2020

Randy and I arrived at Sonshine Hacienda just in time for the Christmas madness to begin. And we still have a week of it as we prepare for the "Day of the Kings" on January 6. Christmas opens peoples hearts to want to give, and to make sure that others have a wonderful Christmas too. Which is why our phones and emails and doorbells have been buzzing constantly with people who want to help. We've been overwhelmed by people's generosity this year! Every week, sometimes every day, sometimes twice a day, we've had people and groups and churches come by to celebrate with us. We've had firefighters and off-road racers and youth groups. We've had clowns and Noah's Ark and piñatas. We've received new clothes and new shoes, a new kitchen play set and more soccer balls than we can count. And just yesterday a local family stopped by. Three little girls handed me a trash bag full of stuffed animals. They said they got new ones from Santa this year and...

During our devotional time this morning, Rand and I read the book of Ruth. Ruth tells the story of Naomi, who was married to Elimelek. Naomi and Elimelek moved away from home and had two sons, both of whom married women from their new city. But Elimelek died, and within a few years both sons died as well. Naomi was obviously devastated to lose everyone she loved. She decided to move back home, and told her daughters-in-law that they were free to return to their families as well. But one of the daughters-in-law, Ruth, refused to go home, insisting on staying with Naomi.  "Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried." -Ruth 1:16-17 Short story made even shorter, Ruth and Naomi returned to Naomi's hometown, where Ruth married Boaz, a relative of her late father-in-law. Ruth and Boaz had a baby named Obed, Naomi was overjoyed at being a grandma, and t...

Ever wonder what Mexico sounds like? We wake up each morning to the sound of dogs barking. We had no idea before moving to Baja that we would be living right next to the humane society. Add to that the fact that EVERYONE in San Felipe has a dog, and there is rarely a moment of quiet. Around 7 or 8 a.m. the tortilla guy comes by. He drives a gator and broadcasts over a loud speaker "tortillas con arena o maiz": flour or corn tortillas. We have corn tortillas with every meal, and go through a stack of 80 every day or two. (Flour is considered "unhealthy" by the Mexican government, so we get free corn tortillas instead.) Our days are filled with the sounds of children: playing, laughing, crying, singing, praying, whining. All the things that kids do. Sometime between 5 and 7 p.m. the bread guy comes around in his car with a loud speaker on the hood. "El panedero con el pan": the baker with the bread. But he doesn't just have bread. He has do...