I’m on my third cup of tea already. First chai. Then Earl Grey. Now Ceylon Alwazateen. It’s just one of those days. Delightfully dreary and slow, painfully sad and full of introspection.

The neighbor girl is here, pulling out every toy possible and whipping up a general hurricane. I don’t even care. Her mom abandoned her just a few days ago. Living rooms can be picked up; mothers can’t be obligated to remember their little four year old when intoxicated with a new romance several states away. Sin is so sad. I feel so impotent. Like snacks and a few hours of playing can do anything to fix her broken little heart.

But anyhow, while the rest of the kids are occupied playing with her, now is a good time to run through a quick update with you. We spent several weeks away and it has been tough to keep up with all the things, especially blogging. It was wonderful to see believers in Michoacán and Coahuila and Chihuahua and Tlaxcala and elsewhere, even though they were short visits. The drive from Chihuahua down to Oaxaca was an incredible experience, if you have a vague idea of Mexican geography, you’ll recognize that is straight top to bottom of this immense and beautiful country. Oaxaca gave us ten wonderful, special days–although the numbers have not yet recuperated their pre covid days, the faithfulness, growth and maturity of the christians there fills us with so much gratefulness to God. They are not without their trials and struggles but their steadfastness is so encouraging. We are praying and expecting they’ll begin breaking bread soon which, even at a distance (maybe especially so?) will be so, so special to hear of.

Now back at home, we are helping again regularly with the work in Atasta. A large group from Carmen joined us a couple Sundays ago which was a really wonderful time. They break bread in the afternoon, so coming out for the morning was an extra time of worship for them and it was great for the Carmen men to be able to help in the teaching and adult Sunday school. With how small and spread out our different works are, when they get together it is always a huge encouragement to them, alleviating some of that feeling of solitude in the things of God.

For some time we have wanted to have a day camp at our home and now it is finally happening! Next month we’re planning a day for all the christians from this whole region, and any guests they invite, to come over and enjoy a day of studies and fellowship. This is totally out of my comfort zone, being more akin to a hobbit than Toad (Wind in the Willows) but, despite my quietly voracious tea-drinking habits, we shall exert ourselves and enjoy it fully with the help of our Good God. Also, please pray that all goes well!!

Also kindly pray for my family who has suffered a sudden bereavement this month.

As this is a bit of a round-up post from the last few months, here’s a quick book list for your perusal. I am sure I’ll miss some as I purposely don’t keep track and only leave what I can recall here for your benefit.

• The Inimitable Jeeves, Wodehouse
• My Man Jeeves, Wodehouse
• Middlemarch, Eliot (still reading)
• The Consolation of Philosophy, Boethius
• A Room with a View, Forster
• An Experiment in Criticism, Lewis
• Stalin’s Daughter
• The Glory of Christ, Owen
• The Incomparableness of God, Swinnock (still reading)
• Every Moment Holy (still reading)
• On Fairy Stories, Tolkien
• The Wind in the Willows, Graham (read to the kids)
• At the Back of the North Wind, Macdonald (read to the kids)
• Beau Geste, PC Wren (current read aloud to the kids)

I think that’s it. Also reading some really incredible books with the kids this school year (as always, really….who am I kidding?). I don’t pre-read because I want to enjoy them raw and in the moment with them–I recognize fully the risks of this and have done some speedy edits on the spot, but it keeps school fresh for myself. The Tempest, Hiawatha, The Faerie Queene, Conquistador (Levy), Trial and Triumph…the list goes on. Thank God for so many beautiful words and thoughts to fill our heads and hearts.

Well, night is falling in this corner of the tropics and some hungry kids will soon be fleeing the mosquitos and hunting me down. Blessings to you and yours, be daily reminded that it is such a peaceful, wonderful joy that our hope is in Christ.