We came as 2 and left as 3

Emma's New Toys

Our Little Traveler

Emma, Carolina, & Edith at Edith's Baptism

Mary & Raul's New Home

After 7 days of driving, 10 hours every day, almost running out of gas in the middle of the Sierra Mountains, and almost getting our truck seized and almost getting a $5,000.00 fine at the border for getting in the wrong line, we are home! We arrived home Wednesday, April 26^th. The drive was long – there sure is a lot of desert up the Baja, through southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas! The world didn’t start getting green until Arkansas and Tennessee. Emma had her first experience with rain in Arkansas. Speaking of Emma, she traveled like a champ! I sat in the back with her for most of the trip while Mark drove. She would eat every 3 hours, we would play or read together for about an hour, and then she would sleep for about 2 hours. I think it was in New Mexico that I taught her how to give raspberries which Mark was not very happy with since she would stick her tongue out and spit all over us when we held her after that. It was a very educational trip. . .

It was very difficult to leave our home in La Paz. We feel so blessed to have been able to spend a year in paradise with some of the most wonderful people in the world. David and Joyce Reed have been like a brother and a sister to us as well as mentors. It was also a blessing to be able to spend so much time with our friends Mary & Raul and Carolina & Ruben. By the way, Mary & Raul’s house looks great! They are all moved in, and Mary even planted a garden already! It’s still not complete, but it’s beautiful, and they couldn’t be happier. Carolina & Ruben are in the process of building a home too!

Another blessing we received before leaving was through our neighbor Edith and her 2 daughters Azul and Emmi. Edith’s father was our landlord. Edith is a hair dresser, and she works hard to care for her girls. Over the year, Edith has shared with us the struggles she faces being a single mom. One of the brothers at Crossroads was a regular at her shop. One day he invited her to Crossroads, and she agreed to come. Edith speaks only a word or two of English, so she did not understand much, but the 2^nd time she came, she met Carolina & Ruben who also attend the First Baptist Church of La Paz (a Mexican church). They formed a wonderful relationship, and soon Edith was closing her shop early to attend weekly Bible studies at Carolina & Ruben’s home. Financially, this was a huge sacrifice for her, but she knew that this was something she needed to do. One morning as Joyce and I were going for our morning walk, Edith stopped us at the gate just beaming. She shared with us that she had accepted Christ! And not only that, but she was going to be baptized at the First Baptist Church! Were were ecstatic! What a blessing! Our last Sunday in La Paz, Mark and I, David and Joyce, and the brother who gave the original invitation to Crossroads were able to attend her baptism on Easter Sunday. Ruben and another sister from the church accompanied her as she was baptized. Amen!

Now that we’re home, it’s back to the “real” world. We are still praying and waiting to see where God will lead us next. It’s great to be back though. Emma has now met almost all of her family. Her grandparents are going crazy over her. Mark starts a temporary job tomorrow working with a good friend in construction. I am blessed to be able to spend my days with Emma being a mom. I can’t imagine anything better than that.

This will be our last Blog entry as our mission year has come to an end. We can’t believe our year is over! We are looking forward to catching up with you all! Thank you for all of your love and support! We continue to cherish your prayers as we prayerfully await our next adventure.

With Blessings!

Mark, Susan, & Emma Larimer

The Self-Proclaimed "Plain Brown Rappa"

The Bald Headed Preacher & His Ivory Soap Girls

- The following post was submitted by The Plain Brown Rappa (AKA Milton Sanders) to celebrate our year in La Paz.

Well yall I know yo time is precious…just a minute or two

Cause there’s a little sumpum sumpum gotta share wit choo

Now I’m not talking to no swine while I’m casting dis pearl

About da bald headed preacher and the ivory soap girl

We got to tell you who they is…Before they go

The two embarrassed people and the one too young to know

If this story’s new to you

Don’t think you’ve missed the show

Cause every time we say goodbye we turn around and say hello

So if you start to get teary wit da water in yo eyes

Know dat Susan’s way ahead because she always cries

But women cut out all dat cryin’ like you howlin at da moon

I know you all know Susan…she’ll be back real soon

You see dey miss us way too much

When dey half way round the world

Da bald headed preacher and the ivory soap girl

Well we know you gotta go cause you heard it from The Man

An if He wants to send you back then well you know that He can

It’s all the time between that’s so hard to stand

But it’s His life not yo life so leave it in His hand

Well we are a little worried..you know it’s true

That none of us can really do that thing that you do

You singin out cho harmony and makin the calls

While Susan’s trying to find the right words to put on the walls

There’ll be a group of young people wond’rin what to do

But Mark he ain’t yo mama das what he tried to tell you.

