Last week, pastors from the Mexican Lutheran Church traveled to Torreón. They held meetings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to discuss various issues related to the church here.

On Thursday, the pastors spent the day studying together. They focused on ways to improve their sermon-writing skills.

On Friday and Saturday, financial issues were at the heart of many discussions. While the details are a bit complicated to explain, I can say this: my husband came home extremely satisfied with the decisions made. According to him, the congregations will now take on more responsibility when it comes to supporting their pastors.

We’re glad the pastors had a chance to get together, and thankful that they all returned safely to their homes. It is always encouraging for them to spend time with one another. And it’s an added bonus when the missionary is pleased with the progress he sees!

Here’s my twenty-month-old at the wheel (they grow up so fast ). What you can’t see in the picture is an excited Daddy, scouting out the arcade area for the next ride to take Trinity on.

I don’t know how many arcades are still in the U.S. (or if they would fit into our budget if we lived there). I do know that here you can spot them everywhere – in the mall, outside of movie theaters…even parks have lots of rides and games for kids. The majority of these cost just a few pesos (less than 50 cents).

Of course, there are catches that come with this low-cost entertainment. An example: a few weeks ago we let Trinity ride on a carousel. The operator had a hard time getting it started, and eventually opened a box full of wires in the middle of the carousel. My heart raced as I watched him play with live wires and a few sparks. Not to worry, however – he soon started the ride and Trinity enjoyed a ride on her horse.

For the most part, however, these rides are safe. We’ve taken Trinity to a number of arcades, and she just loves them. From driving “cas” to playing games that involve balls, it’s a great source of entertainment for her. And I’m never quite sure who is more excited about the rides – Trinity or her Daddy .

Recent communication from Pastor Tom Spiegelberg with this update on Trinity Lutheran Church in West Indies brings us sweet news:

Bramdeo Ramgolam was born in Georgetown, Guyana. At the age of 9, he moved to St. Lucia. Three years later, he began attending Trinity Lutheran Church. In June of 1996 at the age of 16, he was baptized as a child of God and confirmed in the Lutheran Church. After completing his primary and secondary education in St. Lucia, he attended Luther Prepatory School in Watertown, Wisconsin. He then enrolled at Martin Luther College. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN in the spring of 2004. After two years of studies at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, Bramdeo was assigned to be a vicar at Eternal Love Lutheran Church in Appleton, Wisconsin. In August of 2007 he returned to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary to complete his studies and received his Master of Divinity degree in May of 2008.

Pastor Ramgolam was eligible to receive a call anywhere in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Trinity Lutheran, with help from several Wisconsin churches, was able to extend a call for him to serve in St Lucia. Although at a different pay scale than a Stateside pastor, the Holy Spirit led Pastor Ramgolam to accept the call to serve Trinity Lutheran Church. He is the second West Indian native to complete a traditional training in our Synodical educational system and return to serve the Lord’s people in the West Indies. We cannot thank the Lord enough for the opportunity to call Pastor Ramgolam as the first full time locally supported pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church! This is a huge step in the development of our congregation.

Pastor Ramgolam was installed on August 31st by Pastor Joel Jeager. Also represented was also St. John’s Lutheran Church from Antigua by Pastor Jason Richards, our first West Indian pastor to return to serve in the West Indies.

The Fall schedule has begun at Christ the Rock. Once again we are reminded of God’s mercy and kindness. As always, there are many things for which to give thanks.

This past month, through the waters of baptism, the Holy Spirit bestowed faith, forgiveness and heaven upon four children of the Vieth family.

The Vieths visited Christ the Rock several months ago for Sunday worship. Since that time they have attended worship regularly and started a Bible Information Class to become members. As they explored God’s Word and the blessings of baptism, they realized this was something they wanted for their children. Following the baptism service, the Vieth family served up Navajo tacos and fry bread for the entire congregation. What a delicious meal and what a wonderful day it was to see these young souls blessed through baptism!

In September, members of the congregation El Redentor (Redeemer) decided to start a women’s society. Their goal is to help out with mission work in various parts of Mexico.

To get started, they held a meeting and invited women from other congregations in the Torreón area. They chose a president, secretary and treasurer to help with the organization. Then they started planning what to do.

Their first project will be to host a Christmas party in Zaragoza Sur, an area near Torreón where we have a new mission. To raise money for the event, they’re going to sell hamburgers on the evening of October 18th. The money brought in will be used to purchase gifts and food for the children in Zaragoza Sur.

This is a step forward for the Mexican Lutheran Church. While a number of congregations have ladies’ groups, they usually focus on the needs of their own congregation. A group that carries out activities to support mission work in other areas shows progress. And the women want to take the group to a national level. It should be fun to watch them grow during the coming months!