Feliz Navidad

Feliz Navidad Prospero Ano Y Felizidad!!! Hola - our Spanish lessons are going well if I can only remember more than a phrase or two each week!!!  One Monday evening, the class that follows ours (which are Hispanic people learning English) arrived early to provide us with some substainence - authentic Mexican food. It was unbelievable - tamales, tostadas with all the toppings, rice, empanadas (from Columbia with an indescribably delicious meat and cheese filling), tortilla chips, homemade salsa - all was so mouth watering, We visited with them awhile, as they were trying out their English on us, and we were trying to speak Spanish to them. Their English is much better than our Spanish!!

greeting each other in two languages

lovely Spanish ladies with their awesome food offerings

This is certainly a time for indulging in food and treats!!! We had our CRM Christmas party at the Echo Hotel in Edinburgh, where they served us a terrific meal of appetizers (stuffed mushrooms, shrimp, and salsa) as well as a full course dinner of stuffed chicken breasts with a creamy cheese sauce, vegetable, and salad, as well as beverages and dessert. It seems as if all we talk about is food, but  it seems that all we do is eat!!!
Our meeting was well attended, with all the CRM chaplains from the RV parks around the area. The General Director, Dennis Maloney, stepped down and our new General Director, Raymond Smith, took over. Raymond is originally from Ireland, his wife is from the United Kingdom,and they have lived in France. The are truly a wonderful couple to know, love the Lord, and make it their responsibility to tell everyone about His saving grace. Instead of exchanging presents this year, it was decided that we would purchase children's books for the Texas Literacy program whose goal it is to put a library in every home in the Rio Grande Valley to empower parents to read to their children. . But these books need a place to be kept - not on the dirt floors of the colonias. Part of the program involves making bookcases for these books, a bookcase that is for each child only. The bookcase are presented to the children at school, where they color it, put on their own decoration, and paint on their name. These bookcases are quickly and easily made by volunteers. It is a wonderful program and we feel  privileged to be a part of it. Also in attendance were Marcel and Claudette, a French Canadian couple who will be heading the Alpha Course, an introduction to the Christian faith, to French Canadian Winter Texans in the area. CRM is expanding every day.

chaplains involved in serious conversation

girl talk?

Dennis Maloney, our park chaplain, on the right

Raymond Smith, new General Director of CRM

Lester Merriwether, explaining the literacy program

 Still another party was the children's school program at RIN in Reynosa, Mexico. We were not able to attend the large Christmas party the previous day, but did have the opportunity to attend the school program, which was so very well done. The children were so excited, entering the hall singing (in English) "Go Tell it on the Mountain". They took their parts in the skits very seriously and had a lot of fun while doing it.

you have not lived until you have heard "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" sung in Spanish

Principal Gloria and CHI Director Betsy Chacon under a beautiful decoration made by Tia Lucia from donated items (this one was made from a discarded fake Christmas tree).

Joseph and very serious Mary with the baby Jesus

our former intern Mateo Campbell on his birthday - just before he left for the border on his trip back to Canada

each child received a warm hat - all made and donated by volunteers

here we are with our two "girls" - Lupe on the left and Paty on the right - they are becoming very grown up young ladies

In the midst of all the festivities and feeding frenzies, let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord".  Luke 2:11

We want to wish all of you a very blessed Christmas.