Boxing Day Gathering

December 26, Debbie Murphy (CrossWorld Missionary) drove over from Puebla with the Cepeda Family, Jose Manuel, Paola, Geovani, and Waldo.  

It is always an exciting thing to "Conocer" a new place or city.  That means to experience it and to get to know it personally by being there. This was the first visit for the Cepeda family to Cuernavaca.  After a great pancake breakfast we began our day of getting to know Cuernavaca by walking to catch a bus downtown.  Buses are called "rutas" here in Cuernavaca. Every city seems to have different names for their public transportation buses.   (I think all of the drivers go to the same school, basically training for the Indie 500) 

Gary sat with the boys on the ruta and enjoyed watching them take in the very different sites of Cuernavaca.  The city of Puebla, their hometown, is basically flat and dry, a high desert.  Cuernavaca is built on the side of a mountain and has three different temperature zones, depending on how high up you are, or how far south you are in the city.  It is called the city of eternal spring and thus is green all year long with flowers everywhere.  Streets wind around hills and valleys and it is hard to get where you are going unless you are a genius.  Someone told me that Cuernavaca was God's first attempt at designing a city.  (Heresy I know)  After a bit of walking we came to a waterfall in the center of the city.  Quite stunning, even if the water going over the falls is a bit blue/grey looking.   

In the picture below we are sitting in the Zocalo enjoy coffee drinks from the Italian Coffee Company.  

Gary gave Waldo and Geovani the camera and they headed off to take pictures.  Jose Manuel decided he should follow and after a while I caught up to them in front of the Palace of Cortes.  Yes, the Cortes from Spain.  He liked Cuernavaca too. One of the boys took a picture of Gary and Manuel in front of the Palacio de Cortes.  

After walking throughout downtown we were getting tired and hungry. So we caught a couple of taxies and came home for a BBQ.  Manuel did a great job of cooking up burgers, arrechera (kind of thin steak) and hotdogs. We invited Pastor Lorenzo and Mari Carmen to come for a visit and we all enjoyed quite a BBQ feast together.  

Here we are watching Jose Manuel do all the cooking.  

Around 5:30, it was time for our guest to head back to Puebla.  Harley got back in his tavel bag and Geovani was so proud to carry the little pet on his lap all the way home.  

A final group foto.   How precious to share our Boxing Day with dear friends.  Jose Manuel is a leader in Puebla with the CrossWorld ministry there.  

We love hanging out with Debbie any chance we get. Debbie has the Christian bookstore in Los Heroes and leads a number of Bible studies with ladies in the community.  Thanks for coming Debbie and for bringing our precious Mexican friends with you.