Archive for the ‘Mexico City’ Category

Where we were, where we are

Where we were: Mexico City, population 30 million, working in impoverished communities with vulnerable children and families. Very dry climate, very communal and vibrant culture.
Where we are: St Andrews, population 16,000, a very wealthy town and “elite” university, very wet and cold climate, indvidualistic (though warm) culture.
The culture adjustment process between these two extremes is [...]

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How Ironic

We lived in Mexico City when the swine flu emerged in May 2009. The world responded to the media’s heyday and everyone immediately canceled their trips to Mexico.
I didn’t personally know a single person that got the swine flu in Mexico City.
By the end of July, the risk of contracting the swine flu was higher [...]

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We Just Missed Moonwalking for Michael

I read on NPR today that a large gathering of people in Mexico City just set the world record for the most people who danced to Michael Jackson’s song Thriller: this time 13,000. When we were in Mexico, we were surprised how many tributes there were to Michael Jackson after his death, and the NPR [...]

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Street Children: What is a Christian Approach?

Mexican has millions of street children. At almost every major intersection in Mexico City, we have seen children selling everything from balloons to gum, or trying to wash our car. It always makes us wonder: do they have homes? Why are they on the street? Have they suffered abuse and neglect, or just extreme poverty?
Right [...]

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Flu Update

Please keep praying for the flu outbreak situation in Mexico City.  The WHO has recently concluded that the swine flu has “pandemic potential,” but there are a lot of different reports out there, and the verdict is still up in the air.
In the meantime, we’re staying in, and getting a lot of spring cleaning done!
Read [...]

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Flu Outbreak

Here’s something to pray for: there is concern over a flu outbreak that has spread through Mexico City.  Consequently, all schools, universities, and Armonía community centers are closed today. Please pray for the people in the communities in which we work, those who are sick, and that the strain will be contained quickly.
Read more here.

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No More Plastic!

Yesterday it was announced that Mexico City is banning all plastic bags from its supermarkets and grocery stores. The law will go into effect in one year, giving store owners time to research and implement different options and for plastic companies to readjust. It is predicted that around 20 million plastic bags are disposed in [...]

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The Venice of Mexico

Mexico City used to be an enormous lake, which is hard to imagine because of the water shortages and drought experienced by the inhabitants today. But more than a thousand years ago, the native Indians who settled the valley began building islands in the lake that were used for farming, residences, and a natural defense [...]

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Driving Restrictions in Mexico City

It is common knowlege that there are driving restrictions in Mexico City (the D.F.), but for some reason, when Stephanie and I were driving to our appointment at the U.S. embassy yesterday, we forgot about those rules. Unfortunately, we had two strikes against us yesterday. First, license plates ending in the numbers 5 or 6 [...]

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Be Smart: Don’t Get Mugged

I have run across a number of articles lately about the danger of getting mugged and robbed in Mexico City. One highlights the dangers of guerros getting mugged in the metro. The other talks about the rising occurence of airport robberies. The moral of these articles has one things in common: be smart. A lot [...]

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