I share with you an email I just received from Steve -
Hey Babe,
Finally I have the opportunity to get on here and contact you. We have been running (and eating) HA! non-stop. I'm so sorry I didn't get to call you yesterday. I was going by the clock on the wall at Pastor Bernardo's and then I realized that it was about an hour and a half off. I was so disappointed!
We had a good trip down here to San Gabriel from Oaxaca City. The roads were a mess as usual but they are actually working on them now. However, that just made things worse because of detours, traffic and the long waits in places where there was only one lane moving at a time. About an hour after we arrived we ate beans, soup and tortillas at Elias' sister's house then left for a service at Santa Maria. We had a great service and the people were thrilled to meet Brennan and Ivon. They both gave their testimony and then I preached. Afterward we passed out candy and then we had a full meal...Beans, tortillas, quesadillas with cactus and cheese, tostadas, coffee and sweet bread. Then we left and headed back to Mangales for another service. The people at Santa Maria sent a big bag of black beans, coffee and tostadas with me.
When we got to Mangales, they were already singing. They had set up a tent and there were about 75 people in attendance. We continued singing for about 45 minutes and then Brennan and Ivon had their part and I preached again. After service we had atole and sweet bread and I passed out tons of candy and took tons of pictures. As we were leaving, a family who lived near the church asked us to come to their house for a few minutes. There they had fixed tamales de calabasa (pumpkin tamales) for us to eat. They also sent a whole bag of tamales home with us. We finally got home at about 11:00. We were all dead tired so we took cold showers and crashed. We ate three complete meals in a total of about four and a half hours.
We started off this morning with bean and cheese tostadas with avocado and coffee. We also had fried cactus and sweet bread. If I get this update done in time we might go to Puerto Escondido. Then at 3 we have a service at "201." From there we come back to the central church for a service and formal introduction of Brennan and Ivon, then it's on to Las Palmas for a night service. We will have full meals at at least two of these places and probably just sweetbread and coffee at the other. Tomorrow we will go to Bugambilias for most of the day and then get ready to head back to Oaxaca City early on Friday.
The schedule has been crazy busy but we are having a good time and the people here are thrilled to have us and to meet Brennan and Ivon. They love the fact that she is "one of us" and actually "from Oaxaca!" We're tired and there is a lot more to go. But, we are excited and looking forward to it all. God has really been helping us and I know it's because so many of our people are praying for us. I can feel their prayers and the special help of the Lord.
Of course, I miss you like crazy but truthfully, I'm too busy to dwell on it. Brennan and Ivon are out exploring the town while I'm at an internet cafe writing this update. They are really enjoying themselves.
If we are going to Puerto, Then I must hasten to a close for time is not our friend. :) I love you and miss you and am certainly depending on your prayers. (Same to you too Maria and Kent. I love you too!!) I'll write again when I have time and if not I'll call you when I'm back to cell service on Friday.
Love you!
Steve
