Every day is new . . .

Beyond the GPS

2011-11-01T11:48:00.000-06:00

Cocoyol (coco - joel'). It isn't on google maps, but it certainly exists. It took us over 3 hours to get there, which included a few wrong turns. It was raining during about half of our trip and raining when we arrived. Why did we go? To be part of a new work going on in Yucatan to start or "plant" new churches in the Mayan language. We are what you might call the "link" - hooking up those who have a vision to see the message of Jesus brought to people in their own language with a group of believers who have a desire and commitment to start a church, oh, and that speak both Maya and Spanish (that part is important!).

The Maya have been in math & history books, in several tourist guides and even in Hollywood, but I don't think the current culture or people get that much publicity. In Cocoyol, we saw a snapshot of life for this indigenous people group.
It was a bit like entering any other small town at first glance. After we found the correct road, we traveled under a canopy of trees, that would have provided shade had it not been raining, and arrived at the "center of town" where the Catholic church and the local school were situated on two joining sides of a basketball court. The team had arrived before us, visiting the 100 families that make up this Maya community and letting them know about the event. Upon returning, they got to work setting up a portable screen and projector to show the Jesus film, not in Spanish but in Maya. "Wait!" you're saying, "aren't you living in Mexico?" Yes, yes we are. Although Spanish is the national language of Mexico, there are, according to Wikepedia, over 6 million indigenous Maya in 4 countries! And one of those is Mexico.

While the setup was taking place, I watched, snapped some photos, and spoke with the kids who were gathering. Fortunately, I didn't need a personal translator since some of the kids were able to communicate in Spanish. I even got a few questions/words in English since some of the kids' family members most likely have work in tourist areas. One particular boy acted as a sort of spokesman for the group; he even confiscated my camera and snapped a shot of Rebekah and me.

However, the kids spoke to each other in Maya. All. the. time. It was like being in another country for me.

I knew that there were several families, even in the city where we live, who continued to speak Maya inside the home or between family members. There are older ladies in our church who help us with basic phrases to learn something new in their native tongue. But, hearing their everyday conversation being spoken in something other than Spanish was a bit surprising.

This was not the first time that the message of Jesus' love had come to the small town. One boy told me of another group that had come on a few occasions (with a bigger screen!). The difference, we hope, is that the team's goal is to come, to stay, and to speak their language. The Maya language. The team is not from America or Korea, but from a larger town in Mexico, about 30 minutes or so away. And they don't plan on being a passing memory.

I played a small part, not being on the team and not speaking the language. Sure, I spoke Spanish and a few answered me in Spanish. I mainly talked and played with the kids. My kids and I taught them Simon Says and they taught us "veneno" (poison) which, fortunately, was a harmless game where they spun in different directions holding hands ;-) They practiced some English phrases and I practiced some Maya ones. They were amazed at the height of our daughter, who is 12 going on 13. I marveled at their ages being 12 and 17 and still being in the 3rd and 6th grades, respectively, of their elementary school.

It is clear we are very different, but we are loved by the same God. I am glad my God doesn't speak to me in Mandarin or French or Turkish. Can you even imagine? . . .
That is the idea behind this team and others that will follow in their footsteps and in the footsteps of Jesus - speaking the language of the people, sharing His beautiful words of life.

me joseph

2011-05-19T20:04:00.002-05:00

Hey its me Joseph I love playing games and at school I work hard and at the same time I have fun

The Ruins in Yucatan

2011-04-19T18:55:00.000-05:00

Most states have attractions that draw tourists or field trips or become vacation destinations. The state of Yucatan is no exception. In fact, it is a fairly well known tourist attraction because of its rich history and the geography of the region. And when you call a place like this home, you have to make an effort to see it as the cultural jewel that it is and experience it as if for the first time.

