Heritage 2015 - BBQ and Singspiration

After visiting the Garden of the Gods and doing a little bit of shopping we went back to our hotels to freshen up for the meet-and-greet BBQ and singspiration. We were so excited!! 

We sat around talking, meeting new people and having a great time...

...Until Sarah Schreckhise informed us that the missionary kid ensemble we'd joked about in Honduras a few weeks ago had just become a REALITY. The singspiration was starting in about half an hour and we were singing. What?!?! 

We went and found a piano. Cherie Marchbanks agreed to play for us. We racked our brains for a song, finally settled on one, ran though it, then scrapped it,  picked another one, figured our parts out, ran through it a few times and that was it. 

The singspiration was awesome! It started out with a young man on a harmonica playing "this train is bound for glory, this train..." It sounded so neat! The music throughout the conference was so unique, at least to us west-coasters. Harmonicas, an electric guitar, acoustic guitar, a fiddle...it was all so beautiful. 

The group from Pastor Ham's church in Louisiana. They sang beautifully! 

My favorite choir of the night - the young people from Pastor Howard's church in Tulsa, OK. They did awesome! They sang a song I'd never heard of, but have been listening to on repeat since the conference called But the Blood by Kirk Franklin. They were so anointed and their soloists blended so perfectly, I was surprised to find out they weren't brother and sister. The whole song was so good. -I loved it!! 

The Missionary Ensemble

Nathaniel, Sarah, and Allana Schreckhise...and the Wakefield girls. LOL!

I KNOW the Schreckhises can sing. Siblings always sound awesome together, thus my fear of adding in Nicole and I, besides the fact that I do not consider myself a singer. On top of all that, we were right after THEE Denae Abbott, singer extraordinaire! I was a leeeeetle nervous. I don't know how we actually sounded, but I think it went ok. And YES I do know there's a recording!!! NO THANK YOU. Recordings are never good. Please leave me to my own memories and imaginings ahhahaha.

Since Denae had just sang, Sis. Abbott was on the organ as we were going up to sing. Oooh la la! An organ - the perfect instrument to kind of just smooth things out and cover any rough edges. I asked Cherie to ask her if she'd stay up and play for us and she agreed. She hadn't practiced with us beforehand, but of course it sounded perfect. 

Let us all have a moment of silence for Sis. Abbott and all the times she's stepped in and saved the day. 

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Thank you, Sis. Abbott!! 

The singspiration ended with a group from Bryan, TX I believe. They sang Rain, Lord.

Like a raging fire, burn in my soul.
Baptize me with the Holy Ghost!
Rain, Lord. Rain, Lord! 

It ended in people shouting and dancing and worshiping God. It was a great first night!! 

Afterwards the Schreckhises took us back to our hotel. As you can see, we were having quite the time :)

~Bethany~

Garden of the Gods (Pre-Heritage)

This past week we were privileged to be able to go up to Colorado for Heritage. I am in the process of organizing my pictures and getting a post ready about it. 

Nicole and I flew up on Monday. Tuesday morning the Schreckhises picked us up and we ran a couple errands, went shopping, and went to the Garden of the Gods. It was beautiful! 

I don't have a lot to say on this post - the awesome scenery pretty much speaks for itself. It was awesome being able to spend the day with our fellow missionary friends. We love the Schreckhises! Thank you for running us around and letting us play tourist with you all! 

Chatting on the drive up

Watching a rock climber - LOL

Us girls -
Allana and I were jail mates :)

The MKs

Allana and Sarah

Bro. Schreckhise relaxing on a rock

~Bethany~

P.S. - If you tried to call or text last week and haven't heard back from me yet, it is because I had terrible phone service in Colorado and didn't get it. Sorry!

Poblano Eucalyptus Pens!

This is a post for those of you who were privileged to buy one of the Poblano Eucalyptus pens at West Coast 2014 and in the past few months! The eucalyptus wood has such a beautiful grain! 

All of the other pens that were being sold came from wood in the U.S. that come as pre-cut blocks like this:

But these Eucalyptus pens came from a special place!....

Our back yard! :))

Several weeks ago, down this bumpy, puddle-ridden road a treasure was found...

A huge Eucalyptus stump!

Pastor and Valentin went to work with a hand saw and were able to leave with enough to make several pens.

Posing with his "catch"

I just realized that one of these Eucalyptus pens is in fact doubly special!! Bryan made a pen all by himself with this wood. 

*Nicole*

Honduras - The Bugs

I forgot that I'd planned on doing a separate post on Honduran bugs. While in Honduras I started a little collection of pictures. There were little bugs, big bugs, spiders, flying creatures, and lizards. 

We don't have very many bugs where we live in Mexico so we got our memories renewed on why exactly bugs are so gross. Here are some of the most interesting ones...

Buzz Lightyear moth

A giant ant

The person that was in the bathroom before me saw this spider and did NOTHING about it. AUGH!! I did not find out about the spider until after I got out of the shower. It was probably right there the WHOLE TIME. And that is a BIG SPIDER. 

A (dead) beetle

One night we were sitting around visiting, and I was sitting on the kitchen floor. A mosquito landed next to me so I flicked it. This is what resulted. 

A huuuuuuuge cockroach that may or may not have went up someone's shirt...

An interesting green bug

The day we went to swim at the river, we got to see some spiders.....

My main concern - "Do they swim?" 

Hairyyyy! 

.......WOW.....

