the one talking to me but I could not see him.  I scared me for a few min.  He was trying to help me find a Spanish school here. When the lights go out here it gets kind of wild.  We went driving around and traffic was really bad.  I also got to talk to my mom tonight.  The phone card I bought has not let me call home so my mom called me tonight.  It was nice to talk to her. 

January 23, 2006 - Today my host family - family left at around 8 to go back to there home. It will take them about 12 hours. I got up to see them off but did not feel well so I went back to bed. I think all the running around, staying up late, and Mexican food got to me. I got back up around 10 and felt a lot better. I went to the church and worked till about 2:30 on the lesson for Friday night and the lessons for the retreat.  I walked to the Centro (downtown) and got something to eat at Burger King.  I was ready for a nice hamburger. It was very good.  I stayed in the Centro for about 2 hours because my Spanish class did not start till 5. My class went really well. It lasted till about 7.  I got to ride the bus tonight after dark which was really fun.  I can hardly see which bus to get on in the morning much less in the dark.  But I found the right bus and got on with out no problem.  I think I am going to take tomorrow off.  I did not get to do my laundry and clean my room Saturday and it really needs it. Tomorrow afternoon  I am going to the house of a young man that I met the first week I was here.  He was not at church this past Sunday so I am just going to see how he is. He is not a member of the church.

January 24, 2006 - Today was kind of busy for me.  I did all my laundry and cleaned my room.  The room looks a lot better now. I can finally find stuff I need.  My room is about 8 x 6 and the bed takes up most of that.  I call it the "CELL" because it has bars on the window and door. All windows and doors in Mexico have bars on them thou.  The bathroom is about 3 x 5.  I enjoy the room thou.  It is in the back of the house and not close to the street and the back of the room touch's a park so its really quit at night, not like the rest of the city.  This afternoon I worked on my Spanish most of the afternoon.  I am trying to learn how to speak it and read it at the same time.  I might need to just focus on speaking for now and not reading it.  I feel so out of place not being able to talk to people.  Just inviting someone to church is a hard task.  Tonight I went over Josue's house.  This is the young boy that was at church a couple weeks ago but not this past week.  His mom speaks a little English so I was able to talk a little to them.  She said that she had to work last Sunday and that's why they were not there.  She said she would try and take her son and daughter to the youth devotional this Friday night. The daughter is 12 years old. Again I feel so helpless because I cant drive so I cant pick them up or take them home.  But maybe they will come this week.  Josue is 15 so he is right at the age that he is making a lot of decisions about who his friends are and how he lives his life.  His parents are not Christians so maybe he will come this Friday night and Sunday.  I know it will make me feel a lot better if he dose. I have felt down the past couple of days.  I don't know if its because of the weekend I had or what.  I think its just because I can't do any thing on my own here.  But that is making me try even harder to learn to get around and speak the language here. The "Carthage Church of Christ Clothes Factory"  is going strong. LOL.  I heard today that 2 sewing machines broke down so they just went and bought a new one.  I know that every kid that gets a bear or some clothes because of this work will be grateful.  I cant wait to see what the bear's look like.  They are putting on each bear "JESUS LOVES ME" in Spanish. I wished I had one. LOL. Maybe someone will mail me one so I can see it. (HINT HINT). LOL.  See I already feel better just talking about them.  Thanks lady's from Carthage for taking this work on for the kids of Mexico.

January 25, 2006 - This morning I went with Kike around town.  He is trying to get his bike fixed.  He drove the old truck that my host family has.  I didn't think we was going to make it back home.  Well we got about 50 yards from the house and it stopped. LOL. I am so glade it don't stop on the main road.  The rest of the day I spent studying for my class on Friday day night with the youth.  I also went to my class at around 5.  She gave me a lot of homework to do. So I need to start on it. Today was really cold here.  The coldest so far.  Well I guess that's all I got.  Maybe more will happen tomorrow.

January 26, 2006 - Today was a busy day.  I went to church this morning and worked on my Spanish. At 2:00 I rode the bus back home and had lunch at 3:00. At 4:00 I road the bus back into Toluca for my Spanish class that start's at 5:00.  It takes almost an hour to get from the house to where I need to go.  Its about 10 miles. Some of that is waiting for the bus and walking.  The actually bus ride is about 30 min long.  Depends on the traffic thou.  I also help my Spanish teacher out a little.  She need some laundry picked up and some light bulbs changed. She is a member of the church and is giving me a good deal on the Spanish class.  I told her I would help her anyway I could.  Let me tell you a story right quick.  Sometimes the bus's here don't stop long enough for you to get off so you just have to jump while the bus is moving.  Yeah it sounds dangerous and is dangerous.  Tonight, right before I was to get off,  this girl (about 16 or so) was ready to get off.  The bus slowed down and the door opened and she kind of jumped out but the problem was there was this boy on a bicycle coming right beside the bus.  Well you know what happed next.  The boy was thinking that since the bus was still moving that no one was getting off. Well the girl and boy made contact.  And it happened right under my window.  I don't know if any one was hurt because the bus didn't stop.  I know a lot of you think that riding the bus is not a big thing.  Well come down here and I will show you.  They are not the big yellow school bus's that stop traffic both ways to let you cross.  They are small bus's that have enough seat's for about 30 people but they pack up to 60 on them.  Trust me.  I counted the seats and the people last night. There were people hanging out the doors.  I am lucky because I am one of the first person to get on the bus. So I get a good seat.  I don't see how no one gets killed.  I'm sure they do. I just haven't seen it yet, and pray I don't ever. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.  I'm going to work at the church tomorrow. Its Friday so I will have to set all the chairs up for Sunday.  I have Spanish class from 4-6 and then the youth devotional starts at 8pm.  So its going to be a good day.  I can feel it. I can't wait. 

