After spending most of the day at the Rio Bravo Ministeries orphanage in Mexico, and after the past several days of hard work at the orphanage, a comfortable evening at home sounded very appealing. So we had a nice dinner, a quiet drink, and watched dropping of the ball in Times Square at 11:00 Central time.
Then we went to bed before midnight in Texas, but watched local New Years Eve celebrations on TV in bed, and fell asleep listening to local fireworks announcing the New Year.
Happy New Year, 2010!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Mission Mexico
The Crossroads United Methodist Church in Lakeville, Minnesota, conducts an annual mission trip to an orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. The orphanage was founded and is managed by Ray Henson and the organization he founded, Rio Bravo Ministries. My daughter, Becky, and my son-in-law, John, attended the Crossroads Church when they lived in Lakeville several years ago and, since moving back to Kansas, have gone on the "Mission Mexico" trip with the Minnesota church group several times. This year, they went with their seven kids, including Cindy's three boys, who are now a part of John & Becky's family. The church bus from Minnesota stopped in Kansas allowing them to get aboard for the trip to Mexico.
Carole and I are in The Valley in Texas across the border from Reynosa, Mexico, so I drove over to the orphanage every day the mission group was there to help with the work projects . . . and to spend a little time with my kids and grandkids.
I was able to cross into Mexico via the new Anzalduas Bridge, which has only been open for a couple of weeks. Entering Mexico was simple . . drive right through . . . no stopping, no questions, no inspections. Returning to the United States, however, was a different matter . . . waiting in line for 1 to 2 hours, questioning, inspections, searching the Blazer inside and out. I don't know how smugglers or drug runners ever get through into this country.
Entering Mexico . . . then returning to the United States . . .
The orphanage in Mexico is in a walled and gated compound at the Western edge of the City of Reynosa in a very poor run-down area, although I guess that describes most of Reynosa.
The compound has a number of separate dorm buildings for boys and girls, a home for very young boys and girls with house-parents, an apartment building for staff, a "motel" building for visiting work groups, an office and residence building, a school building, a gymnasium with mess hall and soon to be chapel, and a work shop/storage building.
And, of course, lots of outdoor play space including a soccer field inside of a track. Most of the grounds around the buildings are covered with paving bricks.
The grounds are fairly well landscaped and are clean and well maintained . . . especially for Mexico. This undoubtedly reflects the fact the this orphanage was founded and is managed by American missionaries. The students are taught English as well as Spanish in the school, which has some 60-70 resident orphans plus about 150 students from the surrounding area who attend the school.
The mission group from Minnesota organized themselves into three primary teams to work on three major projects.
One of the major projects was re-roofing
the house for the very young boys and girls and the house-parents. That's one of my grandsons, Luke, standing second from left as a member of the roofing crew in the picture at right.
Another of the major projects was hanging drywall in a new room above the mess hall which is to serve as the chapel. That's one of my grandsons, Tyler, on the left in the left picture below. My son-in-law, John, is hanging drywall in the right picture below.
The third major project was to haul in fill dirt, then level and tamp so they can pour the concrete floor in a new building which is to be another boys dormitory. All moving of dirt was by hand using shovels and wheelbarrows. We became very familiar with the shovels, including the ladies and girls. The photo on the left below is me and two of my grandsons, Tyler and Kyle. In the photo on the right below are two of my granddaughters, Jordan and Madison, and my grandson, Sam.
Periodically we had to stop shoveling and raking so the level of the dirt could be checked. Holding the measuring pole for viewing through the transit is Pastor Paul, the Pastor of Crossroads Church and the leader of the "Mission Mexico" group. Pictured in the foreground are three of my grandkids, Jordan, Alex, and Tyler, taking a break from the shoveling.
