Tuesday night, January 11...got up early this morning and met with Pastor Luis and Eliana at a private (Christian) school where Eliana works. About 200 kids attend, down from the 400 they had last year--the economy in Mexico isn't as hot as the weather apparently. The school property is where they have their Sunday morning service, too, so we took a trunkload of pictures and video. Sheila had a chance to talk to a fifth grade class about Jesus because a little 11-year-old girl/student died yesterday of a brain tumor. The kids were all sad today and the director asked if we would please talk to this class. Scary stuff when it's thrown at you and have about three minutes to think of what to say. Ministry is ministry, though, no matter where you are or even how (un)prepared you are!
I've had the privilege of being in several foreign countries and traveled via the bus, taxi, or missionary vans as a passenger, but today I have the newfound freedom of being the driver in a foreign country! I was scared to death, but exhilerated at the same time! The near misses had Sheila cringing in the passenger seat like a frightened four-year-old, probably wishing she was in a child's carseat!
By the time we picked up Ray & Sherrill at the airport in the afternoon, I was a pro, and Ray greatly admired my driving skills. We had a wonderful dinner, then the girls soundly defeated the boys in a friendly game of cards. (We will get revenge.)
I am thankful for so many things...tonight, I'll say I'm thankful for speed bumps that aren't the size of bowling balls, traffic laws that are actually obeyed, and lines in the road you can actually see--all in the USA.