A Life With Many Options

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What do you do when your life has many options, especially if you're a nomad? How do you decide? As always, we prayed and fasted, trusting the Lord of our Journey. We thought we'd stay in Nepal our whole lives. Now we wondered about Mexico. We kept hearing great things from Nepal. Kissan, his mom, dad and many others were now following Jesus and making a public statement by being baptized. Nepal at that time was officially Hindu and it was illegal to convert or to help someone convert. Beatings, prison time and disinheritance were not unknown. But many were making that choice in our village and in dozens of villages around the country.

This was good news, but things were again uncertain for us. Seems like a theme song followed by, "Father knows." As we thought and prayed long about doing another Bible translation and taking another village assignment with a different language group, we were hesitant. Orizaba Aztec was foremost in our minds, yet we just weren't sure.

With the decision unclear, we finished the rest of that year, completing our Spanish studies. Bill continued work on the Devnagri project (typesetting for Nepal translation), and I was asked to teach some of the kids in the school base there at the center in Tlalpan, a district on the south edge of Mexico city. And six months after our arrival in Mexico we were finally given a small two bedroom apartment. What luxury!

   

The kids loved it in Mexico and enjoyed being with the kids on the base. Every year the SIL Mexico branch had an annual two day celebration of what the kids could do, from sports to handicrafts to music and writing. A 50 yard dash was always included. Much to everyone's surprise (!), Jenny, the smallest and youngest student, came in first among the the kindergarteners. Jonathan also took first place among his age group.

    

We also had a wonderful visit from my mom and her husband Lloyd in the spring. Here we are visiting Xochimilco. We also visited a lot of other places so they could "meet" Mexico. 

Here are a couple of photos of us that year too. The card on the left was to give to those who were praying for us. They were a lifeline for sure. And yes, I was Dotty at that time! And look at the sideburns on Bill!