Monterrey

They have this unusual system of ferrying the visitors in between the two conventions that are on at the same time, Jauregui and Monterrey.  Let’s see if I can explain it… The two places are about an hour’s drive apart, a bit more.  So the visiting team gets divided up and one day one team goes to Monterrey, and the other stays at Jauregui.  Then team one gets taken back to Jauregui and team two goes to Monterrey.  Four days beforehand two tropical storms had collided resulting in incessant rain day and night…I’ve never seen anything like it, except maybe on the West Coast!  Constant HEAVY rain without stopping for 6 days on end.  It was an event that hadn’t happened for about 80 years, and did lots of damage on the two coasts, the Atlantic and Pacific.  Made for easy listening in the meetings, a respite from the heat, but one got drenched when dashing from shelter to shelter!  Tienen un sistema extraña de llevar a los visitantes de un lugar a otro, entre Monterrey y Jauregui.  A ver si lo puedo explicar… Los dos lugares son 70 km aparte.  Entonces el grupo de visitantes se divide en dos, y un día, un grupo va a Monterrey, and el otro queda en Jauregui.  El próximo día cambian.  Cuatro días antes, dos tormentas tropicales se habían chocado y el resultado era lluvia fuerte, sin parar por 6 días!  No había pasado así por 80 años, e hizo muchos daños en las costas, tanto la Atlántica como la Pacifica.  Lo bueno es que era lindo para escuchar en las reuniones, no hizo tanto calor, pero al salir después uno se hacía sopa!

In the meeting room at Monterrey.  Jeanette Coker talking with a Korean couple who live in Mexico.  The man renewed his choice to serve God not long ago, after having lost out.  Jeanette has been working in the Dominican Republic, and was returning to Mexico to work after many years away.  But since I’ve returned to Argentina, I heard she had to go back to the USA as she has breast cancer. La sala de reuniones en Monterrey.  Jeanette Coker habla con un matrimonio Coreano quienes viven en Mexico.  El señor renovó su voto hace poco después de haber dejado.  Jeanette ha estado trabajando en la Republica Dominicana, y estaba volviendo a México después de mucho años.  Pero desde que volví a la Argentina, supe que ella tuvo que volver a EEUU por que tiene cancer de mama.

Rosy Rodriguez with her elderly parents.  Rosy came to meetings as a young person, and when she made her choice, her family turned right against her and made her life extremely difficult.  When she was to start in the work, she had to escape from home one night while everyone slept, and had to leave with nothing!  After she was in the work, her parents started to come to the meetings and both made their choices to serve God.  Her mother wasn’t well here, they were doing tests to see whether it is cancer. Rosy Rodriguez con sus padres ancianos.  Rosy se entregó de joven, pero su familia se opuso mucho y le hicieron la vida insoportable.  Cuando empezó en la obra, tuvo que escaparse de la casa en la noche, y se llevó sólo lo que tenía puesto!  Después de que ella estaba en la obra los padres empezaron a escuchar…y se entregaron!  Su mama no estaba bien en esta foto, estaban haciendo estudios para ver si tenía cancer…

Jorge making sure he doesn’t get wet!  This is the huge sun-umbrella they used to escort people to their cars under the deluge. Jorge asegurandose que no se moje!!  Usaron esta sombrilla enorme para llevar a las personas a sus autos durante el diluvio. 

Eating Mexican takeaways at the home of the Valdez, where we stayed in Monterrey.  Comiendo comida comprada en la casa de los Valdez donde quedamos en Monterrey.  En la foto se ven otros amigos Mexicanos que habían venido de EEUU para las anuales.

Note the disposable plates and cups in the patriotic colours.  I took this photo to show the little pottles of chilli that come with the takeaways!!  ¡Viva México! Fijense en los descartables de colores patriotas!  Saqué esta foto para mostrar los potecitos de chile que viene con la comida rápida!  Solo en Mexico…

Carlos and Esperanza Valdez with their son (whose name escapes me).  Esperanza had a brother called Juventino, he was in the work, but died young.  He composed many hymns a lot with his own music, and after his death the family published a hymnbook with all his hymns compiled.  He used to write music for a band before he came to meetings.  Interestingly, he couldn’t read or write music, but would wake up with these hymns and music on his mind, and record them.  Then one of the workers on the staff in Mexico transposed the music to written music.  Carlos y Esperanza Valdez y su hijo.  Esperanza es la hermana de Juventino.