Like I said - Honduras was a very interesting experience!! I hope you've all enjoyed these pictures and now have the creepy crawlies like ME!

~Bethany~

Legit Holy Water!

Beth and I made a market/grocery store trip the other day and saw some funny things!

Enjoy :D

We have a new drink/cult now! 

Lala Cult!

This is more for all you Mexican/Latino paisas out there! ...If you don't get it, just scroll. Lol. :D

 We walked over to the market, and got to see these monsters!!!

Cabeza de res! (Cow head) 

These go into soups, tacos, and who knows what else. 

To my knowledge I have never eaten it. Just the thought makes me cringe!

Cows heads, as far as the eye can see! :)) Looks like someone needs to get in there with a tooth brush. Blech.

One of the reasons we were at the market was to pick up a dried herb. So we hunted and searched through the market looking for herb stands. 

We came across this beauty of a store... They didn't end up having my herb, but they did have a few other eye-catching sights! This market stall actually turned out to be a catholic/witchcraft vendor. See the hanging animal carcasses? As we learned in Obregon, you can boil these and eat them to be healed, or bathe in the boiled skunk water for equal benefits.

Here the lady is searching for the herb.

As she looked through her herbs, we got a funny eye-full.

Here we have...

**drumroll**

Legitimate Holy Water

(Not like those other fake bottles of holy water you've been buying)

This particular bottle is for the specific need of a "Rain of Money". 

Um, yes, please! 

Anybody else want this bottle of legit water?? I can take orders if anyone is interested... Just comment below :)) 

This is a bottle of Legit Holy Water with Zodiacal Oil that guarantees 

"Quick Luck".

Some of the promises on this bottle are silver, success, dreams coming true, 

and get this-- a "Cadillac". Any takers?

 Need a job, and quick? Here you go--

Get your bottle of "I Want Work Quickly" 

Directions: Sprinkle on one's self. 

P.S. "It's very effective"

Calling all singles! 

Get your "attractive spirit" on with this water!

The front view of this curious little shop

Candles and tea for every ailment you can imagine...

Let us know if you need some helpful legitimate holy water. Deliveries can be made at Heritage next week. :))

*Nicole*

Leaving Honduras

We woke up early Thursday morning to leave for the airport in San Pedro Sula. Bro Schreckhise and Josiah took us there and hung out with us until it was time for us to go to our gate. We ate donuts, baleadas, and even some frosties from Wendy's. We were so excited to see a Wendy's since we don't have them here in Mexico. Of course we had to take a picture...

But when I opened my camera, it was on front-facing so all I saw was me and Nicole's faces. Well, might as well take a picture! 

Wendy's! A delicacy. 

 We went through customs, got to our gate and hung out there for a while. 

Once we boarded the plane and got up in the air, they served lunch. It'd been a whiiiile since I'd been on a flight where they served a meal. People aren't kidding when they dog airplane food. However, that little Hershey chocolate in there saved the day!! 

We arrived in our beautiful Mexico a couple hours later, so HAPPY to feel the cooooool air when we stepped off the plane. Hallelujah! 

When you go through customs, you have to press a button to see whether you get a green or red light. If you get a green light you get to go straight through. If you get a red light, they go through your luggage. Nicole said she was feeling lucky so she wanted to press the button for our family. 

Never trust Nicole on a lucky day!!!!!! :)

Going through our luggage

 We had a wonderful, incredible time in Honduras. Despite the heat, I would go back any day - even in the dead of summer! As hot as it was, it did not ruin our time. I have not been on a lot of "missions trips" (our own mission field does not count!) However, of all the places I've been, and different missionaries I've visited, I would recommend any of my friends going to visit Honduras and see the work of God there. It was highly inspiring, and you will not meet a more Godly, kind, and sweet family than the Schreckhises. I hope to visit again one day, but if I don't, I will see all of the sweet saints of Honduras in heaven! 

~Bethany~

Honduras - Day 7

We are down to our last full day in Honduras...

Our day started out with breakfast. The eggs from the morning before were so delicious, I had to have them again. I also had a side of giant avocado. 

Yes, avocados. These are all ripe and ready to eat, and they are about 5 times the size of our average avocado. 

Orphie hanging out in the tree planter

A lizard on the wall by my bed

A little confusion -
I heard that this was the church so I took a picture. We walked in this gate and everyone turned right. I was wondering where everyone was going when Francis informed me:
^^This is the fellowship hall. Next door is the church. So here is a picture of part of the church property!

When we got there, the Schreckhise kids all got up and started singing and playing. They are so talented!

Thursday was our last service and it was at the main church in La Ceiba, the church the Schreckhises pastor. They started out with some awesome pre-service prayer. 

This little girl was so cute

Song service

Dad preaching

The Ceiba church has a bus that everyone rides to and from church on. After church we all decided we would ride this bus home. 

The Pentecostals of Honduras

Bro. Schreckhise didn't ride the bus home, but got on to say goodbye to all the people. 

Austin enjoying the moving air

When we got home, we had a wonderful treat awaiting us. Sarah had made a coconut lime cake that was absolutely delicious! 

Fun fact: They have to freeze their cakes so that the frosting doesn't melt off of the cake! That's how hot it is! 

Mom helping cut the cake

Sarah the amazing baker and I

Allana and Nicole and Sarah's hand :P

After taking a few pictures we said our goodbyes and headed to bed...Our departure trip will be up asap! 

~Bethany~