It has been a bit crazy the last couple of weeks. I (Andy) have now finished my second session of Language School. I am at the half way mark with two more sessions to go. It has been very good for me to be here in language school. I think, in the long run, it will be most beneficial to have the ground work needed to speak Spanish.
I was able to preach at church two Sundays ago. It was in English, so it had to be translated by the pastor, who speaks English pretty well. The Pastor asked if I would preach again, so that encouraging.
We are, again, having another round of sickness. We just got back from a local clinic, because Anna was complaining of her ear hurting. The doctor said that she has a very bad ear infection. All the girls, including Jessie, have really bad coughs and fevers. It was the first time we have been to a doctor since arriving in Mexico. He spoke extremely slowly, because he assumed we did not understand a word he was saying. He gave us multiple medications for the girls, which Jessie had to go home and research each one of them. It turns out some of the medications doctors offer in Mexico are not even used or FDA approved in the states, because of their side effects or risks. She ended up taking several of them back after reading about the risks associated with them. This did not fly well with the doctor. I think he said something like, "So, you got on the internet and now you think you know more then an educated doctor?" Her response was, "Well, you're the doctor, but I'm the mom and I need to protect my kids."
Over the last week, we have been watching the Bruggeman's dog. This has been an eye opener for us. It still has not convinced me to not get a dog, once we are in Autlan, but it has helped me understand that, if we don't have a yard, we will have to wash down the driveway 5 times a day, every time she goes out. Let's just say that having a dog in Mexico is a little different than having one in the U.S. When we look for a house to rent in Autlan, it will be something we will have to consider. The cats are still hissing at her, but not nearly as much as the first couple of days that she was here.
I also believe I have broken my baby toe on my foot. I slammed it into a pipe sticking out of the ground and it is black and purple and causing me extreme pain.
On a spur of the moment last Sunday, I was asked to teach Sunday school. I asked them if they wanted to share what God has been doing with each one of them and they all did - 6 girls and one guy. Then, I shared with them a little of my testimony & how God led us to Mexico. I graduated almost four years ago from Bethany. God didn't just leave us out there to figure things out, He was working on us. We were able to see God work on our behalf at my job time and time again, even if it was not where we wanted to be. God had his plan worked out for us to learn what it is like to stay with something, even when it is hard. God's plans are perfect. That, by itself, gives us peace. Even when we don't know why God would have us go through a trial or testing time, we can know that, through it all, God's ways are perfect. Man, even now that strikes at my heart. The Lord has brought us here to Mexico and we are right where we are supposed to be.
A faith that hasn't been tested can't be trusted.
Adrian Rogers
