Hello everyone,
2011 is here and we are thankful to begin a new year serving God here in Creel. Shelly, the girls and I had a great time in Corinth this past month of December. It was good to get away and recharge our "batteries". A special thanks goes to the couple who let us use their time share in the Smokies for a week.
Shelly and I want to personally thank everyone that shared in the Christmas outreach to the the people of Yaguirachi. There were so many people who participated in making this Christmas party what it was. We couldn't have done it without you all.
The Saturday we had the party began with a grim site. On the road to the village that morning we rounded a curve and came upon an old pickup blocking the road. All the windows had been broken out with rocks. There was broken glass, rocks and blood in the road. Two bodies lay in a nearby ditch. Apparently there were people waiting on this truck to pass by the night before. Because the road is very rough and curvy it made for an easy target. The two people that didn't escape were killed by stoning. Since no one would move the vehicle until the police arrived, we had to find another way into the village. We found an old logging road that allowed us to get around the roadblock.
The picture to the right shows some of the candy that was bought for the children. (Be sure to click on all the pictures to enlarge them.)
The school teacher there in the village gave us permission to use one of the class rooms to
have our meal in. Below the women of the village are helping prepare the meal. While the women were cutting up the vegetables, the men were cooking the meat and potatoes outside. We served them "discada", a dish of various meats and vegetables cooked in a large disk made from an old plow. Tortillas and guacamole was also prepared to go along with the meal. In all we fed around 110 people with plenty to go around for seconds.
While the men and women were all busy preparing the meal, the children played games and took turns hitting piñatas. We brought two large piñatas, one for the little kids and one for the bigger ones. They all were so excited each wanting their turn and couldn't
wait until the piñata burst. When it finally did, there were kids piled all over each other on the ground trying to get at all the candy, a treat they don't normally get.
When the piñatas were all torn to shreds and the candy gone, we sat the kids down to sing a few songs and pray for the meal. After that the food was finally ready and with the smell from the meat and vegetables cooking on the disks, we didn't have to tell them twice to come and eat. All the kids lined up in single file eager to get their plates and stomachs filled.
After everyone had eaten all they could hold, we gave out the presents and bags of candy to all the
children. You couldn't imagine the excitement on the kid's faces as we started getting the presents ready to give out. This was the best Christmas they had ever had and for some of them it was the first Christmas they had ever received a present. Each child received a toy, a gif box of coloring books, crayons and a large bag of candy. The adolescents received personal hygiene products, scarves, gloves and a large bag of candy.
When it was placed on Shelly's heart to do something special this past Christmas, she had no idea the of huge response she would receive from friends, family and our home church, Church of the Crossroads. It was an overwhelming blessing for our family along with Pablo, Adriana and their boys to be able to share and bless these people, more than we could have ever imagined. It is truly more blessed to give than to receive. We can't put here in words the gratitude we have for each and everyone that gave monetarily, and also the ones that sent the gift boxes down here to us. We would love to be able to name everybody who took part in this, but we're afraid we would leave someone out. God bless each and everyone of you - you know who you are!
The next day we left very early in the morning to make the long trip back to Mississippi to spend with our families for Christmas. We had a wonderful time seeing everyone while we were there. We are also thankful for our new friends in Amory, Ms - thanks for everything Rob Westbrook and your congregation of LifePointe Church.
We are now back in Mexico ready to begin again. We have called off the weekly village outreach temporarily because of the weather and sickness. Pablo and I are going to begin the next stage of construction on the building as soon as possible to have a warm place for our services. Keep us and the village of Yaguirachi in your prayers for our health and continued safety. There has been an outbreak of Tuberculosis there in the village. One man has died and there are others in the local clinic. We have taken food out to the ones with family members sick. There is so much malnutrition and the fact that they simply don't know what to do to prevent sickness.
To see more pictures, please go to facebook and search for Shelly Green Maness, then go to photo albums, Christmas Tarahumara Outreach 2010.
Onor u’ami micuirsa (God bless you, in Tarahumara)
Your servants in Mexico…
Ryan, Shelly, Monica and Melena Maness
Highways and Hedges Ministries
662-415-4837
