You don’t have to live in Mexico for a long time to learn about their favorite sport – soccer! All major cities have a soccer team, and almost every person has a favorite team.

Last week was a big soccer week here. On Wednesday, seminary students gathered at our house to have a grillout and watch the Champion’s League (European soccer) champion game. Milan played against Liverpool, and Milan won 2-1. Most of the people in our house were disappointed, as they had been cheering for Liverpool. (Our three-month old watched part of it, too, and according to her dad, she also cheered for Liverpool).

On Sunday evening, we had another party. This time it was to watch the Mexican League Championship game. The Pachuca “Tuzos” (Gophers) played against the America “Aguilas” (Eagles). We were all rooting for Pachuca, and they won! I know our English teachers in Pachuca were excited that their team won (to learn more about the mission work going on in Pachuca, see here).

As missionaries, we enjoy getting involved in the sporting events, especially soccer. It is a great way to soak up the culture, have some fun, and get in touch with the people down here.

Summer is here and that means it is HOT and by 8am it is 80+ degrees. Sarah and I try to get out for early morning (5:45am) bikes rides a few times a week. This morning we took a little video and here it is!

As I was preparing to take a video clip of Sarah along the rice path, a farmer stepped into view and pulled debris from the irrigation channel to release the water. Each morning when they want to water the vegi patches they have along the water ditch, they first plug the ditch somewhat so that the water level rises and it makes it easier to scoop out buckets of water. When the vegis are watered they removed the barrier and let the water flow. This is a short clip but it is fun to get off of the roads.

Here is a clip of one of our favorite restaurants in Taichung. For 20 USD a family of five can eat tepenyaki style crab, shrimp, mushrooms, cod, bean sprouts, cabbage and all the tea you can drink. We really like it and most of those who have gone with us have enjoyed it as well!

I took this picture of our daughter when she was three weeks old, partly to show how little she was and partly to remember how she liked to be cradled on my husband’s arm.Now, at three months, she still wakes up in the morning and looks at us expectantly, waiting for someone to pick her up, feed her, bathe her, take care of her. Her dependence on us has made the references in the Bible on child-like faith so much more vivid. Her unquestioning trust, assurance of security, and eyes of faith are just what our Father in heaven asks us to have.

If one thing in life is certain, it is that nothing here on Earth is certain. It probably doesn’t take you long to come up with a list of uncertainties in life. For us, some of them include the length of time we’ll serve in Mexico, what health situations we will face in the coming months, what will happen with the Synod financial situation, and on and on.

May we learn a valuable lesson from the three-month old. As she rests her complete wellbeing in the hands of her parents, so may we place our trust in our heavenly Father. He knows just what we need and knows how to care for us even better than we can care for our own children. How great our Father in heaven is; how powerful is his Word.