This spring we invited our Yucateco friends to Chichén Itzá, one of the modern 7 wonders of the world in our own "backyard." Although they had visited it in the past, they had not in recent years, so for their kids it was like going for the first time. We chose a crazy, chaotic day to go - the Spring Equinox - when the shadows formed by the sun on the main pyramid, Kukulkan, form the body of a serpent.
We waited for what seemed like forever in the line to pay for our ticket to enter into the ruins. Mexicans pay a minimal amount to get in, and foreigners like us pay a slightly steeper fee. Students get in at a reduced price. So as we chatted to pass the time during the heat of the day, the kids occupied themselves with various games.

Once on the grounds, you follow a pathway that winds its way past the many structures built by the Maya people. The main attraction is the pyramid, but there are also a ball court, buildings with columns, and a cenote with an altar built in front of it where it is believed that sacrifices were given to various gods. Because of the attraction it is, many vendors line the walkways with trinkets and souvenirs, t-shirts and hammocks, all to commemorate your special time in the Yucatan.

One vendor sells wooden figures.

On the far left is the serpent's head,
and the light in between the shadows
forms its body.

Here are some fun shots of our time there:

As you can see, we all had a fun time together enjoying this "modern wonder of the world."

First Day of the New Year - 2011

2011-01-01T11:10:00.002-06:00

A new morning. Start of the week. First day of school. January 1st. All opportunities for a change, a fresh start - today is just that. I've heard philosophies on resolutions, goal setting, etc. Some people say not even to make a resolution because you won't complete or follow through with it. I see their point, but only briefly. Determining to improve your health, exercise more, do good deeds, spend more time in prayer, save money, spend less - all are worthwhile aspirations. I must admit that although I have not written anything concrete for this New Year I am starting with this blog entry. Now to work on some more.

A fun irony

2010-12-02T08:29:00.000-06:00

Boat races where there are lakes . . . ice hockey in Canada . . . flying kites in large wide-open spaces . . . rock climbing in the mountains . . . these are all things that are normal, expected even. But what about ice skating on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico? Yes, where the climate is hot or hotter, all year round. And yet, that is exactly what our kids did last week with their missionary friend who was visiting. They also ran into (not literally) a few classmates on the rink.

A few stopped long enough for me to capture a photo:

And one just kept on moving:

This was an excellent break for all of us after our first few busy weeks here. Kids with school stuff. Us with trying to settle on/in a house and all that goes with that. Plus, the meetings and services associated with the national convention for the AG in Mexico took place in our city. Just a few things going on . . .

Learning the City

2010-11-17T18:25:00.001-06:00

Right now the music from the school behind our apartments is blaring through our open windows as they ensayar (practice) for some kind of presentation tomorrow. And although our kids don't attend this school, they are also working on their own presentation for this Friday. We have returned to the city where we spent our first term as missionaries. It is the same city, but it is a very different experience. The first time, Dave arrived in our STL (Speed the Light) vehicle, crossing the border and making the 4-5 day trip with my Dad while the kids and I flew straight in by plane, greeted by our fellow missionaries. This time, the family flew in together, arriving at the airport to be greeted by friends that we had made during those first few years here. Last time, the kids and I stayed with our missionary friends and used their car to make purchases for the home we had already contracted while we waited for Dave to arrive. This time we rented a furnished apartment until we find a house, all the stuff that goes with that, and a car.
However, while we are here without a car, we have relied on the bus system, taxis, and gracious offers to be picked up or dropped off somewhere by those same friends. Oh, and we walk. A lot. Places that take 5 minutes in a car can take 25 minutes or more. That means more time alloted to do basic things. You have to wait for buses and taxis, too. So, here is a snapshot of the family who walked to where we catch the bus, who waited and took the correct bus to get to a church service, but were let out several blocks away because the bus took a right turn a few streets early and didn't have a functioning buzzer to alert the driver that we would like to be let off. So this family then walked several more blocks to arrive at the church where we enjoyed a great service with friends. This is a small look at life in the city. So thankful for friends. But, ready for a car!

