Mexico Mission

Eric playin at the park

Love those smiles! The one on the right became like my little hermana (sister), Perrlita.

Walking the streets to give out spanish Bibles, quilts, and clothing (mom on Rt).

Eric: We have drifted past the six month mark - the trip still on track.

Our trip to Mexico continued to fortify our desire to be in new, different, and uncomfortable situations. We have come to view the comforts of life as something to be overcome and not obtained. We have made small concessions in this area, Christie will be carrying an inflatable pillow and I am wearing padded cycling shorts, but discomfort includes and goes beyond the physical.

We are so blessed to continue to be at peace with our decision. Worry on our end is nearly non-existent...this may be due to an overall balance as it appears others are worried about how we will make this happen, safety and all the things peopel like to worry about. It is amazingly fun to slowly put the pieces together for this adventure and have others thoroughly confused on the how's and why's.

Christie: Our mission trip to Rio Bravo, 30 miles south of Mc Allen, TX, filled our hearts and excited our souls as we continue to plan for the bike trip. I was captured by a little angle, Perrlita, who has not escaped my mind since we were there, so I wrote a few thoughts as I reflected on the sharp contrast in our lives and culture.

Perrlita, you are a pearl of wisdom. Can you answer a few questions please? Why are you wearing aqua shoes on this dusty road…do you believe there is water in the distance? Are you concerned about the falling stock market…and what about falling into the sewage that runs like a stream by your house? Your hair is sticky and a tattered mess…do you have an appointment for the beauty salon? Does the cost of gas concern you…or does a day without a hug cost more? What are you going to be when you grow up…what are you going to eat tonight? Are you overbooked…or feel overlooked? Although we are strangers, why do you embrace and hold me like we are sisters? Your smile radiates, your big brown eyes capture me. I needed you more than you needed me. Perrlita, little pearl, thank you for showing me the humility, strength, unconditional love and light of a beautiful Christian child. You have touched my core deeply.

God, when it is dark, please hold Perrlita close, protect, and comfort her and when the sun rises again, kiss her check and whisper I love you. How can I be more like you, Perrlita?…more like Jesus?

We were greatly blessed to share and receive the love of Christ in Rio Bravo on our week long trip. The highlight being able to do it right along side Mom and Dad Strecker.

Currently, we have our duplex for sale and both apartments for rent. In weighing out who is smarter, we believe God is and has more experience in planning than us, so we will leave it in His capable hands. We already have 8 people who are interested in renting after one day of it being posted. We will have a busy few weeks in getting the details in order, but it's all apart of the journey, unknown, and excitement. The pathetic stock market and job security issues loom everywhere we look. There is talk about laying off nurses in hospitals and Eric has had to cutback the hours of his employees. I would be a fool not to say this is slightly unsettling as I will voluntarily be leaving my job for (in essence) homelessness, yet I must believe we will be okay, and the experience will be priceless. Eric is much better at his faith in this than I and is a rock and great support when I list my "what-ifs." And the journey continues....

It's a new year

I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels in this world and going nowhere...hummm....09 is a New Year Written by the fingertips of Christie – This is our monthly update as we countdown to August, so you’ll have to wait in suspense for February to arrive. Christmas 08 was a good time, focused on time spent with family…realizing we will not be here for the next 2 Christmas’. I clearly understand that the choice we have made to travel, also means choosing time away from those we deeply love…this pulls at my heart. I try to justify this knowing we will be traveling with my parents down the Baja and hopefully meeting my in-laws in Peru to hike Machu Picchu, and maybe even some friends along the way (can I talk anyone into Costa Rica on the beach?). We also will be getting “The SPOT” – a GPS tracking system that will tell our friends and family (specifically, my nervous and protective father) where we are to the last foot every 10 min. We will stay connected via email and a website called “facebook” that my ingenious self recently discovered…not bad for a person that doesn’t know how to text yet! And as they say, whoever “they” is, distance makes the heart grow fonder... so for these reasons, I can sleep at night, but that won’t make saying good-bye any easier. We pedaled in the New Year…well we actually were sleeping at 9pm as usual, but pedaled the next day…close enough. New years eve we enjoyed watching home videos and our wedding video, highlights being removal of my garter via Eric’s mouth (who thought of that tradition?…geez!), with music pumping and guys wrestling to the floor…classic…as well as the chicken dance and other crowd favorites. Resolutions… direct quote from Eric’s red puffy work laden eyes and dirty foundry face… “Sleep more, bike more, walk more, work less.” What will this year bring? We’ve started laying out our “stuff.” We have a designated bike stuff area now (yes, I realize we still have 7 months to go- YOU realize by now we are slightly crazy). Some people get jewelry and perfume for Christmas, we get new Ortlieb panniers (which are also called “saddle bags”, but drives Eric nuts for some reason, so that’s what I call them). They are suppose to be great because they are waterproof….although, I have checked-in with the “captain” (really, that is what the front person on a tandem is called…sigh) and he has informed me, the “stoker” that we will continue to use a heavy duty garbage bag inside the pannier for extra protection, like we have done previously, I’m not sure why (he’s a “Do it Once, Do it Right” person), it’s just harder to pack...choose your battles. My luxury bike trip prize, that I could turn cartwheels about and Eric just rolls his eyes, is a blow-up pillow…YES! I love that thing…I’ve done, and am done with, the scrunching sweaty clothes under my head, and I have decided to upgrade for these 18 months and treat myself. That will be an extra 8 oz that I will gladly haul along….Eric is yet to be convinced that this is a good thing, but soon he will come around and have one too. Sunglasses and zip-off pants are also in the pile of stuff. We’ve also made a To-Do list, which is not as much fun, and includes appointing a POA, drafting a will, selling/or making arrangements to rent our duplex, getting insurance, roll- over our 401K's, set up an HSA, get immunizations, sell our vehicles, and have a garage sale/move/pack….I’m sure there is more. We are looking forward to a mission trip our church is going on to Rio Bravo Mexico at the end of January. My parents are meeting us down there and will be working with our group. We hope it will not only be a good opportunity to serve (construction, bible school, and work in a clinic), but also allow us to graduate from picture book level Spanish to putting nouns and verbs together. The warmth will be nice too. I start my last semester of school this week to complete my BS degree in nursing…I’m so tired of school…in case you are counting (Eric loves to rub this in)…yes, this will be my third graduation from a college (Eric: “Shouldn’t you be a doctor by now?!”). We also have fun news, for those who know us well, you know we dream of having a small vegetable farm and orchard. Yesterday, we talked with “the guy” and sounds as though it may work to buy his land (80 acres – just south of Mankato) when we come back from our trip. It would be a dream if it works out….it’s a fun journey and we’ll continue to walk to where ever the Lord points…hopefully it will be clearly defined with lightning and thunder (just not when we’re biking please Lord).