Every afternoon, some of the ladies and girls of the mission group conducted Bible Study in the mess hall for the younger resident orphans. It was surprising to me how well those 3-6 year old little Spanish speaking Mexican kids related to those English speaking Americans strangers. Their little faces just lit up and they were all smiles. Verbal communications may have been difficult, but they all communicated in other ways quite well.
Much of the activity was helping the little Mexican kids make craft items. In the left photo below, my granddaughter, Jordan, is working with a small Mexican girl. In the right photo, my daughter, Becky, and my granddaughter, Madison, are working with a couple of Mexican girls.
Periodically some of the mission group are split off from the major work teams to participate in landscaping, grounds clean-up, or kitchen duty in the mess hall. My grandson, Alex, was no exception. He's shown here on the cleanup crew sweeping the mess hall after lunch.
On the last day the "Mission Mexico" group was in Mexico, Carole made the trip to the orphanage with me. She had the opportunity to see the work we had been doing and to see and visit with John and Becky and our grandkids.
While she was there we had lunch in the mess hall . . . tostadas and a type of bean soup . . . a real Mexican lunch.
Working at the orphanage in Mexico for four days was a very rewarding experience . . . as well as very interesting and educational. If I have the opportunity, I would quickly volunteer to do it again . . . even though during the past several days, I rediscovered some muscles I hadn't used for awhile. It may take me a few days to fully recover . . . but that kind of exercise must certainly be good for me.
God Bless Ray Henson, Pastor Paul, and all of the "Mission Mexico" group for the good works they are doing.
Carole and I are in The Valley in Texas across the border from Reynosa, Mexico, so I drove over to the orphanage every day the mission group was there to help with the work projects . . . and to spend a little time with my kids and grandkids.
I was able to cross into Mexico via the new Anzalduas Bridge, which has only been open for a couple of weeks. Entering Mexico was simple . . drive right through . . . no stopping, no questions, no inspections. Returning to the United States, however, was a different matter . . . waiting in line for 1 to 2 hours, questioning, inspections, searching the Blazer inside and out. I don't know how smugglers or drug runners ever get through into this country.
Entering Mexico . . . then returning to the United States . . .
The orphanage in Mexico is in a walled and gated compound at the Western edge of the City of Reynosa in a very poor run-down area, although I guess that describes most of Reynosa.
The compound has a number of separate dorm buildings for boys and girls, a home for very young boys and girls with house-parents, an apartment building for staff, a "motel" building for visiting work groups, an office and residence building, a school building, a gymnasium with mess hall and soon to be chapel, and a work shop/storage building.
And, of course, lots of outdoor play space including a soccer field inside of a track. Most of the grounds around the buildings are covered with paving bricks.
The grounds are fairly well landscaped and are clean and well maintained . . . especially for Mexico. This undoubtedly reflects the fact the this orphanage was founded and is managed by American missionaries. The students are taught English as well as Spanish in the school, which has some 60-70 resident orphans plus about 150 students from the surrounding area who attend the school.
The mission group from Minnesota organized themselves into three primary teams to work on three major projects.
One of the major projects was re-roofing
the house for the very young boys and girls and the house-parents. That's one of my grandsons, Luke, standing second from left as a member of the roofing crew in the picture at right.Another of the major projects was hanging drywall in a new room above the mess hall which is to serve as the chapel. That's one of my grandsons, Tyler, on the left in the left picture below. My son-in-law, John, is hanging drywall in the right picture below.
The third major project was to haul in fill dirt, then level and tamp so they can pour the concrete floor in a new building which is to be another boys dormitory. All moving of dirt was by hand using shovels and wheelbarrows. We became very familiar with the shovels, including the ladies and girls. The photo on the left below is me and two of my grandsons, Tyler and Kyle. In the photo on the right below are two of my granddaughters, Jordan and Madison, and my grandson, Sam.