The day after the meetings, we visitors were treated to a day of sightseeing in Monterrey.  The day we had our sightseeing trip was toward the end of the storm, and fortunately the rain lifted for a few hours so we got to see the city! El día después de las anuales, nos llevaron a pasear en la ciudad.  Fue hacía el final de la tormenta, así tuvimos la suerte de que  paró la lluvia un tiempo, suficiente para que viéramos un poco.

Erna showing her purchases to John and Dan. Erna mostrando sus compras y Dan y a Juan

Dan with the cannon.  Overlooking part of the city. Dan Henry con el cañon, mirando parte de la ciudad.

The guy pushing the cannon is one of our friends from China who was being a tourist in Mexico.  He was CRAZY!  He was soo funny, and apparently not very typical of the Chinese!  With him are Won Ju Choi and the well-dressed Lori Browne.  El hombre empujando el cañon es uno los entregados de china. Era muy cómico, dijo Won que no era tipico de los chinos, hizo cada payasada! 

HUGE wooden door on the old church at the look-out.

Cacti everywhere Por todos lados cactus!

The sand-bags were due to the heavy rain.  Las bolsas de arena por el agua.

An important conversation… Una conversación importante…

The two Asians.  Los dos asiaticos

That evening we all met up with all the staff again, it was their last time together before dividing up to go to the rest of the conventions.  This is Ken Johnson with his Panama hat and Yankee brollie! Esa tarde nos juntamos con todos de nuevo, era su ultima vez todos juntos antes de separarse para el resto de la gira.  Aqui Ken Johnson con su sombrero panameño y paraguas Yankee! 

Jorge the Mexican learning how to be an Argentinian.  Jorge haciéndose el argentino.

Samuel Herrera

Kenion Coleman doing some last-minute packing! Kenion Coleman acomodando sus cosas al último momento.

SOME of the worker luggage. ALGO del equipaje de los siervos

Waiting in the dining area for supper to be served. Esperando la cena en el comedor

Raquel Santiago and Rita Treviño, two of the Mexican sisters.  Dos señoritas Mexicanas, Raquel Santiago y Rita Treviño.

Serving the last supper together.  Sirviendo la última cena

Patriotic serviettes that say Long live Mexico!  Of course, someone had to ‘share’ something after this supper….fortunately it wasn’t me.  Servilletas patriotas… por supuesto alguien tenía que compartir algo después de la cena. Por suerte no fui yo!

Next morning early we left in a vehicle for the next place of meetings, Los Medina. El próximo día salimos temprano en una camioneta al próximo lugar de anuales, Los Medina. 

Jauregui and Monterrey Part 2

We had a free day the day after the special meeting, and Alan (Anderson) took us to a waterfall called Cola de Caballo (Horsetail).  We were most of the visiting workers – Won Ju Choi (Korea/USA/Taiwan), Dan Henry (USA/Haiti), Johan Kotze (South Africa), Jeanette Coker (USA/Mexico), Lori Browne (Jamaica),  Doris Chambers (Ireland/Central America), Erna Carrillo (Chile) and John and I.

Dan Henry with Rigel Rosales, one of the young Mexican brothers

The horsetail! 

John drinking mate…a southern custom

John with Alan Anderson, and Tomas, one of the friends

The three South Americans, John, Erna and I

John with Dan Henry

John, Dan and Johan

Weird shaped hills

A couple of Kiwis

Cool palms!

Outside the hotel complex at the waterfall

Looking out over Monterrey

They do bungy jumping from the white platform behind John

 

The wiring…

Eating frozen yoghurt…a popular treat in Mexico which we don’t see here in Argentina

Back to the barracks…John and Jorge after supper

John with Gerardo Rojas, a Dominican brother working in Mexico

Little Ivan working hard!