So just hang wit da Word fo all yo life without

The bald headed preacher and his ivory soap wife

Yall know that year went way too fast

So we must be havin fun

Fightin battles for The Man with the devil on the run

If you ask them how’s yo’ life They would probably say “sweet”

Callouses and bruises impermeabilizante on your feet

The crying in the night, dogs and cars at the races

Bags under your eyes and lines on your faces

digging holes and movin rocks in all kinds of places

Paintin walls and halls and all kinds of spaces

Still you say yo life is sweet

Goin to churches where people meet

For anniversaries in the summer heat

Kneeling for hours or standin on yo feet

Then waitin around to have a treat

A plate full of meat that you scared to eat

The Lord gave you some grace that made it sweeter than sweet

And He showed you paradise on a dusty little street

A little person came along and showed you lifes best

Although I know you both still pray for a solid night of rest

I guess it was the hardest on Susan maybe

But I don’t know nothin’ bout birthin’ no baby

Naturally Mark was there holding her hand

And the doctor surprised by how much they could stand

Then the doctor there pushing down hard from above

And Mark in position with his baseball glove

Then out popped our Dear Emma and shook up their worlds

Now the bald headed preacher has two ivory soap girls

Well you came and you saw and you conquered my heart

And hers and his and hers for a start

And a lot more besides

Yes you did us all in

One after another you made each your friend

And you didn’t stop there…here comes the boo hoo

You made us all into a family too

You helped us figure out the things we oughta

Standin’ at the crossroads handing out the water

Then getting in a circle and praying hand in hand

And lifting up Jesus so the world could see The Man

You did so much for us that here’s what we will do

I promise that nobody will sing “Friends” to you

I know that’s it’s a lot but it’s the least we can do

For our bald headed preacher and his ivory soap crew.

Last Place Winners

~Posting by Joyce Anderson-Reed

Recently I heard a sermon entitled Last Place Winners based on the text where Jesus said that the last will be first and the first will be last. This idea really took root for me when I observed it in action through the efforts of Abby, age 17, and Becky, age 18. Abby and Becky have been friends since grade school. They accepted Christ at summer camp around the ages of 10 & 11. And they each have participated in a church mission trip to La Paz—Abby in 2004 and Becky in 2005.
In December 2005 their church sent a group of high school kids to La Paz on another mission trip. Abby and Becky wanted to go, but were asked to step down. Since they’d both been here before and because space was limited, their youth minister urged them to allow others who’d never had the experience to go instead. But the delay did not deter their determination to come back. They talked to their parents and asked if they could come down, just the two of them, on their February Spring Break. They’d pay for it themselves, working extra hours at their jobs to earn the money. After receiving their parents’ permission, Becky and Abby then wrote to us to see what we thought. Was there something for them to do? As a matter of fact, we had quite a few painting projects just waiting for two enthusiastic teenagers!
Becky and Abby painted the foyer of Crossroads and also the Children’s Sunday School Room. And then they painted a room of Mary & Raul’s house, Crossroad’s current mission project. (See January’s Journal article) I asked both of them how coming to La Paz has changed them. These are some of things they shared with me . . .
“We sense a unity and fellowship in La Paz that is missing back home. Church isn’t taken for granted down here.”
“It impacts you when you realize that just handing out a bar of soap can make someone so happy. Some families live all together in one-room houses. And I complain about sharing a bedroom with my sister! I realized how selfish I am when some people literally have nothing.”
“I met and talked with people who live by their faith. I realized you don’t have to know everything in order to integrate your faith into everyday living.”
“I liked being here as an individual and not as part of a big group. It was more intimate and I made better connections. I could take my time getting to know people.”
“Experiencing a cross-cultural situation has made me more open-minded. I’m more self-assured.”
And what do these two young ladies hope to pursue in the future? Abby’s desire is to study elementary education and minor in international studies. Becky’s desire is to study medicine and someday work for Doctors Without Borders. Two young women who each have a servant’s heart. While all their peers were off to the beaches for a better tan over spring break, they spent their hard-earned money to buy plane tickets to La Paz for a mission experience. In the eyes of the world, they were First Place Losers. In the eyes of Jesus, they were Last Place Winners.