Periodically we had to stop shoveling and raking so the level of the dirt could be checked. Holding the measuring pole for viewing through the transit is Pastor Paul, the Pastor of Crossroads Church and the leader of the "Mission Mexico" group. Pictured in the foreground are three of my grandkids, Jordan, Alex, and Tyler, taking a break from the shoveling.Every afternoon, some of the ladies and girls of the mission group conducted Bible Study in the mess hall for the younger resident orphans. It was surprising to me how well those 3-6 year old little Spanish speaking Mexican kids related to those English speaking Americans strangers. Their little faces just lit up and they were all smiles. Verbal communications may have been difficult, but they all communicated in other ways quite well.
Much of the activity was helping the little Mexican kids make craft items. In the left photo below, my granddaughter, Jordan, is working with a small Mexican girl. In the right photo, my daughter, Becky, and my granddaughter, Madison, are working with a couple of Mexican girls.
Periodically some of the mission group are split off from the major work teams to participate in landscaping, grounds clean-up, or kitchen duty in the mess hall. My grandson, Alex, was no exception. He's shown here on the cleanup crew sweeping the mess hall after lunch.
On the last day the "Mission Mexico" group was in Mexico, Carole made the trip to the orphanage with me. She had the opportunity to see the work we had been doing and to see and visit with John and Becky and our grandkids.While she was there we had lunch in the mess hall . . . tostadas and a type of bean soup . . . a real Mexican lunch.
Working at the orphanage in Mexico for four days was a very rewarding experience . . . as well as very interesting and educational. If I have the opportunity, I would quickly volunteer to do it again . . . even though during the past several days, I rediscovered some muscles I hadn't used for awhile. It may take me a few days to fully recover . . . but that kind of exercise must certainly be good for me.
God Bless Ray Henson, Pastor Paul, and all of the "Mission Mexico" group for the good works they are doing.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas in Texas
We woke up on Christmas morning and looked out the window . . . no snow, no barren trees . . . just sunshine and palm trees! That's "Christmas in Texas".
Santa had somehow managed to find us in Texas, but since we so not have a Christmas tree inside "The Bus", Santa left gifts setting on the dashboard.
We opened gifts while setting at our dining table. Gifts from all of our kids and grandkids. Thank you, all.
In the picture here, Carole is displaying the sapphire necklace Santa left for her.
After opening gifts, Carole stepped out to have her morning coffee on our patio . . . just after talking to some of our kids up North where she learned the temperature is 8 degrees and they are looking at 6 inches of new snow on the ground.
The 60 degrees here doesn't seem that bad after all.
In the afternoon, we went to the Park Clubhouse for Christmas dinner. The Park furnished ham and potatoes. Others brought vegetable dishes, salads, and desserts. Ten people were seated at a table. They had 18 tables, so we shared our Christmas dinner with 180 Winter Texans as pictured in the left photo below.
In the right photo below is our table which we, from Kansas, shared with a couple from Minnesota, a couple from New Jersey, a couple from Iowa, and a couple from Manitoba, Canada. "The Valley" in Texas during the Winter months is certainly a melting pot of people from all over the United States and Canada . . . and that makes for very interesting and fascinating conversations.
Yes, we had plenty of home cooked food. A delicious array of dishes from a number of cultures . . . cabbage rolls, lefsa (a fried potato bread from Norway), Danish apple cake . . . and a number of dishes which were regarded as their family tradition.
It was an interesting Christmas Dinner, to say the least.
And that was our "Christmas in Texas". Merry Christmas to all!
Santa had somehow managed to find us in Texas, but since we so not have a Christmas tree inside "The Bus", Santa left gifts setting on the dashboard.
We opened gifts while setting at our dining table. Gifts from all of our kids and grandkids. Thank you, all.In the picture here, Carole is displaying the sapphire necklace Santa left for her.
After opening gifts, Carole stepped out to have her morning coffee on our patio . . . just after talking to some of our kids up North where she learned the temperature is 8 degrees and they are looking at 6 inches of new snow on the ground.The 60 degrees here doesn't seem that bad after all.
