February 5, 2009

How can you tell that we are running out of interesting titles for blog posts?  This is the 2nd time that we’ve used the date as the title.  But this time we made one subtle change.  Did you catch it?

No?

Well, it was tough to spot.  This time we got an announcer (like the Daily Show with John Stewart guy) to announce the title.  So if you missed it just refresh the page and make sure you have your sound turned up all the way…

OK.  Enough frivolity!  (I have no idea if I spelled that right)  It’s February and once again time to try and put some kind of update down on e-paper (like toilet paper only much more friendly to the environment).  We got here in September with a long 9 months ahead of us, and now there is only 1 more month of Missions Training School class left, then a month of working with the short term teams that are coming down from the States.  April will be a very quiet (aka lonely) month for us as almost everyone from the GFM base is leaving for home and/ or Thailand.  We decided to stick around for the month (and half of May) to try and learn whatever else we can about short term missions and whatever else God has for us.  For example, my Spanish learning could be classified as weak to non-existent so I plan to use April to try and triple my knowledge (that’s not hard with how little I know).  Unless of course you count being able to order food in a restaurant.  Then I AM AN ALL-STAR.  As long as the staff stick to the script.  Which if they don’t usually means they get the legendary blank stare followed by me panickedly (not sure if that is a real word, but it works) gesturing to Michelle to answer and then hoping she heard what was said.

Oh, and I can get the van filled with gas.  And washed.  Also I can buy groceries.  Basically anything to do with driving and eating which are two of my biggest specialties in life anyways.  And as long as everyone sticks to the script and doesn’t ask me a question that doesn’t belong.  Like “how come you are so tall and white and living in Mexico?”  Or, “how did a pretty girl like your wife end up with you?”  Yup, that question gets asked by many people in many countries and I can’t answer it in any language.

Thanks to everyone for your comments on the Diks family’s 80’s party get-up.  Due to popular demand the mesh t-shirt and amazing mustache will make future appearances.  Not sure when, and I think it’s best for everyone if it is just left for a surprise!  If you didn’t see the pictures yet, go to our previous post about the fact that we are glad the 80’s died.  Or go visit our gallery at www.diks.ca/pictures.html.

And now after really disturbing the fans, lets try and get back on track with some family updates.

Michelle has been helping out with a youth bible study at a local church.  It’s really pushing her Spanish skills but I think she’s enjoying it.  These youth have a huge passion for evangelism.  She also found a bass guitar hidden away in a storage room on base and is playing with it.  Can you say Christmas or birthday present?  🙂 She is still helping out at the ladies cooking classes as well.

Chelsey has stopped dance classes and is now taking piano lessons from one of the other MTS students.  She is continuing to do really good at her school work; art and math are probably her best subjects at the moment.  She loves to read and many times we have to remind her that she shouldn’t start a new book when she already has two or three on the go!

Jared is still doing soccer and says he loves it.  He’s looking forward to the end of April when the team is going on a trip to Pachuca (a city north of Mexico City) to see a pro game.  Pachuca is the team that sponsors their soccer school and apparently the kids (and dads!) will get to meet the team, tour the stadium and do a bunch of other cool stuff for the weekend.  Jared recently impressed our usual waitress at our usual restaurant with his ability to order his meal.  So ya, his Spanish is doing just fine.

Katria is growing.  And growing.  And growing.  Her language skills are astounding (and of course, she’s a Diks kid!) and she is constantly repeating everything she hears.  Cool, and scary since she has me for a father and I’m not known for necessarily saying the appropriate thing at all times.  She also is learning many Spanish words; in fact she recognizes which people (the whiteys or the english speakers) to say “Hi!” to and which ones to say “Hola!”.  She still is one of the most popular kids in Tlaxiaco, but we suspect she is getting a little bored with the attention.  Katria also started doing some pre-school classes ran by one of the moms on base here.  It’s only for about an hour twice a week, but that’s enough for her right now.

As for me, not much has changed.  My beard grew back in after a week and people stopped running away in fear from me, so that’s nice.  Our soccer team was playing around 3 games a week for a bit there; which is WAY too much when you’re old AND the goalie.  A couple of teammates gave me a break and played a half in a couple of different games.  Which was nice until I realized that the trade off was that they get to stand in net and breath normally and I spent 30 minutes running up and down the field.  I knew there was a reason why I volunteered to play goal in the first place!  I just wish it didn’t take a coughed up lung and a couple of hard fouls to realize it.  Michelle explained it well to one of the other ladies, “Ryan is used to playing much more physical sports.  And he hates it when little people try to push him around.”  Don’t ask what I did…

So only about 14 more weeks to go until we come home!  Can you believe it?  God has opened our eyes to so many new truths and we are excited to get back home and start living missionally for Him.  So many things to pursue.  So many changes to make to become more like Christ.

As far as prayer requests, please pray that our minds would continue to be focused on Christ and His voice.  We so want to ensure we don’t miss a single lesson that He has for us here.  Please also pray for energy as we are starting to feel a little fatigued.

GFM could also use your prayers.  They recently decided to make a drastic move.  In about 2 years they are going to start GFM USA; which is intended to reach the members of the unreached people groups that have come to the USA for work/ school/ safety.  The work in Oaxaca is coming to a close and it is felt that moving to the USA will be a massive boost to both mobilization and evangelization.  The goal would be to target people who have come to the US, disciple them and then send them back to their home countries with the gospel.  Many of these countries are closed to westerners, so it is a really cool vision to help complete the Great Commission.

So thanks everyone for your support.  Thanks for putting up with long, sometimes confusing blog posts and continuing to pray for us.  Thanks for your obedience to God in the area of financial support.  With our current pledged level of monthly support we should be just fine.  But keep praying for us in this area and responding as God directs.  He knows good and well what we need for expected and unexpected expenses (well, unexpected to us) and will direct people to give as necessary so that the funds are available when they are needed.  God hasn’t failed us yet and He won’t start any time soon.

/RD