I think of you often. I’ve been to London many times in my imagination. As I walked the streets of Tlaxiaco last night, the cold rain slowly soaked through my red “water-proof” jacket. I splashed through several muddy puddles in my attempt to locate a roasted chicken for our dinner. The chicken was not to be found but I did enjoy my time with you in Old England once again.
The line between need and want can be a fine one at times. However, when we really need something…it’s always there. I went through a bit of a depression this week when I found out our monthly support was at an all-time low. It sent me spiraling through all the same old questions. “Are we really supposed to be here?” “How am I going to provide for my family?” “What the heck was I thinking moving my wife and four children all the way down here?” And on and on. It was painful.
As I regained my focus, through prayer and reading the Word, I was reminded once again that God is good and that He promises to always take care of His children. But how…how would He come through this time?
After a great lunch with some of our fellow missionaries, he took me aside and stuffed a wad of bills in my hand. Later when I counted the bills I was shocked to see the amount that he gave us equaled the amount of support we had received. Wow! I was humbled. God had come through once again.
Seriously...?
I love Lamp
Upon visiting my sister in the States, she let me haul a ton of awesome stuff out of her basement for our apartment here in Mexico. She had no idea how those things would make our place feel like a luxury resort. I recall her picking up a huge wicker basket (great for our need for organization stuff) and she said, “…but you probably don’t want this because it’s broken right here,” and pointed to this one small damaged spot. WHAT?! We have been blessed beyond our boarders with amazing gifts of sacrifice and love from our supporters back home. Some people apologized for not being able to give more, or feeling like their gift couldn’t really mean a whole lot. Let me tell you all something…It means a lot to us. We are so amazingly blessed that here I sit, writing this message of thanks so all of you who gave can know—We’re so grateful. Thank you so, so much.
Vacation at the base
Hang ten
Ahhh...and breathe.
dishes, dishes, Davis
candlelight dinner
Family hike
Can I get out now?
Hello gorgeous!Welcome Home Parade/Living Without Power
S & Z on the Ark I helped build
Davis hanging out with a new friend
Smith got to hang out with some of the local demons
Squeezing the Ark down a narrow Tlaxiaco street
Wow! Do those legs go all the way up?
One of the other floats
Where bridesmaid dresses come to die
Davis crashed out after a long night of parading around townThe city of Tlaxiaco came out if force to welcome us home. Wow! Just kidding. However, it was great to be back in time to see the Ark float that I helped build this summer hit the streets. It was unlike any parade I'd ever been to before. Rather than shutting down a certain route and blocking off traffic, as the float moved along, we just had to work around any obstacles. Each float in the parade also had at least one man going ahead with a big wooden poll to lift up low hanging utility lines. It was pretty funny!
Because I had helped build the float, our family was invited to a pre-parade celebration. It was good to make more friends and build upon existing relationships. I met one of the local congressman and after repeatedly welcoming our family to Tlaxiaco, he invited us over to use his home and his swimming pool any time. "Mi casa es su casa!"
The next day as the GFM staff was leaving for their annual staff retreat, they invited us to stay at and watch the base for them. Good times! Unlimited internet use and free laundry facilities, not to mention a great quiet place for our family to retreat and regroup.
That was Thursday. Friday we awoke to a power outage. Something I guess you have to learn to live with in Mexico from time-to-time. We made the most of it. I finished reading a book while Rachel and the kids played games. We enjoyed a candlelight dinner and went to sleep fully expecting to have the power restored by the next morning. Wrong!
Saturday, mid-morning, we became concerned for all the food in the two deep freezes and the two base refrigerators. I went hunting for a back up power supply, which I found in the form of a gas-powered generator in the tool shop. Good to go. We spent the rest of the weekend lounging around in the hammocks, reading, taking naps, shooting Smith's new air gun, and playing a game of "Stick Ball" that we made up using a broom and a giant exercise ball. Rachel totally dominated the new sport!
So now it's Monday evening. Power was just restored a couple of hours ago. I think I'm really going to miss all the quiet candlelight dinners with Rachel and the kids. Maybe I'll go throw the breaker just for fun.
It's Good To Be Back
Our sleepy travelers
Almost there!
Paying one of the endless tolls
Standing in the Walmart in Harlingen, TX, Rachel and I looked at each other and with tears in our eyes, we started to laugh. We both knew that we were simply wasting time trying to get the absolute most out of our last few moments in America. We love America! We love how easy and convenient EVERYTHING is…and I especially love how smooth all the roads are. Simply amazing!
No one was forcing us to go back to Mexico, and we knew that if we stayed in America, no one would love us any less. However, it comes down to a point where you look at yourself in the mirror, you examine yourself deep within, and you realize that none of this is about us. It’s not about our comfort or our pleasure. It’s not about having everything we want or even being happy with the things we do have. It’s not about us.
Driving 6,703 miles gives you a lot of time to think. Over the next several days I’m going to try to get some of these thoughts written down and I’ll try to share them with you. One of the big ideas I’ve been thinking about is: Perspective. The trip to the States took a toll on us physically and financially. However, the return we’ve received simply in perspective is totally worth it.
Crossing the border was a breeze. Actually, we’ve yet to even have our passports looked at. The guards asked me to step out of the vehicle and they poked their heads in and said hello to Rachel and the kids. They asked me to open the back doors but I told them all of our clothes and food would fall out if we did and they said not to worry about it. And it was the same drill at every checkpoint along the way. They like to know where you’re coming from and where you’re going. I think mainly, they like to pull us over to practice their English. The longest stop along the way included a search of Rachel’s purse and my computer bag while the guard holding the huge rifle tried to get Ax to say, “hola.” Yet they still never checked our passports or looked in the back of the van.
When we were down here before, I always felt a bit trapped. A little bit of the “this is the end of the world” syndrome. Coming back I realize that a switch has been flipped. Things that made me feel threatened before, I now enjoy. Areas where I felt un-secure before…I now feel safe. I think it helps me to remember that at any moment we can drive or fly right out of here. With all that being said, I feel my level of love for Mexico and the people of Mexico has quadruplicated. Culture shock—gone! Fear of driving here—gone!
It’s good to be back.
We Made It!!!
Just drove 13 hours straight from Tampico to Tlaxiaco. It was an amazing journey with the blessing of God written all over it. I'm pooped for now but will try to write more tomorrow or the next day!
On Our Way Back To Mexico!
The weather matched our mood as we pulled out of Colorado on Friday morning. We had such a great time seeing our friends and our family. We love you all so much!
We've made it to San Antonio. The trip has been great so far. We hope to make our border crossing in the morning. Please pray for a successful crossing and safety as we hit the Mexican highways once again. Love, the NAGELS
Smith's Birthday!
9 years ago, after a long day of labor, our first little red headed boy came into the world via C-section. I was so diappointed that the natural birth didn't work out that I sank to the floor of the delivery room in dispair and cried out to the Lord to at least give me a red headed baby. As you know, He's now answered my prayer many times over. Little Smith was so small I could hold him in one arm and put his little wrinkly foot in my mouth. What an amazing miracle!
We had a full day celebrating his birthday yesterday. Smith got to help paint a house, play hard with his cousins all day, and then eat dinner at a Mexican restaraunt--per his request so he could practice his Spanish. We finally got around to the cake and presents around 10 o'clock last night. Smith was so tired by the end of it all...yet still wanted to end the day watching a movie with me. He made it about 20 minutes into Star Wars IV before he passed out. As I picked my little boy up to carry him to bed I realized he is not so little any more. He's quickly turning into one of the sweetest young men I've ever met. I love you Smith. Here's to all the years and memories to come.