Some Costa Rican Memories

2010-09-28T22:19:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we were expecting some pretty stormy weather, so we stayed in most of the time. Friday evening we got together with some other missionaries for a game night - but we were enjoying the conversation so much that we never got to the game part - we just left that for the kids! On Saturday morning for breakfast I made a traditional meal of gallo pinto - Costa Rican rice and beans. The dish is made different ways and in several countries, but here it has a secret ingredient (that isn't so secret) called Salsa Lizano. Its closest substitute would be Worcestershire Sauce or Salsa Inglesa, but any Tico would tell you that it could not, would not taste the same without this key ingredient. I complimented the meal with some real bacon (we had been getting turkey bacon as of late), a slice of tomato, eggs, and some clementines (which were amazingly sweet!). Dave made us some Americanos to complete this Tico breakfast.

We also made plans to visit our friend, Mayra. We first met 5 years ago because she worked for us, coming to our house twice a week to help clean and occasionally make a meal for us. However, Dave put it well when he expressed to her how she became so much more, she was our teacher and our friend. She listened when we were just starting to speak the language, pushed our boys around the house in laundry baskets, and introduced us to the culture here in her country. On Sunday when we visited her at her house, she made us a simple traditional meal of pastel de yucca - a type of casserole dish that was filling and yummy. It was topped off with some baked plantain with a mozzarella-type cheese. It was a suprisingly tasty treat. What a pleasure it was to spend the afternoon with her and her friend visiting from Columbia, soaking in the beauty of different cultures.

Revisiting the Sites

2010-09-23T00:01:00.001-05:00

When the kids are not in class, and we are not in class . . . we like to explore and visit new places. But revisiting old places can be fun as well, especially if it has been 4 or 5 years since being there! Walking down the main corridor of the Museo de Los Niños (literally "kid's museum") that had been converted from an old prison, Jonathan exclaimed, "I remember this place!" - he was 3 when he had last been there. I made sure to take lots of pictures. I imagine I will be able to find some more pictures to compare how some places DO NOT CHANGE much over the years.

Here we are enjoying the many exhibits, too many to include in photos. Some shown are images of a coffee plantation where Dave is standing, the inside of an old train on the right, some "old" clothing styles and instruments, an older plane (inside and out), what the kids would look like as an adult professional, and some art. The kids also felt what it was like to be in an earthquake (it was just a demonstration!), left their shadows on the wall like Peter Pan, got "shocked" by some electricity displays, wrote with Egyptian hieroglyphics, and walked through a tilted house of optical illusions . . . just to name a few.
Oh, did I mention that we did lots of walking to get here and also took the public bus? They do have taxis, but for a family of five, you're supposed to take two! That could get costly to always choose the taxi option.
Stay tuned for our next outing - it may include a volcano!

Fun with the Burnetts

2010-07-03T11:12:00.000-05:00

Rain Out Rainbow

2010-06-28T00:21:00.003-05:00

Stormy night, right before leaving for the baseball game. Bummer. Explanation to the kids about the possibility of the game being rained out. The tickets that we paid for, the dance routine Rebekah had practiced for, trying to 'prepare' for the worst case scenario (not just the kids, but Mom, too). But, we'll go, we'll take rain gear, and, yes, you have to WEAR the ponchos if it is raining when we get there!

When will the game start, Jonathan? Well, I can't say. They need to decide when it would be safe for the players. Thunderstorms can be dangerous and they're taking precautions. Yes, I'm thirsty, too, Joseph. Let's find a water fountain. Sure, Rebekah. We can walk around the stadium and check things out. Ok, go ahead and play on the playground equipment for a few minutes. Oh, come on! You're not supposed to cause your brother to sit in the water on the slide! Let's head back to where the others are.

What? they won't start until 30 minutes AFTER the last lightening strike they see? It's going to be a late night. Oop, there's another one. Wow, that one went all the way across the sky . . . hmm, 8 o'clock, so that means at least an 8:30 PM start . . .