Taking photos the day of the worker’s meeting…

Ken Johnson whose mother was Australian, father American and he started in the work in Panama, while working in the Peace Corps there.  For the last 2 years he’s been working in Mexico, these are his companions he’s had while there.

Drinking tereré…the cold form of mate

The ‘Central Americans’…Ken and Doris from the staff, Franci is Panamanian working in Mexico, and Lori worked there for 10 years.

Erna and the well-dressed Lori…

J

John and Gerardo

                        The Aceves siblings…Israel, Ruth and Jonathan

Doris with some of the young Mexican sisters

Filis and Olga Reyes, who live over the road from the convention grounds (home where the worker’s meeting is held).  Olga is Anita Christian’s sister, and has two other sisters in the work, Rosa Elia and Lidia Morales.

Olga and Filis with their son who is married and lives in the USA, and their three adopted children, Ariana, Sori and Ivan.  When I got there, I thought these children were their own kids (Sori even looks a bit like Olga), and couldn’t work out why the little boy kept calling me Lynette (Lee) when I thought surely he knows who Lynette is!  He is 9, but was doing first-grade homework.  Then I found out their touching story. Olga y Filis con su hijo casado en los EEUU, y sus tres hijos adoptados.  Cuando llegué, pensaba que eran sus hijos propios (Sori aun se parece un poco con Olga), yo entendía porque el niño me decía Lynette (Lee), cuando tendría que haber conocido a Lynette!  Tiene 9 años, pero estaba haciendo tareas del primer grado.  Entonces me contaron su historia conmovedora…

The children are from an indigenous tribe of Indians, and their parents left the community to work in another part of the country.  The father found work with a professing family, on their farm, and shortly after, received a clear revelation of truth and made his choice to serve God.  The mother kind of did too, but the father had a good grip.  He had bad health, suffered from asthma, and knew he didn’t have long to live.  He spoke to his boss, and asked him to take care of his children when he was no longer here, and that they would be brought up in God’s way.  (Obviously he didn’t have much confidence in his wife).  The two girls were 4 and 6 when he died, and our friend kept his word and took care of the girls, but it was difficult, with their own family, and he realised someone else would need to take care of them.  He first thought of Olga and Filis, and made a trip to speak to them and tell them the story of the family, and would they be willing to take the girls.  At the same time, without him knowing, Olga and Filis whose own family had grown up and left home, married in Northamerica, were thinking seriously of adopting some children!  So they said yes, they would take the girls.  Los niños son de una tribu de indigenas, and sus padres dejaron la aldea para trabajar en otra parte del país.  El papá encontró trabajo con una familia entregada en su campo, and poco tiempo después recibió una clara revelación de la verdad, y se entregó.  La mamá también, pero no tenía tanto como el padre.  El sufrió de asma, y sabía que no tenía mucho tiempo de vida.  Habló con su patron, y le pidió que se encargara de sus hijos cuando el muriera, para que se criaran en la verdad.  (se ve que no tenía mucha confianza en su esposa).  Las niñas tenían 4 y 6 cuando murió, y nuestro amigo cumplió su promesa.  Llevó a las niñas a vivir con ellos pero no era tan fácil con su propia familia.  Entonces decidió buscar a un matrimonio de la verdad y pensó en Olga y Filis.  Sin saber, ellos estaban pensando en adoptar, porque ya se habían ido de la casa sus propios hijos!  Ellos dijeron que sí, las niñas podrían vivir con ellos, y las adoptaron.