The Larimer Family!

Emma Izabella at 2 months

Morning Walks/Nap Time

Bath Time

Emma's Dedication

An Emma Update

Life just keeps going, doesn’t it? Since we last posted an update, we have been visited by both sets of Emma’s grandparents. My parents were here for a week in January, and Mark’s parents spent the past week with us. Lots of oooohing and aaaaaahing over Emma. It was wonderful having them all here even though the time was short.

Emma is now a little over 2 months old – we can’t believe it! She has completely changed our lives. Gone are the days of leaving the apartment with just a set of keys. Now we have keys, a diaper bag, blankets, a car seat, and a baby! She is so much fun, and we are loving being parents. Sometimes she smiles so hard it’s like she can hardly stand it – her mouth is open, her hands are above her head, and her back is arched – it’s a full body smile, and it melts our hearts every time. She wakes up only once during the night to be fed and then goes right back to sleep again, and the other night she slept through the night! She loves to be on the move, so if you’re holding her you better be walking or rocking. She and I take morning walks, and she usually sleeps in her “Emma Pack” or else she looks around with her big blue eyes learning about her world. Mark and I have discovered our specific roles. While I am of course “Feeding Friend”, Mark is very good at being “Sleepy Friend”. He has a special way of holding her and comforting her before bed that sends her right off to dream land. . . Most of the time.

On Sunday, January 8th, Emma was dedicated at Crossroads Christian Fellowship – the English speaking church we are ministering to in La Paz. My parents were able to be a part of the service as were Iza Buentello (Emma’s Mexican Aunt and namesake), and also my doula/birthing coach Susan Gardner. Pastors and friends David and Joyce Reed put together a beautiful service as we dedicated our daughter to God.

Also, on February 12th Emma became an official Mexican citizen. Our friends Carolina and Ruben helped us through the process and were our witnesses as the four of us signed Emma’s official paperwork. As the woman stamped the last paper, Emma let out a big yawn, and the woman said, “Yup, she’s a Mexican!”.

Mary & Raul

Mary & Raul's Family & The FBC Team

Mary & Raul's New Home

The Work Site

Worship Harder

From December 28th to January 4th a mission team from our home church, First Baptist Church of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, came to La Paz for a short-term mission adventure. The team was made up of four adult leaders and eleven youth ranging in age from 5 to 50 years old. The goal of their time was to “Worship Harder” as they offered themselves to the construction of a home for our Mexican friends Mary and Raul, and their children Jose Armando, Alejandro, and Areceli.

Mary and Raul’s previous home (a wood and tar paper shack) was demolished as part of the city’s decision to widen their street. No compensation was provided. Since then, the family has been living in an adjacent property owned by one of Raul’s relatives. It has been a long-time dream of theirs to have a home made out of brick and mortar. This dream is becoming a reality!

With the support of the Crossroads Christian Fellowship here in La Paz, FBC of Bethlehem, volunteer labor, and the tenacious spirit of Raul, the house is quickly taking shape. Before the team from Bethlehem arrived the foundation was laid, the walls were in place for 3 nice sized rooms and a small bathroom (inside with plumbing, no longer an outhouse), and the forms to pour the roof were all in place.

Over the course of the week, the team poured the cement roof over the 3 rooms, prepared the foundation and poured a slab for what will be the family’s future kitchen and dining area, dug a 6 foot wide and 7 foot deep ditch through rock and earth which will serve as part of the septic system, and started landscaping the entire property for a garden area and water drainage.

One afternoon the team surprised Mary and Raul’s family by celebrating a late Christmas. During a Christmas morning service back in Pennsylvania, the members of First Baptist Church brought Christmas gifts for the entire family to be taken to La Paz. They were overwhelmed! The kids were inundated with toys and new clothes, and Mary and Raul each received a couple of new outfits.

On our last day together, the group invited their newly adopted family to a day at the beach followed by a dinner back at the Inn where the team was staying. As the evening drew to a close, Raul tried to put into words just how deeply the group had touched him and his family with their willingness to raise the money to come from thousands of miles away to work with a family they only knew through stories passed on by others. Tears began to flow, and Raul simply asked, “Why us?”


The team from Bethlehem came to La Paz ready to work hard, and in the process they became a real and tangible answer to prayer to a family whose faith has been challenged time and time again.