In the afternoon, we went to the Park Clubhouse for Christmas dinner. The Park furnished ham and potatoes. Others brought vegetable dishes, salads, and desserts. Ten people were seated at a table. They had 18 tables, so we shared our Christmas dinner with 180 Winter Texans as pictured in the left photo below.
In the right photo below is our table which we, from Kansas, shared with a couple from Minnesota, a couple from New Jersey, a couple from Iowa, and a couple from Manitoba, Canada. "The Valley" in Texas during the Winter months is certainly a melting pot of people from all over the United States and Canada . . . and that makes for very interesting and fascinating conversations.
Yes, we had plenty of home cooked food. A delicious array of dishes from a number of cultures . . . cabbage rolls, lefsa (a fried potato bread from Norway), Danish apple cake . . . and a number of dishes which were regarded as their family tradition.
It was an interesting Christmas Dinner, to say the least.
And that was our "Christmas in Texas". Merry Christmas to all!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
The Night Before Christmas
Our Canadian friends from Manitoba, Canada, with whom we toured the International Peace Park last year, are our next door neighbors here in Palm Shadows RV Park. They had a Christmas Eve afternoon party on their patio and invited a number of Winter Texans from the Park to each bring an appetiser dish.
About 40 people attended. The temperature was in the 60's on the patio so everyone wore jackets or sweatshirts . . . but that sure beats 8 degrees and 6 inches of snow back home in Kansas.
There was quite a spread of food. Everything you could think of: meatballs, shrimp, crab, cheeses, dips, spreads and nuts . . . and, of course, lots of breads, crackers and chips.
Everyone was in a festive mood and all had more than enough to eat and plenty to drink. It was a nice holiday get together, but I left early to go to the Christmas Eve Church Service at the Park Clubhouse. Following the Church Service, I returned to "The Bus" where Carole and I spent the rest of Christmas Eve "at home" listening to Christmas carols.
Hope Santa finds us here in Texas.
About 40 people attended. The temperature was in the 60's on the patio so everyone wore jackets or sweatshirts . . . but that sure beats 8 degrees and 6 inches of snow back home in Kansas.
There was quite a spread of food. Everything you could think of: meatballs, shrimp, crab, cheeses, dips, spreads and nuts . . . and, of course, lots of breads, crackers and chips.
Everyone was in a festive mood and all had more than enough to eat and plenty to drink. It was a nice holiday get together, but I left early to go to the Christmas Eve Church Service at the Park Clubhouse. Following the Church Service, I returned to "The Bus" where Carole and I spent the rest of Christmas Eve "at home" listening to Christmas carols.
Hope Santa finds us here in Texas.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Festival of Lights
The town of Hidalgo, Texas, on the Mexican border just South of McAllen, Texas, is one of the oldest towns in The Valley, founded in 1749. The citizens of Hidalgo have, for many years, extensively decorated their town with lights for the Christmas Season. They named it The Festival of Lights with a by line of "You Have to See it to Believe it!" . . . and I think they're right.
The lighted decorations are spread over several city parks and around a number of city buildings. Their setup includes horse-drawn carriage and trolley car tours of all of the displays. We opted for the trolley tour.
The light displays are quite varied . . .
From a pirate ship . . .
To the space shuttle . . .
From Cinderella's Coach . . . to Santa's sleigh and reindeer . . .
And they had an area titled "Christmas Around the World", which included the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and a dragon from China.
They also had a number of wildlife images. Below are butterflies and a peacock . . .
. . . . plus a dinosaur . . . and a bear on ice skates!
In addition to the light images set up by the City of Hidalgo, several large homes across the street from City Hall also had massive displays . . .
But the biggest surprise of all was the home display with a Mooning Santa in the front yard! This Mooning Santa was electrically operated. He kept pulling his pants down, then pulling them up again. What will they think of next?
