I do not have any homework tonight and while I should use the time to study, I thought I would sign in a do a quick blog. We moved to Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico for language school the first days of Jan. We must have eaten something with some bad stuff in it, because several of the kids and I became quite ill. I had the worst case lasting 9 full days. Welcome the Cuernavaca, City of Eternal Spring, please use caution when eating at the taco stands or "in the streets"! Yes, I have returned to the same street vender, it's all good.
We knew it was important for me to attend language school also, but we had not found anyone to stay with the kids. The kids and I began homeschooling and had a lovely first week, then enough money came in for two weeks of language school for the whole family! So we went, then enough can in for 2 more MONTHS! Praise the Lord! Everyone is doing well. The kids have separate classes from us, geared towards children and we see then every hour during our ten minute break. I could not be happier with the care the teachers take. It is a university with Mexican students also and everyone adores little Haden. And I couldn't be prouder of our children's tactful yet persistent witnessing efforts as both their teachers are not born again Christians.
But here's the funny part....
Through some amazing events, I could not even describe if I tried, we ended up with this beautiful little condo at a very reasonable price. It even has a pool, fruit trees and a small soccer field and play ground in a communal backyard. It's communal, but most of the time we are the only ones here, because most of the other owners live in Mexico City and only come occasionally on the weekends! It's just incredible, especially since we could only make a 6 month commitment and many of the homes want a year lease or cater to the language school students coming for a few weeks to a few months and they charge an arm and a leg. Absolutely amazing provision of God.
OK, but what's so funny. Well, to top off the list of great things about our house, we have some missionary friends that live only 300 meters up the hill from us! They have children our children's age and we are able to play and visit often. Their house is down a dead end street, tucked behind and in the midst of a number of condo complexes that are apparently owned by the same person or group of people. So, these owners apparently felt it would make their already gated condos more appealing to have yet another gate. They erected a quite impressive, large and tall gate across the entire road leading towards the end of the dead end. Along with the rather massive gate they constructed a small guard shack atop the sidewalk that was manned 24 hours a day! But it gets even better! LOL! After construction was complete they sent our friends, remember their house is located among the condos, a letter stating their share of the construction cost and the monthly fee for the gate guards! This is the first our friends had heard about the gate. I didn't mind the gate. I could watch the kids walk up to the gate and once they were through I knew the guard would watch them get to our friends house, but I didn't have to pay the bill. We just gave the guards homemade chocolate chip cookies every once in a while.
Oh! But it gets even better! As if your mouth is not already wide in disbelief. Today, approximately 7 weeks after it's erection we glanced over on our way home from school and Sam says, "LOOOK!!!! The gate is gone!" And there stood a pitiful looking gate guard with no gate and no guard shack, only a desk and a clip board! Apparently, even in Mexico, you need a permit to fully obstruct a public road. Even if it takes them 7 weeks the city will without warning or notification come and cut down your massive gate and haul it and the guard shack away!!!
