Happy Easter!

Hi friends! Well, I must say Easter here takes on a whole different feel than it does in the US. I remember last year as we enjoyed all the spring flowers and got our spring clothes on for Easter service. We enjoyed celebrating that Jesus had risen from the grave and loved singing the familiar hymns. Of course we also loved eating the goodies that the Easter Bunny brought. I was just looking at a picture I took in Target last year on the candy isle. I couldn't believe how much candy there was for Easter, I mean there were at least 4 or 5 isles filled with different types of Easter candy. Not to mention all of the Easter egg hunts that were advertised at all of the parks and churches and schools. It was just fun, fun, fun.

Well, one good thing about living here is that if you don't see those things advertised, you don't know you should be missing them. Or at least if you are 7 you don't know. Annie has no idea that tomorrow is the day when the Easter Bunny is supposed to come. She hasn't seen one plastic egg, one jelly bean or chocolate bunny . Those just aren't important here and so it hasn't been something she has missed. Which is a huge blessing! I on the other hand have missed the jelly beans! ;o)

It is nice having Easter be about our Savior and not about colored eggs and a bunny. I must say that is where they get it right here. My dad asked me what they did to celebrate here and I told him they have parades with statues of Mary and Jesus and they go up to the statues and pray to them. They wear crowns of thorns on their heads and many may even walk on their knees for awhile to show that they are willing to physically suffer for Him. Now of course it breaks my heart to see them doing this because this isn't what Jesus would want them to be doing. My dad said, " Well at least they are doing it in the name of Jesus." That got me thinking. He is right. I don't agree with what they do here as they are worshipping idols and that is contrary to His teachings. However; is hunting for colored eggs and sitting on an Easter bunny's lap for pictures or putting a lot of focus on all of the things we put our focus on at Easter much different? Really when it comes to Easter I would bet that the church service we attend is about an hour, (in the US) how much time do we spend on all those other things? I am not preaching to all of you, I am pretty much preaching to myself. I haven't spent that much time on those things here in Mexico, but I did when I was in the US.

I read other blogs. Not many but some and I always think, " Man I bet the few people who read my blog get so bored with what I have to write." I am not a biblical scholar. That was actually one of the reasons I thought I couldn't do what I am doing. But then I look at Moses, he said he was awkward with his words and God used him. I never really say much that is life changing or anything, nothing too deep comin' out of this here mouth. But... I do hope I can at least make myself think a little and that is what this post has made me do, THINK. It hurts too! :o)

Anyway, one thing we did on Friday to celebrate was we showed the Jesus film in their language. Greg was a little worried b/c once we had it all set up and lots of chairs put out there were only 3 adults there and it was time to start. (There are always a lot of kids, at that time there were about 10.) So we sang a few songs and sure enough by the end of our singing the place was starting to look full. We started the movie and they kept coming and coming and coming. People we have never seen before filled our place of worship up! It was enough to make me want to cry. People on the streets were hearing this movie in their language and they just came in to see it. It was just awesome. By the end of it, I think we had around 65 people. Many of our regular attendees weren't there but lots of visitors were. We have been asked to do the same thing in another village on Thursday night. So, please pray that Thursday we will see the same effect on another village! Thanks for reading and praying and thanks for not thinking I am a peon! Happy Easter! Love, Missy