During the trip to meet their adoptive parents, the girls travelled with their own mother, but the whole time the younger one kept asking “when am I going to meet my new mother?”.  When they finally did get there, Sori just ran to Olga and said “Mama! Mama!”.  When it came time for the real mother to leave, the two girls were so angry with her, that they refused to go and say goodbye… Olga went into the room and they wouldn’t go out to their mother.  So Olga said “girls, you must say goodbye to her, she’s your mother.”  No, they didn’t want to.  So Olga said “we’ll pray then, so that God will help you to say goodbye to her”.  Down they went the little girls with Olga, and prayed that God would help them to graciously say goodbye.  Then Olga asked “Now, will you go and say goodbye?” Tearfully they nodded and went! Durante el viaje para conocer a sus padres adoptivos, las niñas viajaron con su madre biologica, pero todo el tiempo la menorcita preguntaba “¿cuándo voy a conocer a mi mamá? ¿falta mucho?!!  Al llegar por fin, Sori corrió a Olga y dijo ¡Mamá! ¡Mamá!.  Cuando se fue la mamá biologica, las dos niñas estaban tan enojadas y amargadas con ella que no quisieron ir a despedirse de ella, quedaron en su pieza y no iban a salir.  Olga fue y les habló para que fueran a despedirse, pero no, no querían.  Entonces Olga les dijo “vamos a orar entonces, para que Dios nos ayude a ir a su mamá”  Después de orar, les preguntó, “ ahora pueden ir?” Con lágrimas dijeron que sí!

Now Ariana is 14, and Sori 12.  They are both professing, and Sori was baptised while I was there.  Their little brother Ivan was a baby of just a few months when the father died, so he stayed with the mother.  But the girls always had contact with him, and not long ago, Filis and Olga invited him to go and stay for the school holidays.  So he went, with their mother too.  After the two weeks, they went back to their Indian community, and one day when they girls rang him for his birthday, he said to Olga “can I come and live with you too?”.  Well, yes you can she said.  “And can my mother come too?”  So she had to gently tell him that only he could!  Then she asked her husband how he felt about Ivan coming too, and he who was in the US at the time, said whatever you decide dear!!  So 4 months ago, little Ivan came to live.  And that’s why he didn’t know the workers much!  And why he’s so behind with school… It was so cute to see him out with his new dad helping in the garden, helping with everything.  He just adores his big brother, followed him around like a shadow.  It really is a very special family. Ahora Ariana tiene 14 años y Sori 12.  Ambas están entregadas, y Sori se bautizó cuando estaba yo allá.  Su hermanito Ivan era un bebé de meses no más cuando falleció el padre, entonces quedó con la madre.  Pero las chicas siempre mantuvieron contacto con él.  Hace poco, Filis y Olga le invitaron a pasar las vacaciones con sus hermanas, y fue por 15 días con su madre también.  Cuando volvió a la aldea, las chicas le llamaron para su cumpleaños, y él le dijo a Olga, “¿Puédo yo ir a vivir con ustedes también?”.  “Bueno” dijo, “sí, puedes…”….”¿y puede mi mamá también?.  Olga tuvo que decir que no, la mamá no!  Entonces hace 4 meses atrás Ivan fue a vivir con ellos también.  Por eso no conocía bien a los siervos, y está tan atrasado en la escuela.  Era tan lindo ver como el trabajaba en todo al lado de su nuevo papá, y seguía a su hermano mayor como una sombra. Una familia muy especial!

Erna relaxing after the worker’s meeting.  Erna relajada después de la reunión de los siervos

Jonathan Aceves learning to drink tereré…he was in Argentina for conventions this year. Jonathan Aceves aprendiendo a tomar tereré

Cousins Jorge Jiménez and Rocío Villalvazo. This was the day that half the group of workers left the Jauregui grounds to go to prepare the meeting place at Monterrey (70 kms away).  Isn’t this van long?? We were treated to a Mexican farewell…we were all going to meet up again less than a week later, but the farewell was so grand you’d think it was for the rest of the year!  Out with all the white teatowels to wave them off, great goodbyes, it was really funny.   Primos Jorge Jiménez y Rocío Villalvazo.  Este fue el día que la mitad del grupo de los siervos salieron para ir a los preparativos en Monterrey. 

Out they come from the dining shed to wave everyone off.  Saliendo para despedir a los siervos que se van.

Eating ‘tostadas’, like a flat taco spread with avocado, shredded chicken, salad and cream on top. Oh, and chilli of course!! Comiendo tostadas…una tortilla tostada con palta, pollo, ensalada y crema…y ají por supuesto!!