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CIRCUIT ASSEMBLY IN MERIDA

The main reason for our trip this weekend was our “Safeguard Your Mind” circuit assembly.

While living in Mexico we have traveled quite a bit for assemblies and conventions.  There was the 5 hour drive to Morelia and the 6 hours to Queretaro and then the 1-2 hours into Guadalajara.  The program was always in rented facilities.

But here in Merida is an actual assembly hall.  It’s been a while since we have attended an assembly in a building just for that purpose and we enjoyed ourselves.

The first assembly in a new place can be daunting.  We have met so many interesting people and I am looking forward to getting to know them better.  There are a 2 couples who have been here for quite a while and they are moving to Guatemala at the end of this month.  They are very loved and will be missed.  Hopefully our paths will cross again.

We had right around 700 each day.  The circuit has 223 regular pioneers and 3 special pioneers.  There were 11 baptized.

India was happy to see our district overseer from Guadalajara over here.  They have visited and become friends and she just figured out that his district is all of Mexico and the rest of Central America.

The tribe

The tribe

Nice and spacious stage

Nice and spacious stage

Simple and pretty

Simple and pretty

The girl team

The girl team

Cutie pies with sun in their eyes

Cutie pies with sun in their eyes

A happy day for this family

A happy day for this family

Castillos

Castillos

Working hard

Working hard

Pretty girlies

Pretty girlies

The boy team

The boy team

Needs no caption

Needs no caption

More girlie shots

More girlie shots

In cahoots planning some special lyrics

In cahoots planning some special lyrics

On their way to Guatamala

On their way to Guatemala

Wrapping the monitors

Wrapping the monitors

India and her friend, Bro Tovar

India and her friend, Bro Tovar

Prodigy and Dwayne

Prodigy and Dwayne

 

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When we moved out here to Playa del Carmen from the state of Jalisco in October, we had to get back into Guadalajara for our district convention in November.  We haven’t had a chance to post pictures from that so I will include them here.

We had to fly back and were able to stay with Rick and Ella.  We all enjoyed ourselves at dinnertime and on the long car ride.  2 hours each way!  Being squished in the back seat with Ginger Kitty on my lap might not have been as much fun if I wasn’t sitting next to Geraldine and Ella -2 chicas that I will gladly squish next to any time.  I was happy we had Earl McKinney too.  We love Earl!

Austin ended up being sick on Friday.  🙁  He stayed behind on Saturday.  We missed the boys but we girls managed to survive ok.  I was glad to be altogether on Sunday.

First of all, it was difficult for us to wait sooooo long but it was worth the wait.  Plus, we snagged notes from friends who attended earlier conventions.  😉  The site was built to be a cock fighting arena.  Interesting.  Lots of clean up.  Lots.  But the local brothers and sisters worked super duper hard and we were able to enjoy a clean comfortable place.  Kind of.

There were just under 2000 in attendance and people came from Mazatlan, Fresnillo, Aguascalientes, Puerto Vallarta, Colima, Ciudad Guzman, Manzanillo, Melaque,  Tecoman, Zacatecas, Lake Chapala and Guad.  (not sure if that is the complete list)

People ask is there a lot of growth and a need for people to move into the area.  YES YES YES.  In just 8 months there were 10 new congregations formed in English –in just that 1 circuit.  There are a bunch of other English circuits through Mexico and on down to Panama and all are experiencing this kind of growth.  This kind of growth makes for a HUGE need.  (the spanish lang also has huge growth but our focus is on english right now)

Have you given thought to moving to serve where the need is greater?

Have you considered the possibility of living outside the country?

The Jocotepec congregation will always have a special place in our heart and we do miss those special people dearly.  This is the place where my kiddos learned to feel at home -even very far away from the home they always knew.  Things change, we know.  But forever and ever we will always smile when we think of the small congregation of wonderful people -who can really sing loud at the meetings.  😉

First stop is a visit with Vanessa and her family

First stop is a visit with Vanessa and her family

Playing with souvenirs

Playing with souvenirs

Dinner with good people

Dinner with good people

Rick Earl Ella

Rick Earl Ella

We feasted like kings

We feasted like kings

Some special friends

Some special friends

With a couple of Joco "grandparents"

With a couple of Joco “grandparents”

Jademi, we miss you chica!

Jademi, we miss you chica!