The City of Hidalgo has been producing The Festival of Lights for many years. It has become a local tradition for people to come from miles around to see the annual show. This City has sure learned how to put on a light show. As they say, "You Have to See it to Believe it!"
The lighted decorations are spread over several city parks and around a number of city buildings. Their setup includes horse-drawn carriage and trolley car tours of all of the displays. We opted for the trolley tour.
The light displays are quite varied . . .
From a pirate ship . . .
To the space shuttle . . .From Cinderella's Coach . . . to Santa's sleigh and reindeer . . .
And they had an area titled "Christmas Around the World", which included the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and a dragon from China.
They also had a number of wildlife images. Below are butterflies and a peacock . . .
. . . . plus a dinosaur . . . and a bear on ice skates!
In addition to the light images set up by the City of Hidalgo, several large homes across the street from City Hall also had massive displays . . .
But the biggest surprise of all was the home display with a Mooning Santa in the front yard! This Mooning Santa was electrically operated. He kept pulling his pants down, then pulling them up again. What will they think of next?
The City of Hidalgo has been producing The Festival of Lights for many years. It has become a local tradition for people to come from miles around to see the annual show. This City has sure learned how to put on a light show. As they say, "You Have to See it to Believe it!"
Monday, December 21, 2009
John Deere Ice Cream
At one of the local Flea Markets in Donna, Texas, we discovered a very unique operation. An antique 1937 John Deere one cylinder gasoline engine had been coupled with a 5 gallon ice cream maker. This old "one lunger" chugged away turning "the crank" of the ice cream barrel churning out "home-made" ice cream.
A couple from Minnesota had rigged this up and had a booth at the flea market selling "Grandpa's Old Fashion Ice Cream". Of course I had some of this "John Deere Ice Cream" and it was wonderful. I will certainly return for more from time to time over the next couple of months.
The couple who operates this setup is here just for the Winter. They will return to Minnesota in the Spring and then take this "John Deere Ice Cream" maker to various festivals up North throughout the Summer months selling "Grandpa's Old Fashion Ice Cream", then return to the Valley in Texas next Winter to set up again at the local flea market. They are only 50 years old . . . to young to retire. He told me they earn enough selling ice cream to pay for their Winter in Texas.
They have a very fascinating operation. That old "one lunger" John Deere sure attracted a lot of attention . . . everyone walking by (including me) had to stop for a closer look!
A couple from Minnesota had rigged this up and had a booth at the flea market selling "Grandpa's Old Fashion Ice Cream". Of course I had some of this "John Deere Ice Cream" and it was wonderful. I will certainly return for more from time to time over the next couple of months.
The couple who operates this setup is here just for the Winter. They will return to Minnesota in the Spring and then take this "John Deere Ice Cream" maker to various festivals up North throughout the Summer months selling "Grandpa's Old Fashion Ice Cream", then return to the Valley in Texas next Winter to set up again at the local flea market. They are only 50 years old . . . to young to retire. He told me they earn enough selling ice cream to pay for their Winter in Texas.
They have a very fascinating operation. That old "one lunger" John Deere sure attracted a lot of attention . . . everyone walking by (including me) had to stop for a closer look!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Birds
We walked out of a restaurant on 10th Street in McAllen, Texas, at dusk and thought we had stepped into Alfred Hitchcock's movie, "The Birds". There were literally thousands and thousands of birds . . . some type of black bird with a wide tail. A large bird about the size of a blue jay. There were large flocks . . . literally clouds of birds . . . all screaming loudly and swarming around the electric lines and poles along the street.
They would all land on the wires, then something would set them off and they would all fly into the air again screaming loudly. After several swings around the shopping area, they would all settle back on the wires and set for a few moments until something set them off again.
We drove North up 10th Street from there and saw more thousands of the same birds on the wires and in the air for a mile or more. And all of them appeared very nervous, setting, then flying, then returning to the wires.