January 27, 2006 -One word baptism! Ok two word's two baptism's!

Oh what a day!!!  I am righting this at 12:30 A.M.  I have only been home a few minutes.  As you can see the day was great.  I worked at the church most of the day.  I had Spanish class from 4 till 6. Then I went back to church to prepare some more for my lesson to the youth at church.  I just knew that today was going to be good.  During the class we talked about friendship.  Bad friendships and good friendships.  I used the story of David and Jonathan for most of the lesson.  How Jonathan was such a good friend to David. How David took care of Jonathan's family after he died.  How Jonathan helped David when Saul tried to kill him.  I talked about how good a friend Jesus is to us. How he gave up heaven to come here so that we might be rich and have eternal life.  At the end of the lesson I used David and Jonathan and the verbal contract they had between each other. How that no matter what they would be there for each other.  Jesus also requires us to make a commitment to him and his friendship.  Thru the plan of salvation.  The two boys that were baptized have been studying with the men at the church for several weeks.  Raul told me this morning that one was ready to make the commitment to become a Christian. The other one was a surprise to me. I am so thankful that they are now my brothers in Christ.   The youth group here is great.  They have welcomed me with open arms.  They are great to be around. To study with.  They like to ask questions and to talk about the bible study.  As the weeks go by I know that our friendship is going to grow even more.  I thank God for this great day and all the blessing of it. Also for everything he has blessed me with in my life.

January 28, 2006 - Today was my day off.  I was ready for a day of just being alone.  I tried to speak as little Spanish as I could get away with. And the English I am righting now is the only English I have spoke or wrote all day.   I know that tomorrow is going to be a busy day but I enjoy Sunday's more then anything. I wished every day was Sunday.  Even when I was back home I loved Sunday's. I loved going to Carthage to church.  Getting to see everyone and to worship my father in Heaven. I do miss the church there a lot.   I worked on the Carthage web-page some today. Tonight I watched The Passion of the Christ on my lap-top. I hope that tomorrow will begin a week of many opportunities to meet new people and full of new adventurers.

January 29, 2006 - What a great day.  Another young man from the youth group was baptized after worship service this morning. That makes three young soul's that obeyed the Gospel this weekend. Today was a very good day.  This morning was worship service. After that we went to eat.  We went to the mall where Kike works and made him wait on his.  It was fun.  He was a good waiter.  I did make him do a lot of stuff thou. Hey someone has to break him in. When we got home I went to the park with my host family and walked around for about an hour.  I went over a friends house later tonight. Some of the youth group were there so we just hung and had fun till about 9 P.M.   Liked I said Friday,  They youth group here is great.  They are ready to learn and the are very nice to me.  Today one of the girls gave me a letter explaining that she could not speak very good English but could right it ok.  She wanted to know if it was alright if we just talked thru letters until I learn Spanish.  I think that is awesome.  She knew she could not talk to me but she did not give up there.  She found another way to talk to me.  Well God has already made this week great. It's going to be a busy one thou.  This Friday night I'm teaching the youth group again (I think anyway LOL).  I'm suppose to have it every other Friday night but I think they want me to speak again this Friday night.  I will have a lesson just in case.  Saturday night we have a group coming from the USA for  two days and the youth group is going to get together again then to fellowship with them and we are going to have a devotional then also. I'm helping organize that also.  So with all that and the Spanish class its going to be a very busy week.   

January 30, 2006 - I had a bad night last night. I had a head ach most of the afternoon but I didn't take anything for it.  By about 10 it had turned into a Migraine and all the stuff that goes with it. I took some Ibuprofen but that didn't help much. I was sick at my stomach also. That usually happens when I have a Migraine. This was the first time in a few years I had had one this bad. Finally at around 2 this morning I went to sleep. I felt a lot better this morning but was kind of tired. Someone told me that it might happen more as my brain try's to learn and store all the information that I am putting in it. I hope that's not the case.   I worked at the church today on this Friday night lesson.  I also had a Spanish class tonight.  I am working on all the activities for this weekend.  With the youth devotional Friday night and the people coming down from USA Saturday its going to be a busy weekend.  I need two lessons ready for the weekend.  Also I am trying to have a super bowl party for some of the guy and/or girls from the youth group.  I just got to find some one to host it. Oh,  I did miss my bus twice today, LOL.  I have to almost get out in the middle of the street and dance before they see me. I finally got the third one to stop and pick me up.  Well that's about all that happened today.

January 31, 2006 - I worked at the church till 2pm today. I worked on my lesson  and did some other stuff around the church building.  Tonight Kike was off from work so we went to the movies. We watched Black September.  It was an ok movie.  It was different thou.  I was glade it was over.  On the way home Kike and I talked about September 11 and everything that happened.  He told me what Mexicans thought about it and were he was when it happened.  I told him the same thing about me. It brought back a lot of memories that I will never forget.  I also went to Wal-mart and got some stuff for this weekend for the youth group.  I also got my first package from the USA today from my older sister.   It was a picture frame with photos of my family and friends.  I was glade to get it.  My host family and I looked at it for a long time.  I had to explain what all the photos were and who was in them. Well today is the last day of January.  Its been a great month.  Some things will change on this page in the next few days.  I will take the January journal and file it under January.  You will still be able to get to it but you will have to do an extra step and click on January when this page comes up.  February journal will be posted on here in January's place.  I will probably do this Friday.