Welcome back to the Mexico City BRIEF, the continuing saga of Steve and Kay Carpenter’s life and ministry in Mexico City.

In this blog we will touch on such things as the canals of ancient Mexico City, teaching women to sew scarfs, our ministry in Tultepec, zip lines and repelling in caves and so much more. So, buckle up and let’s get going.

 

PLUMBING THE TANK

In case you were wondering Cornelio and Steve did finish up plumbing in the

water tank (tinaco) on  the  roof… They then spent a couple of  days scrapping the old roof sealant in preparation for painting on a new coat on one half of the roof. They decided to only do the part of the house that is leaking. That is called being conservative with your labor. Especially when it is HOT on the roof!

 

THE ENGLISH CLUB is back! We are working with the community center in the Eagles neighborhood to  provide a class for junior high and high school students. This is a part of  Jorcy Fuente’s efforts as director of the Community Center to build an outreach  ministry to youth in the community. There are plans to provide other types of  ministry to the youth and a desire to see the church youth sharing with youth  from the community in a way that lands them in the different ministries of the  church as well. We are leading an hour and a half class on Tuesday mornings and
afternoons. The AM class has not caught on yet while the PM class is running  around twelve students at this time. Steve has one adult that meets with him  for about 20 minutes after the afternoon class.

 

Hosting special guests and traveling
has been a bit of our calling over the past several weeks. Kay recently took the bus  to Puebla to pick up Darla Chaniott who was visiting the CMFI ministries in Mexico in  order to help her determine what type of ministry she feels most called to. It  was a joy to host Darla and to show her around. She spent most of one day with  Joy Jimenez and her ministry to the youth at the Eagles Church. She and Kay
also took a bus to Pachuca where Kay spoke at a women’s breakfast and Darla was  able to spend some time with Pam Akihiro and Greg and Vicki Syverson and  participate in some church activities there. Darla also accompanied us to  Tultepec where she met Carlos and Yeri who ended up taking us to a cultural  site nearby and to lunch! Kay then took Darla to the airport to meet up with a  work team on their way to Global Scope in Puebla. It was a great few days that  Darla was with us and we are convinced that she will contribute greatly to the  Lord’s work no matter where she ends up ministering, but we hope it will be in  Mexico!

 

OTHER SPECIAL  GUESTS who stayed with us recently were Dr. Michael and Linda Sweeney. Mike is president of Emmanuel  Christian Seminary, located in Johnson City, Tennessee. Linda is Steve’s sister  who along with Mike came to minister in various ways. Mike was asked to speak  at this year’s Mexico Missionary Reunion  which was held in Ixmiquilpan in the state of Hidalgo. The reunion this year
drew upwards of eighty people including adults, youth and children. We were  blessed by friends from the US who came to minister to the children and fellow missionaries who ministered with the youth. Mike’s message was titled, “The Well Formed Spiritual  Leader”. We may be a bit partial but we felt the messages were very well  delivered, very well received and very practical for each of us. A really BIG
THANK YOU to Mike. Linda was also very much appreciated by the women at the  Eagles Church. Linda taught the women to knit beautiful scarfs. She had given one to Kay as a Christmas present and it was the envy of all the women, so they  were most pleased for Linda to teach them how to make them.

 

We also had the privilege of taking Mike and Linda to  Puebla where we scoured the local Talavera markets until we found just the right bowls to travel back to Tennessee with the Sweeney’s. Mike gave the message at the Mosaico church at Todd Hancock’s invitation. Since a number of  the Global Scope team members have studied at ECS in the past it was an opportunity to touch base and to encourage the national university students to consider ECS in their future plans as well.

 

 

THE ANCIENT AZTEC  CANALS in Xochimilco on the south side of Mexico City was one of the special places we took the Sweeney’s to visit. We thought we would encourage the operator of the trajinera (boat) to take us through the lift to the
ecological side of Xochimilco where we could observe many types of water fowl. The problem was, the operator didn’t know that side too well, and well, we sort of got lost in a world of canals. After asking directions from half a dozen people we decided we needed to turn back. Then the wind picked up and the operator was hard pressed just to move the boat forward. I should point out
that the boat operator used a long pole to move the trajinera along the canal. It is hard work when the wind is not blowing and almost impossible when it is. Thankfully we made it as far as the lift, which in the meantime had broken down. Since we could not pass any further we disembarked and took a taxi back to our starting point. It was an adventure and one we will gladly repeat for
friends and visitors.

 

TULTEPEC is something else we enjoy sharing with friends. It is not so much a something as it is a someone. Carlos and Yeri are the couple that we are involved with in a Bible study. They have become good friends so when we have visitors they get to  go with us. Of course, if it is Thursday then they have to endure watching Steve play basketball with the young men from the community. The Sweeney’s were lucky that we stopped by in route to Puebla and they didn’t have to endure anything. We ordered up a couple fruit cocktails, which in our case are chopped up papayas, bananas and apples, and visited with Carlos and Yeri. They really
enjoy talking in English but were quite self-conscious visiting with a seminary President. Mike put them at ease and in the end we had a wonderful visit.

 

 

 

 

 

CAVES, ZIP LINES AND REPELLING? Is this a real topic? Yeah, and a great experience as well! (Sorry, no photos) During the Friday break at the MMR while the others visited a boring water park with all the slides and other things Steve took off with two friends to find the nearby Xoxafi Caves. Not to take anything away from those that enjoyed the water rides, the sun and the fun at the park, but what can be better than crawling on your stomach in the dark with only a light on your head through small spaces, repelling down the side of a cliff deep in a cave and having to push off into the darkness on a zip line that is supposed to take you somewhere? Hmmm, maybe this kind of “fun” isn’t for everyone, but it was a super blast for the three of us. Not only did the big kids get dirty, sweaty and tired, they saw rock formations that must make God proud. This world, even on the inside is marvelous to see.

Real quick then to rap up this blog:

• Be praying for the study we are doing with Carlos and Yeri. For our friendship with them and for Steve as he continues
  working on studies with other team members to be used in future studies.
• For the wonderful reason for hope that we have  in Jesus through his resurrection. And for the many Christians that suffer
  daily because of this same hope.
• For the proper documentation of the Civil Association that we are now responsible for. It is what the community center
  and the Eagles property are registered under. We just completed an important step in the red tape and have a few more steps to go.
• And we praise the Lord for the Resurrection Sunday activities held at the Eagles Church  this past Sunday. Lunch was at 2:00 pm followed by some games and then classes and worship. Steve brought the message.
• Also, yesterday (April 10th) was had lunch with a young lady interested in starting a house church in an area near where Carlos and Yeri live!