Cofradia de Cuyatlan, Nayarit, Mexico

Half way to Oaxaca
My computer tells me that it is November 16, 2007. We left my dad’s house on Sunday and 2 ½ days, 2800 miles, over $100 US in toll fees, two motels, and one huge bag of kettle corn later, we arrived at our daughter’s house in Cofradia de Cuyatlan, Nayarit, Mexico. It was late, but even the baby was awake to greet us!

Over the years we have spent much time in this little village with our daughter Faith, son-in-law Jay, and grandchildren Isaiah, Elisbeth and baby Kai. I stayed here for 3 weeks in July when Kai was born. Jay and Faith have lived here for over a total of ten years. You can check out their ministry at http://cofradiamexico.com/.

¡Feliz cupleaños !
We arrived in the middle of the kids’ home school year and what seems to be a season of many birthdays. We have attended 3 birthday parties in the last 3 days. At Mexican birthday celebrations the family or the individual hosts everyone with a meal. We had pozole on Wednesday and pozole on Thursday and birria on Friday. This has been a bad week to be a chicken.

Pozole:hominy in broth with chicken, onions, cabbage, and lime added. Served with tostadas and chili.

When you come to a Mexican gathering you walk around the circle of chairs and greet everyone individually, shaking hands, or shaking hands and kissing, or hugging and kissing. Having known these families for many years I get and give a lot of hugs and kisses.

The bowl of pozole or birria is served by the ladies to the gringos and the men. It felt strange to be served by the birthday girl Amalia who had spent all day cooking, but that’s what they do. I got into the kitchen to take a picture of the village comadres working with Amalia yesterday afternoon.

Amalia is the lady on the far right.




Happy Thanksgiving!

Now my computer says it is the 18th. We enjoyed worship and a wonderful message at the church in Cofradia this morning. Now we have a turkey in the oven and will soon celebrate an early Thanksgiving with Jay, Faith, Isaiah, Elisabeth and Kai.





I walked over here to the base where we have Internet to blog and on the way I noticed an old lady sitting on a rock on a dusty corner talking on a portable phone. I have also recognized that there is a great increase of cars here. When we first came here 9 years ago there was only one phone and few cars. Now there are many cars and trucks, cell phones and even air conditioners. The roads are still cobblestone mixed with dirt, but the road out to the town from the highway is paved....although in great need of repair.

Okay, the drive out to Arrayanes is still dusty and bumpy, but even the poorer village of Los Arrayanes has more and more cars. Watermelons were just recently harvested, which means people can make major purchase like appliances, televisions, phones AND cars!

OH, one new addition to Cofradia is a prepa! Kids usually have to go out of town to attend high school, but now there is a prepa here and the students from Los Arrayanes, Cofradia and Santa Fe have a more feasible option for their education! Many of our friends and kids from the youth are attending.




Well here is Eddie and Jay rotating the tires. Tomorrow we are heading off to Morelia, and on to Oaxaca. Later....