I had never seen birds acting in this way . . . especially in such large numbers . . . except in Alfred Hitchcock's film, "The Birds". It was kind of spooky!
They would all land on the wires, then something would set them off and they would all fly into the air again screaming loudly. After several swings around the shopping area, they would all settle back on the wires and set for a few moments until something set them off again.
We drove North up 10th Street from there and saw more thousands of the same birds on the wires and in the air for a mile or more. And all of them appeared very nervous, setting, then flying, then returning to the wires.
I had never seen birds acting in this way . . . especially in such large numbers . . . except in Alfred Hitchcock's film, "The Birds". It was kind of spooky!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Nutcracker
The traditional Christmas ballet dance program, "The Nutcracker", was being presented in nearby Edinburg, Texas, which is here in the Valley about 10 miles from where we are staying in the Palm Shadows RV Park. We had our choice of an evening performance or an afternoon matinee. We decided to take in the 2:00 PM performance on Saturday afternoon.
The production was put on by the Edinburg Dance Theatre at the University of Texas Pan American Fine Arts Auditorium, pictured below.
Th University of Texas Pan American campus appears to be fairly new. All of the buildings are new and very modern, including the Fine Arts Auditorium.
The production was very well done with really nice costumes. Carole and I both enjoyed the performance very much. I had not seen a production of "The Nutcracker" before, but Carole has seen it presented many times before. I was a little surprised that there were no speaking or singing parts . . . it was totally music and dance. Carole found it hard to believe I was so "theatrically uneducated". Oh well, I'm just a country boy.
Of course, after the show, we just had to go for Chinese.
The production was put on by the Edinburg Dance Theatre at the University of Texas Pan American Fine Arts Auditorium, pictured below.
Th University of Texas Pan American campus appears to be fairly new. All of the buildings are new and very modern, including the Fine Arts Auditorium.
The production was very well done with really nice costumes. Carole and I both enjoyed the performance very much. I had not seen a production of "The Nutcracker" before, but Carole has seen it presented many times before. I was a little surprised that there were no speaking or singing parts . . . it was totally music and dance. Carole found it hard to believe I was so "theatrically uneducated". Oh well, I'm just a country boy.
Of course, after the show, we just had to go for Chinese.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
It's So Nice to be Welcome
When we spent time in Arizona and Florida in the Winter months, we frequently experienced the animosity of local residents who referred to us as "snowbirds" and suggested we go home. They suggested we were the cause of their traffic and crowding problems. They seemed to forget that their local economy was dependent on tourist dollars.
The really nice thing about coming to "The Valley" in South Texas for the Winter is that the local residents and businesses really do welcome visitors from the North who they refer to as "Winter Texans". The "Winter Texans" are considered to be residents for the Winter and are openly welcome in The Valley.
Businesses put up signs welcoming back "Winter Texans" and the attitude of local residents is reflected in these signs . . . "It's So Nice to be Welcome".
I had one of those $5 haircuts and it was really pretty good.
What a difference the attitude of local residents make. Signs welcoming back Winter Texans are seen all over the area and they are reflected in the attitude of clerks in stores and waiters and waitresses in restaurants.
This Winter, we are not "Snowbirds". We are "Winter Texans". "It's So Nice to be Welcome".
The really nice thing about coming to "The Valley" in South Texas for the Winter is that the local residents and businesses really do welcome visitors from the North who they refer to as "Winter Texans". The "Winter Texans" are considered to be residents for the Winter and are openly welcome in The Valley.
Businesses put up signs welcoming back "Winter Texans" and the attitude of local residents is reflected in these signs . . . "It's So Nice to be Welcome".
I had one of those $5 haircuts and it was really pretty good.
What a difference the attitude of local residents make. Signs welcoming back Winter Texans are seen all over the area and they are reflected in the attitude of clerks in stores and waiters and waitresses in restaurants.
This Winter, we are not "Snowbirds". We are "Winter Texans". "It's So Nice to be Welcome".
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