Announcement: fireworks at 8:20, canceled game, stadium will close at 10 PM. Sure, go ahead and get some concessions - you brought your spending money. Look they're starting. MOM - there's a rainbow! And it's a full one! Have you ever seen that? A rainbow during a fireworks display? Amazing. Just gorgeous!

Pictures . . . sunset . . . more pictures . . . what a great night for a baseball game!

Caught'cha . . . reading!

2010-06-18T22:11:00.000-05:00

Summer "Make a Splash" Library Reading Program

2010-06-02T16:20:00.001-05:00

Andy's

School is coming to a close and summer is quickly approaching. Most equate those two events, not even waiting for the official start on the 21st of June. We seem to be overlapping them! Since our home school schedule is flexible, we didn't get started until September of last year, taking one week off during Thanksgiving, several weeks off at Christmastime, one at Easter and another at the end of April. This brings us to June with another week of school to go. But the library doesn't know our schedule and their summer reading incentives began about 1 1/2 weeks ago! So, I guess it is kind of like mixing business with pleasure - the kids get to count their "school reading" for the hours and activities that the library requires in order to get some cool treats this summer - coupons for free stuff, basically.

Here we are at Andy's where the kids enjoyed a small concrete. Dave and I were content to have a few bites of theirs. Well, at least I was . . ..

On the way home we saw the sun setting and parked the car so we could run up the bridge that spans the train tracks and buildings and capture the sunset on camera (right before my battery ran out!!!).

What about your family? Do you have any fun activities, free or otherwise, on your list of "things to do" this summer?

Check out the library if you're looking for some new, low-cost ideas!

Castle ruins in the state of Missouri

2010-05-24T13:47:00.002-05:00

In all the years we've lived here, not once have we traveled about 2 hours north to explore the castle ruins in Ha Ha Tonka State Park. It's fun to say! We only scratched the surface during our mere hour visit, but it was well worth the stop. We had a chance to see the Castle ruins, the dream of a man wanting a little European experience in America, purchasing 5,000 acres of land and building a mansion, his castle, overlooking the beautiful landscape. Sadly, he died before it barely began, and the enormous structure, completed by his sons, was destroyed by fire after only about 20 years standing. Now it's ruins stand vacant on the state park of Ha Ha Tonka overlooking the amazing natural land formations that exist because of the karst topography there. I hope we go back to take a trek over the natural bridge, or on a hike to see the spring that is the 12th largest in Missouri - supplying 48,000,000 gallons of water DAILY! You might want to include it in your Summer plans this year. Maybe we'll see you there!

New Traditions

2010-04-05T00:50:00.001-05:00

What goes well with an Easter egg hunt? Why, scripture, of course!

When I was a kid the Easter bunny hid a basket for me to find, filled with yummy goodness, be it an enormous orange or a chocolate cross. I think my Mom had as much fun watching me hunt as I did searching through the house for my big basket treat. Not suprisingly, my kids enjoy the same kind of stuff. So, this year I looked for the message in the fun and found some great ideas for Resurrection eggs. I may be late in finding this gem, but better late than never. After specializing 12 of the many eggs that were hidden in the backyard, I labeled them carefully to distinguish them from the others. The kids found all the plastic eggs with goodies inside and rushed back into the house to check things out. We sat down together at the kitchen table with the eggs and our Bibles as they opened each egg from 1 to 12, discovering a tiny item representing some part of the final week of the life of our Lord with a verse to read along with it. From a miniature sponge to a die to spices from a tea bag, we recapped Jesus' amazing sacrifice on our behalf and His awesome resurrection from the grave as each, in turn, read aloud. It was fulfilling to watch their anticipation, from the oldest to the youngest, as each got their chance to link the pieces of the story together.
Jesus is alive! He arose - hallelujah!
Did you celebrate, too? What traditions does your family have? I'm always on the lookout for new ways to share God's truths from Scripture.

