From Cuernavaca I went back to New Zealand for my first break (known as “furlow”). During this time Anna Lee’s husband passed away (director of Bread for Children) and I was asked if I would consider returning to the head office in Florida to help out there for a time (rather than returning to Mexico).

There I had the opportunity to gain more experience working closely with the printshop, and doing the layout of the English magazine (Bread for Children).

Part of my job description was help with the proof reading but there is such a conflict between the written British English and American English, that I gave that one up and told them to just give me the copy once it was “correct”.

In my spare moments I began “playing” with some ideas for sketches and came up with a series illustrating my favorite parable – The Sower (Mark 4:1-20).

This set of cartoons has been used many times over the years in different settings. I later did the parable of the Good Smaritan which is also easily broken into just four sketches.

The fifth edition of Living Temples includes this set of cartoons where & it was when I was preparing this booklet that I added four “interpretation” cartoons.

Here are the sketches of the Parable of the Sower:

Some seed fell on the hard ground.		Some seed fell on the stony ground
Some seed fell on the thorny ground		Some seed fell on the good stony ground

Look out for the next chapter which will contain the cartooned interpretations of the parable of the sower.

What a diverse team, a Colombian, a Kiwi and an American!

Anna Lee and her secretary had visited Mexico City previously and had been connected with a magazine distributor in Cuernavaca Mexico (Trine V.). Trine had introduced Anna Lee to a printer and she was in the process of transferring to another area, leaving her apartment vacant in Cuernavaca.

Everything Was Prepared For Us.

So we had an apartment to go to and a printer waiting for us. All we needed to do was to take the original copy of the magazine down and some equipment to continue working with future volumes.

There was even a car provided. Wow!

The trip down was not too eventful until we reached Mexico City and I tell the story of that little adventure right here..

We finally arrived about 1.30-2am rather tired and worse still we had kept our landlady up waiting for us. Trini was also still up waiting and she was due to leave the next morning, well actually later that day

Despite the lateness of the hour, in true Mexico fashion we were greeted warmly by Mrs Gonzalez (landlady) and offered some hot chocolate.

The next day we unpacked all of the originals of the magazine ready to take to the printers. The front page story was about a little boy in Mexico who had fallen into a water tank and was miraculously rescued.

I had made a sketch of the scene from the story and of course the main character was the little boy who’s name was Miguel. I thought that was a fictitious name.

The Surprise Is Revealed

Mrs Gonzalez came down to see if we needed anything and her youngest son was with her. He was about 5 years old. She introduced us to Miguel. I could not believe my eyes when I saw Miguel. He looked just like the sketch I had made, and yes he WAS the little boy who had fallen into the water tank.

It was a true story (which we knew) but even the name had not been changed. I showed them the sketch and they agreed the resemblance was incredible!

Wow, not only did my sketches turn out accepted for the magazine (remember this was the first time I had tried drawing with no “reference” that I could copy and adapt), but I had managed to capture the resemblance of a young boy I had never even met!

I could see that this was another indication that God was leading all the way!

When God calls He equips, there is no doubt about that. It just takes faith to step out and do things!

Introductions To Cuernavaca and The Culture of South Mexico.

Mrs Gonzalez turned out to be very supportive in attending to our every need. Her eldest son showed us around Cuernavaca and took us downtown to a treat of some great coffee and an experience with the Mariachis!

Cuernavaca quickly became my favorite city. It did not take long for me to decide that, and I never really left, just when I needed to return to the border to renew papers and travel to conferences etc.

The City of the Eternal Spring, it is called. Who could not enjoy a city that is never TOO hot yet never TOO cold and that has markets that offer any fruit or vegetable you can think of fresh every day!

Preparing For Greater Things

Our daily schedule in Cuernavaca was divided between editorial work, visiting the print shop and going out to the market and the streets to distribute the newly printed magazines. They were eagerly received where ever we went.

We also visited the different churches of the city and surrounding areas and were often invited to speak in the meetings. Of course we always took bundles of magazines with us.

Little did I realize at the time that all that we were doing was training for what was ahead of me.

Check back in a couple of days to see the next chapter in the unfolding of this adventure, and meanwhile I trust this is encouraging you to follow all that God puts in your heart.

Be prepared! As you start to follow His Vision for your life you will discover that it will always get bigger.

Chapter 2: The Beginning

As I mentioned in the first chapter, one of the things I noticed during my first months in Mexico was the lack of Christian literature available for children (this was in 1977). At the time I was helping oversee a dormitory in a boy’s orphanage near Monterrey.

At Christmas we went into the city to look for some books to give the boys for Christmas and were horrified to find there was so little to choose from.

Christian Literature Was Always A Part of My Vision

I always had the publishing side of missionary work on my heart. We were constantly receiving visiting speakers at Youth For Christ, and several were from Christian Literature Crusade. Their stories always fascinated and challenged me.

