This has been an amazing week of fiestas! For at least 1 week prior to Christmas, there are activities all over the city…music concerts, parades, women in traditional Mexican dress, fiestas, posadas, etc. Last night, our school held a posada which was a great experience! It started with 2 groups that simulated the night of Jesus’ birth. (First of all, I should tell you that there was an empty nativity scene set up early in the week ‘anticipating the arrival of the Christ-child.’) While singing traditional, Spanish, Christmas songs, the larger group walked around the school compound with candles and a small statue of Mary, Joseph, & Jesus…we were looking for a place for to stay! We met the smaller group at the entrance to the courtyard of the school and sang back and forth to one another about 5 times. This was a reenactment of Mary & Joseph going from house to house and hotel to hotel asking if there was a place for the family to sleep. Of course, there was no place for us to stay! Finally, we entered the courtyard…’where we found a place to stay’, sang a few more songs, and placed the statue of Mary, Joseph, & Jesus into the nativity scene. This was a special event…a unique experience for us as we are preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior with Sarah’s family in Sioux Falls, SD. This has been a unique Christmas season for another reason…it is the first in a long time that we haven’t struggled intense commercialism to keep our minds focused on Jesus, our Savior…It’s very refreshing! We hope and pray that all of you are able to focus on the true reason why we celebrate Christmas every year…the birth of the Messiah, who selflessly dedicated his life and death to forgive the sins of all people and to give the hope of eternal life to all who trust in him!

Then…we had 3 piñatas! This was awesome! First, the kids had their turn. Adia had a chance to take a few whacks at it…she didn’t do any damage, but I think she’ll be ready for next year! These kids had obviously done this before because within seconds after the piñata broke, there was a mass of kids frantically struggling to get as much candy as they could. And, seconds after that, the candy was gone! Then, the adults had our turn at 2 piñatas. Those who participated were blind-folded, spun around, and then let loose to find and hit the piñata. There was a guy at the top moving the piñata all over the place with a rope while everyone screamed to the person where to swing the stick. (I think he had the most fun out of all of us!) We need to more of this in the States! After the piñatas, we had tomales (mis favoritos), ponche, and a visited with teachers, students, and host families.

We just finished our 3rd week of school. I can only speak for myself when I say that I wish I was further along. My teachers tell me that I am doing well for my level and that I have only been in class for 3 weeks. I guess my expectations for myself were higher. At times, it’s difficult to be patient with the process of learning a language, but then I remember that I have been speaking another language for close to 30 years (which isn’t very long, by the way) and it’s very difficult for my mind to ‘go against the grain.’ Sarah is doing well in her Spanish training. She has had private lessons these first 3 weeks and I can really see a different in her Spanish abilities! Adia, too, is learning new things every day. She hands out with a 3-year old Mexican boy every day for about 4 hours. I think she will learn quicker than anyone! I am encouraged by the fact that all 3 of us are able to say things and have conversations that we could never have been able to have 3 weeks ago!!

We hope and pray that this holiday season brings a tremendous amount of comfort and peace to all of you and that this peace of Christ would continue to spread throughout the world!

¡La Paz de Dios!
Steven, Sarah, & Adia Gabb