The Irish Wilderness of the Ozarks

2010-03-07T00:25:00.001-06:00

Whenever we get the chance, the family stops at historical sites and parks. This past Monday, we were driving through the Mark Twain National Forest and saw a sign for the Irish Wilderness. My first name has Irish roots and my hair is auburn, but apparently I do not have a drop of Irish blood in my veins. However, I've always had an attraction to that country, possibly for the above reasons. Imagine my surprise when I saw something with Irish connections in the middle of the state of Missouri! Since I was behind the wheel at the time, I determined to stop and discover what this place was and why it existed. Everyone got out of the car as I pulled into the parking area - nobody else was there at the time. The kids had a chance to run down the trail a bit, and I took a few photos. There was no history or explanation to the name on site, so I had to do a bit of research. Thanks to the internet, research doesn't take quite as long as it did years ago. The site dates back to before the Civil War. The hope had been a new beginning for Irish immigrants, thanks to a Catholic priest by the name of Father Hogan. It didn't last long, however, and much about it still remains a mystery. But what has been discovered is documented in a book that recently won the Gold Medal Award for non-fiction.
Although our visit lasted all of 10 minutes, the kids were able to let out some energy and I was able to satisfy my curiousity. Sometimes we just need to stop to taste some history even when there aren't any roses to smell.

Lost and Found

2009-10-31T11:06:00.004-06:00

So, the family goes to the park today to run/walk a 2-miler. Dave is getting geared up for the marathon tomorrow, and the day before is an "easy" day for him - a few short miles to keep him loose but not expend too much energy before the big race.

Halfway through, he calls out to me that I shouldn't be too concerned . . . but that the car key fell out of a hole in his pocket . . . probably along the sidewalk. Hmmmm. I had gone 1 mile at this point. Let's see, find the key . . . finish the 2-miler - I think I'll look for the key. So I did. I searched and walked up and down the sidewalk between the van and the track - nothing. Then I moved on to the track, slowly working my way along the 1/3 mile circle while Dave finished up and searched again near the van. Worst case scenario - we knock on a door to call for the people who open locked cars, because inside were my keys, my purse, his cell phone, the house keys, need I go on?

There is a happy ending to this story. The key was found at the halfway point in the track. There, in the grass, it must have slipped out of the hole and landed. Dave was very grateful, and for my efforts and success in discovering the location of the key, I received a smile for giving him

a "hand" - a plastic ring trinket someone must have lost and never found.

Thank You, God, for answering my prayers - and, thank You, for the lessons I can learn from this.

~You, Lord, searched for me until you found me - never giving up.

and

~A backup plan is always a good idea (we didn't have one in this case) - thankfully, we didn't need to use one!

I love you, Dave - glad we didn't have to use that belated $100 anniversary gift we got today on the key issue - so anytime you want to celebrate our 15 1/2 years of being married, we can go do that!

Settling In

2009-10-10T11:00:00.008-05:00

So it is October now - 10 days into it in fact. I have made a few changes on the website to represent some of the changes we've gone through as a family over the past 4, yes 4, months. I went for simple (black and white) with hints of Mexico (palm trees) in the background. My kids are my focal point as we home school here in the States. The picture of them was a fun one, taken in St. Louis, MO the day after visiting a church in the area. We took in some history, too, as we traveled up The Arch in a tram and viewed a film about Lewis and Clark.

Here is a collection of some digital collages I created from our experience that day.

Underground, in addition to the IMAX theater, there is a Mercantile Store which sells items from an era gone by - the boys had fun spinning wooden tops while Bekah perused the various books of dress and recipes from the 1800s.

We have traveled past The Arch, also referred to as the Gateway to the West, several times. We have even stopped to see it, but this was the first time we ventured inside to get a bird's eye view of the city.

Stay tuned for our next great adventure!

Singer or sandwich? (a little snippet from our day)

2009-06-01T09:23:00.004-05:00

We were sitting at the breakfast table this morning listening to Phil Collins as we ate. His voice is well known to my kids, made popular to them by the movie Tarzan. The song True Colors, came on and they said "what is this?" To their question I replied, "It's Phil Collins, but a different song he sings." Dave threw in, "and it's also sung by Cindi Lauper." Not having ever heard this name, Jonathan pipes up, "Silly Whopper?!!!"

