Missionaries retreat:
For thanksgiving, we went to Guananjuato for our annual missionaries retreat. It is a highlight in our year to be with fellow workers in Mexico. This year was no disappointment. Jason and Heather Thorton from Oklahoma shared with us in a powerful way and just as refreshing was the fellowship with everyone. Are girls enjoyed playing with other kids non-stop also.
Isabella in her Thanksgiving shirt!
Downtown Guanajuato. It is a beautiful city and we enjoyed seeing it. Great place to take visitors!
We seem to attract children! This is what life would look like with twins...
The whole group of missionaries from Guadalajara, Leon, Mexico City, Tlaplan, Cuernavaca and Playa Azul. I think I got everyone.
Our happy family!
Leader's retreat:
The next weekend, we had a leader's retreat to get a head start on next year. It was a huge blessing to spend a weekend with our leaders encouraging them and being encouraged by them. We stayed close to home and stayed in Patzcuaro. It was cold at night, but the fireplaces were very warming. We were challenged to look at our cell groups and evaluate why it has been so difficult to multiply them...2009 promises to be a good year and we look forward to what God will do. We have a great group of leaders and God has truly blessed us and this church with them.
Sam and Isabella hanging out
The view from where we were at. It was beautiful!
Olivia looking mischievous.
One of our sessions with the leaders
The group at the retreat
Christmas movie:
Jose Luis and Adriana thought that a neat way to reach out to the neighborhood around where there cell group meets would be to show a movie in the park area and invite all the kids to come. So, last night they invited us to join them in doing this. It was an amazing activity. First, because it was all their idea, and they pretty much got it all together. They even had people who don't go to the cell offer to help with food and candy. They showed the movie "The Nativity" which was a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. They served popcorn and hotdogs for the kids and pozole for the adults. There were around 50 people there, which was just amazing! We praise God for their faithfulness and their desire to serve him and reach out to others.
Tomorrow we have our annual "Christmas Convivio." It should be a special time for everyone. We are expecting at least 150 (food always draws a crowd). Please pray with us that people will see Christ tomorrow in what we do, also, please pray for Sofia. She went to bed with fever tonight, and there are so many fun things for her to do this coming week!
Update: Tomorrow has come and gone and I realized that I hadn't posted this! The Christmas convivio was great!!! We had almost 200 people there and we were thrilled. You will have to wait until tomorrow for all the details. It is way past my bedtime, and Isabella isn't promising to sleep tonight.
