Baseball

View of the baseball field during the winter

Every so often, a group of kids, and a group of adults come out to play some baseball out in the field next to the church(the one that is a lake during the rainy season). I have often wanted to go out and play, but just didn't have the courage. Tuesday, in the late afternoon, I decided to check it out. I brought my glove and a foul ball from a Twins game I once caught.

A guy I know, Sergio, was there, and we started warming up. It had been a while since I had thrown a baseball. A long, long, long while...luckily I throw a lot of footballs, otherwise I might not be able to type.

It was so fun. Just me and a bunch of guys from the neighborhood, playing baseball on a dirt field. Horses were running by, and dogs passing through the infield. We took turns being up to bat. I would hit and run the bases (and by hit, I mean pop out to somewhere around the 2nd base. When I was in the field, I didn't impress, but I didn't embarrass myself either.

As I walked home, I passed a guy from the church who saw that I was playing baseball. He asked, "So you were playing with them?" I assumed he was referring to the type of people I was playing ball with.

He didn't say much else, but he didn't have to. I just had to think that I was being judged for fraternizing with the "bad" people of town. I love that. I wish that I was better at interacting with the "bad" people. Maybe this is my chance. I just hope that my body can hold up until the rains come again...

Summer Cooking Classes: Bread!

I am helping out the daycare (Open Arms Childcare Ministries) with their summer school classes by offering cooking classes for the kids. The other classes they offer are English, Bible Study, and Art.  This was the first week and we started with bread. Robin (in the striped shirt), one of the volunteers at the daycare, helps me with translating the classes into Spanish. 

--Antonio, Galilea, and Melissa kneading bread--

I teach two days a week, for about 2 hours to a class of 5 kids (each class is a different set of kids). We had a lot of fun and they seemed to really enjoy the class. I taught them about yeast and how that helps make bread, about measuring ingredients, and why we knead bread.  I think their favorite part was getting to punch down the risen dough.

--Genesis measuring out a cup of whole wheat flour--

--Berenice adding all the ingredients the kids measured out into the mixing bowl--

Then at the end instead of just baking a loaf they thought up what they wanted to make: little bread men, rolls, hearts, etc...  and decorated them with raisins!

 

Yesterday...

A lot of people ask us what a typical day is like. We never know how to answer that. We just take one day at a time.

When I was in youth ministry, I remember the first year or so in each job where I would dream of kids coming to my office and asking for advice and playing games. But no one showed up. So I had to leave the office to find people.

But by the end of my stay at each job, there were always kids in the office. I usually had to ask them to leave if I wanted to get work done, or at least ignore them.

That is the way that it feels here in Mexico.

We started out a little bored. We wouldn't have a lot to do during the day. We did have church and services and parties, but we were just learning.

But that is slowly changing. We are starting to get real busy and be more involved in the lives of families and people in the community. And we love it!

Yesterday was not a typical day. But it is getting more common.

We had heard the night before that Rubi, the mother of three kids and the wife of Fred, had lost her mother. She was sick in bed for a long time and finally was taken to the Lord. So we were invited to the service and burial. We ended up driving Pastor Gustavo, his wife Elizabeth, and their son, Jr. to Ensenada. We were there with maybe 15 other people there for a revewal, a drive to the cemetary, and then the prayer and service which was handled by Gustavo.

It was a very powerful time. (I like to use the word sacred)

We stopped for fish tacos on the way home (because you just gotta) and then quickly changed clothes so Erin and I could go to worship at the Day Care.

We sang four songs for the kids and even though it was hot, the kids were energetic and loud. They especially love the song Esa Montana, because they get to move around a bunch.

We then returned home and sat outside for a little bit on our garden patio, and then went to dinner at DJ and Lynette's house. They run the orphanage and host a dinner for missionaries to get together each Wednesday night. This week was special because one of the kids from the orphanage, Ricardo, who is studying how to be a chef, was asked to cater the night. He made us a shrimp primavera and a shrimp ceviche cocktail served in a tomato. It was very beautiful and very delicious!

We then returned home and played cribbage. Erin won.