One of the first materials I published was a little magazine for the local Sunday School I was teaching at the time. As well as the magazine, I set to work doing children’s puzzles for my class. A teacher from one of the largest churches in Christchurch, NZ saw them and asked permission to publish these puzzles in their weekly church bulletin.

Confirmation and Direction from the Home Church

So when we saw the need in Mexico, I wrote to the church in NZ that was supporting me at the time sharing what I saw. The secretary who was familiar with what I was working on before I left New Zealand, immediately replied with an article she had seen in the Women’s Aglow magazine. It was about a children’s magazine that was being published in Florida. Bread for Children was the magazine, and the author (Anna Lee Carlton) shared her vision to start publishing in Mexico.

At the time I was working with a lady who had been in Argentina for many years and so of course her spanish was very good, while mine was still in the beginning stages. We contacted Anna Lee, director of Bread For Children, and were flown over to Florida to meet the team there. The few days with Anna Lee, her husband and the staff sealed the next step in my adventures on this side of the world.

We returned to South Texas (the base for going in and out of Mexico), packed and returned to Florida. We were to prepare the first issue of Bread for Children in spanish which was to be translated as “Pan Para Los Hijos”.

One of the first things we noticed was the absence of illustrations in the magazine. We commented on this and mentioned that Mexican children need visuals. (All children do actually, but we were preparing Pan Para Los Hijos).

Who Was To Do the Needed Illustrations?

Anna Lee was fine with that, but who was to do the drawings? So far my drawing skills had been limited to copying or at least adapting a sketch from an existing one. But there was no point of reference for any sketches that were needed now.

However I volunteered and sat down with a pencil to see what I could do.

Immediately my mind was filled with images of the scenes at the boy’s orphanage near Monterrey. I had something to copy and adapt!

A very big surprise was awaiting me in Cuernavaca where we were to be sent to print the first volume of Pan Para Los Hijos (Look for this surprise in next article, to be published on Thursday, Jan 8th, 2009).

]]> http://kiwichamp.com/the-beginning/feed/ 2 http://kiwichamp.com/introduction-to-my-favorite-country/ http://kiwichamp.com/introduction-to-my-favorite-country/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:48:11 +0000 Jill Rapley http://kiwichamp.com/?p=98 they are family. First Impressions: I first went down to Cuernavaca in 1977, as part of a team of 3, sent by a children's magazine (Bread For Children) I was with at the time. I had already traveled to Mexico City (known as D.F. or Distrito Federal) by bus, so I was a little familiar with the city. However driving was another thing. Especially back in 1977!]]> Many of my friends in Mexico tell me that I am more mexican than the chile. (Maybe it is because I like chile). The truth is I love Mexico and since I have spent close to half my life there, it is natural that it has become like home to me.

In fact most of my friends down there are more than friends, they are family.

First Impressions: I first went down to Cuernavaca in 1977, as part of a team of 3, sent by a children’s magazine (Bread For Children) I was with at the time.

I had already traveled to Mexico City (known as D.F. or Distrito Federal) by bus, so I was a little familiar with the city. However driving was another thing. Especially back in 1977!

The fun part was the signs. My spanish was at the time in its begining stages, but one of the girls with us was from Colombia, so the language was no problem. But oh my, the signs.

The thing that stands out the most to me about my first drive through Mexico City? The signs!

Along the Pereferico, one of the main axles of the city, there were signs showing the exits just as every city has. Only in D.F. they were not so easy to follow as most cities.

One sign said “Cuernavaca”. Great, we were getting close to the exit. But that was the last sign that mentioned Cuernavaca. The next one said “Insurgentes”. Now if you knew that Insurgentes would lead you out of the city in the direction of Cuernavaca you were fine. But we did not know that!

First Encounter with Culture Shock
Result? Close to 1am in the morning found us still going around in circles and learning a lot about Mexican culture. It seems that almost no one will answer your inquiry with “I don’t know”. They will make something up first. So when we asked for directions to Cuernavaca, guess what? We ended up getting more lost than ever!

Discovering the Friendliness of the Country
Finally an “angel” taxi rescued 3 tired and frustrated girls as the driver cheerfully told us: “Follow me”. Yes there are MANY people in Mexico like that, so willing to go well out of their way to help.

We followed him and were soon crossing the mountains to Cuernavaca where we were joyfully received by our hosts who were anxiously waiting our arrival. Our weariness was soon forgotten as we experienced the warmth of our new family.

I love Mexico! The people are so warm and friendly, that any frustrations you may face are soon forgotten!

Interested in learning spanish? Take a look at the only course on the net that will teach you real latin spanish, and get 10 free videos today Go here now!

Yuli

P.S. The signs on the Pereferico have been upgraded since my first trip, and now they are easy to follow.

]]> http://kiwichamp.com/introduction-to-my-favorite-country/feed/ 2