Presbyterian Dubuquers at Bethesda in Cancun

We arrived from Dubuque, Iowa, to Cancun, Mexico, late Saturday night. Sunday we attended the 1st Presbyterian Church at 9am, the Bethesda Church at 11 am, and the 1st Presbyterian Church at 6:30 pm. The services were in Spanish and the churches were full of people praising God for Himself and for His goodness to them. Dinner was at 8pm and “devotional time” at 9pm.

We (Gavin, Gilda, Lueann, Laura, Alicia, Sharon, Tom and Mark) spent five days at the Bethesda church moving supplies, helping tile floors, chopping some vegetables, and making friends. We also did a day trip to Chichen Itza to see how the Mayan culture used to be.

We mixed the “goop” for tiling the floors with a bucket and a stick. We were shown how to make a straight line with a long string and two nails. Then we were shown how to lay the tile in straight lines, making sure to use just the right amount of “goop” to keep all the tiles flat and even. We did two and a half rooms and a hallway.

During Evangelism Explosion Classes we helped chop vegetables for the noon meal and learned a little of the Mayan language. The chicken was chopped first and cooked in a large pot that covered four burners. Then various vegetables and spices were added to the chicken. It was very good.

At the end of Friday we enjoyed a party where the students of Evangelism Explosion practiced their skills with small groups of children. They made the memorization of scripture fun for the children. We also enjoyed games, clowns a piñata, and gave out toys that had been sent from Dubuque to Bethesda.

Pastor Felipe, wife Susi, and boys Esdras and Felipe were very warm and friendly. They made our stay with them very pleasant. Ramón Celis coordinated the visit, making sure that we had good food, accommodations, and transportation. We enjoyed our work and visit very much and are looking forward to returning next summer.

Gilda from Dubuque