A Picnic in the Mountains!



    Each year our church treks up to the mountains for an afternoon of food and fellowship, as well as hiking and exploring. The kids love to run up and down the arroyos and chase the goats from a nearby ranch while the adults enjoy talking with one another.  It's a peaceful, quiet place and we always come back refreshed. It was a much anticipated day so imagine our surprise when the weather forecast showed Tropical Storm Sonia heading right for us!
    We held out hope that our picnic would still happen and arrived at the church just as the first few drops started falling. Everyone seemed up for an adventure so we loaded up the cars and headed up the 45 min bumpy mountain road. The clouds got darker, the rain continued to pick up but our spirits remained high and hopeful! Once we arrived at our spot and started worship the rain moved on, leaving us with cool air and the fresh smell of rain. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather!



One thing I love about our church is the spirit of family that surrounds us when we're together. The women in the church are some of the most loving, encouraging and gentle ladies you'll meet. From the beginning I have always felt welcomed and loved. Even though my communication with them is limited ( though my understanding gets better every day) all it takes is a hug or a smile to show how much you appreciate them. Today I felt especially blessed and supported by several ladies who took it upon themselves to teach me how to make handmade tortillas! We all had a good laugh as I made the comment "I'm SO AMERICAN!" It took a few tries but by the end I started getting the hang of it. Husband approved and asked for more!



Once the Tortilla was made it was time to slip it onto the tray sitting over the fire. The ladies taught me the best way to slide it off my hand and then how to pick it up off the hot surface. I got a round of applause after I successfully plated my tortilla! These woman are pro's and I look forward to mastering the art of tortilla making under their guidance.































     It doesn't get much more authentic than today and I'm so thankful I get to experience a new culture and a new way of doing things. The food was amazing, the fellowship sweet and I'm feeling restored as we head into a new week.
     Here are a few more pictures of our time spent in communion with our brother's and sister's in Christ.









 























































































Comments

  1. Jess MarkoyaNovember 4, 2013 at 10:33 AM

    I love your posts, Leslie! I can't wait to come visit you guys someday.
    -Jess M.

    ReplyDelete

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