Rehearsing

Rehearsing

Catching up

Catching up

Axel

Axel

Center of the ring

Center of the ring

Some more special Joco "grandparents"

Some more special Joco “grandparents”

Sign language section

Sign language section

My Maria

My Maria

Friends

Friends

Friends that are like family

Friends that are like family

The cool kids

The cool kids

Following along

Following along

Our special friend Julie

Our special friend Julie

Our special friend Bernice

Our special friend Bernice

Discussing important matters of the day

Discussing important matters of the day

Dwight just had to jump in

Dwight just had to jump in 🙂

India made up this scavenger hunt game for her friends during the program.

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We get asked a lot if we think this move to another country is a good thing or not.  I think that our children’s lives have been permanently enhanced by this move.  They have not just met lots of people but have had the opportunity to develop relationships with people that are amazing.  People that have experiences that you read about in adventure stories and in the yearbook.  People who understand that it’s important to not follow the crowd.  People who value experiences over possessions.  And their friendships are not confined to age or race or any bias of personality.

So, YES! I do think that this has been a marvelous experience..  And we are only just starting.

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{ 15 comments… add one }
  • Geraldine February 25, 2013, 8:09 pm

    It has been 3 months since our Convention in Guad, but it seems like only yesterday. Enjoyed your pics and blog. When are you coming to Texas??

    • admin February 25, 2013, 9:32 pm

      Geraldine- Didn’t we have the best car group? Those car rides will forever give me a reason to smile. xoxo

  • Monique February 25, 2013, 8:50 pm

    Love your blog and hearing about your adventures. Your part at the end is a very good sum up. I would have commented before but I just now figured out how to comment. Have you ever considered writing a book? That is a book I would read.
    P.S. if you don’t remember we met a few conventions ago.

    • admin February 25, 2013, 9:34 pm

      Monique- I totally know who you are chica. 🙂 So happy that you found our blog and India enjoys your emails. We hope you and your family can make it out here sometime.

  • Sonya February 25, 2013, 9:25 pm

    So glad to see you beautiful family serving Jehovah. Nice pics and memories!

    • admin February 25, 2013, 10:01 pm

      Sonya- Thanks for reading and commenting. Hope all is well with you guys in this cold snowy winter you have. 🙂

  • Jill Tracy February 25, 2013, 10:43 pm

    Enjoyed seeing your happy, smiling faces and even the friends! Miss u so much & wish we could join you sometime!

    • admin February 26, 2013, 9:02 am

      Jill- That was a little something I put in just for you! 🙂

  • JaneR February 28, 2013, 1:58 pm

    I get chills everytime I read your blog with pics. I am so happy that you both have really exposed your kids to so much. It’s really true what you said — their lives are permanently enhanced. Kyria and Alan told us how happy they were to see you all! We miss you all, but know that you are having a great time and experiencing so much joy. It fills my heart to see it in these wonderful emails!! KEEP IT UP!!!

    • admin February 28, 2013, 5:39 pm

      Jane- Thank you so much. It’s a treat for us to get your comments. We all keep doing the best we can to take care of our kiddos where ever we are, right? 🙂

  • Dan & Brenda Campbell April 13, 2013, 8:43 pm

    We’re so excited to stumble onto your blog! We are in the infant stages of making the jump to serving Jehovah in Mexico in English territory. We would welcome any helpful info. How long have you been there? Where are you from & where did you go? How did you make such a decision? We are thinking of Merida area. Do you have any contacts in an English congregation there? Should we contact the CO there?

  • Dan & Brenda Campbell April 14, 2013, 7:03 pm

    I hope you got my message from yesterday. We just had our “Safeguard Your Mind” circuit assembly in Idaho yesterday & today and you may never guess who was there but mutual friends, Dwight and Joy Duggan. Actuwlly, their granson, Japheth, is married to my daughter, Leah and they remember very well meeting your family when they went to visit. I love the universal connection of Jehovah’s people.

  • Brigid May 25, 2013, 5:12 pm

    I love the scavenger hunt idea for the little ones. I am enjoying your experiences.

  • Brigid May 26, 2013, 12:16 am

    Would you be able to email me? I would love to speak with someone directly about serving in Mexico. I called the branch, but will have to call back Monday a.m. but would love to speak to some of the friends, especially whole families, as opposed to married couples w/o kiddies. thanks!

  • Pat Ray April 13, 2014, 6:29 pm

    Hi Enos Family,
    I lost track of you after my visit to Joco and was just searching for info on Morelia when your website popped up. I remember you said you knew the Eldridge family.

    Anyway, you all look happy. Are you still moving around or have you found a spot you like?

    Pat

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