Silly Whopper . . . funny how the message sometimes gets misconstrued bases on our previous knowledge and exerience. We could ponder that one for awhile . . .

I love our kids - they continue to bring us joy and always give us a fresh perspective on life ;-)

The right of way

2009-05-26T09:30:00.003-05:00

This morning might have been like any other, but our schedule is a little weird as we make doctor's appointments and have follow up visits - getting everything in order before heading back to the US. So, instead of taking the kids straight to school, we headed to the hospital in the opposite direction. On the way, there are several crosswalks that cause traffic to slow and allow pedestrians to safely get from one side of the busy street to the other. There are probably 5-8 on the 2-mile stretch between our house and the hospital. We were about halfway there when I saw the traffic on the opposite side stopped at a crosswalk that we were approaching. I slowed, not only because it is a literal bump on the road, but figured I would be stopping completely as well. But it wasn't a pedestrian I was stopping for . . . it was a dog! The little pooch had the right of way as he quickly passed along the walkway, causing all 4 lanes of traffic to stop. I laughed out loud at the comic situation, wondering how the dog came to learn this maneuver and amazed at the respect everyone had for this canine (or for the law - not sure which).

I also wonder if the paths in our lives could be crossed just as smoothly if everyone simply showed respect to one another - I think it goes hand in hand with the "loving one another" that Jesus teaches us in His Word (John 13:35). Sometimes we feel we have the right of way, when really we would benefit so much from stopping and giving that right of way to someone else. Lord, help us follow your command of loving one another today. Amen.

Fun with Science

2009-02-27T21:31:00.003-06:00

The Rocket Project

I was inspired to make and post this video after seeing how much fun the kids had. Also, I know all of you who read this and live far from us appreciate seeing them from time to time.

Enjoy!

Answered Prayer

2009-02-17T14:10:00.005-06:00

I have to share what happened yesterday afternoon.

As the kids came home from school, each puts his/her backpack in the front hallway and brings the lunch box into the kitchen. Then it is time to put in some time on homework before we eat.

Yesterday wasn't much different except that Jonathan was dancing in the living room and singing. This is what I heard:

"God answered my prayer. He is so good. He answered my prayer . . . I don't have any homework . . . He is so good."

I got the biggest kick out of hearing the joy and seeing it demonstrated in song and dance.

Ah, to become as a child - when is the last time I broke into song and danced over anwered prayer? Thank you, God, for this lovely reminder.

Tranquility and Love - captured in a photo

2009-01-30T19:22:00.000-06:00

I love watching my kids enjoy each other's company. Moments like this cannot be bought or sold, just appreciated when they happen.

A new year

2009-01-07T21:46:00.002-06:00

My goal this year, 2009
To be the branch and He the vine.
In Him alone I can abide,
walking always by His side.

Help me, Lord, to do what's good
and act upon the things I should.
Thinking all the less of me
and living for eternity.

~Kelly Godzwa, January 7, 2009

What more could you ask for?

2008-12-28T15:40:00.003-06:00

In addition to getting new toys such as the Leapster2, Didj, and fashion Barbie computer program, our kids are enjoying time with family, friends of the family, and a Mom and Dad who feel like they're on vacation. Oh, yeah, I guess we are.

Joseph is sporting a pair of glasses. And the whole family even got a personal tour of the TV studio where my sister works - how cool is that? We're making plans now to visit with some of Dave's extended family and then tomorrow we're off to visit a high school friend and her family in Ohio then on to The World Missions Summit 2 in Cincinnati.
Never a dull moment here. Maybe I better schedule a few of those in the mix ;-)

Christmas Pictures

2008-12-27T11:31:00.001-06:00

I thought I would post some pictures from the holiday festivities. We are really enjoying ourselves, and the kids are having a blast with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and adult friends.
Blessings to all - I am sooo thankful for family :-)