Escoge Sabiamente: Sunday - Celebrating the Lord's Day in So Many Ways

We began our meeting this morning with this verse from Proverbs 25:25:

"Like a cup of cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land."

Here at the City of Children, that cup of water flows both ways. We bring good news from a distant land to refresh those here. And the children and staff here bring us good news from a land distant from others and it refreshes us.

There have been a number of discussion here, led by Skid and Justin, about looking deeper when we look at the conditions in Mexico. It is easy for us to view the poverty relative here (mainly in the surrounding town - the children at the City of Children have many fiscal advantages) to our wealth in the United States. Too often, we look at what we have and say, "I am so blessed," inferring that those in poverty aren't being blessed. But we see in their welcoming attitudes, gracious spirits, hospitable natures, loving hearts and smiling faces, that they are blessed in many, many ways. And, they are a blessing to us. Blessings take many forms. Sometimes what we have is a distraction from what we truly need. This is not to criticize the material things God has given us. We should receive it as a blessing from Him. But our eyes must also be open to the many, many other ways that God blesses his children everywhere.

Our first activity this morning was to form a receiving line to greet all the children as they came to church. We greeted all with a Holy High-Five (Sorry, David Young. I know you're trying to bring back the Holy Kiss.) Then we were thrilled to be welcomed to church and to join in singing with the physical presence of Jesus! How many churches have Jesus as their song leader? Jesus Lozano is a wonderful brother and worker here at the City and brother to our translator and friend Mario.

The overall theme for the summer and all the groups coming to the City is 7 Things Every Christian Needs to Know. Our group's teaching theme for the week is making wise choices - Escoge Sabiamente. David Skidmore's lesson this morning was about guiding his three daughters through a maze from a tower overlooking it and how they had to learn to trust his guidance even though it didn't always make sense from their point of view below. He also talked about how we often make small movements that lead us away from God without seeing that we've moved at all.

After church is the meal many of us look forward to each year - the traditional Mexican Sunday lunch prepared by the staff here for all the Mexicanos and Americanos. Refried beans, quesadillas, pico de gallo, tamales and rice. All of it homemade. All of it delicious.

After lunch, Mario treated the group to a tour of the City of Children with special emphasis on the new Creative Arts & Learning Center. Several people in the United States and at North Boulevard have contributed to this effort. You know who you are and thank you! Another $1,450 was contributed from the Sproles and Arnette garage sale done at MTCS. It is a beautiful facility with study rooms, art facilities, computers, library, dance/aerobic/martial art studio, music room with instruments and a small recording booth. What's even more beautiful are the first works produced by the children giving them an avenue to express their joy, ease their sorrows and celebrate their God.

The rest of the day we spent playing with the children. Checking the foundation for the house we will build in Manadero. Practicing puppets and preparing for the night's skit. The skit centers around a chess set, found at a garage sale, that comes to life. A kingdom divided between light and darkness now searches for wisdom in order to restore the kingdom and bring peace and joy to the land. Yes, a sword will play a pivotal roll in the battle as will the Spectacles of Enlightenment, Rag of Clarity and Chalice of Truth. There's also a Shrek-like ogre played by Papa Joe Mayes. Somehow this will all make sense in the end...we welcome your prayers that it will.

The day ended with us gathering for the teens to share their thoughts from the day. And the first days Festival of Sharing Hat (it's a long story. Ask a teen.) was awarded to Addison Durham.

Good night, Americanos.

Getting Ready for Church

Greeting the Children as They Come to Worship

The 2012 NBYG Mexico Mission Team

The 2012 NBYG Seniors in Mexico

Tour of the City of Children

The New Creative Arts & Learning Center

Children's artwork

The Arnettes and Sproles present the American Director of the home, Tom Begin, with a check for the Creative Arts & Learning Center. The money was raised by the garage sale at MTCS that was the brainchild and project lead by the Arnettes and Sproles. Thanks to all who supported this effort!