SAFE in JALISCO

In a 2009 map showing SAFETY in various states of Mexico.  Oceanside towns vs interior towns.  Also the crime rate in Stockton, California has been celebrated in the final episode of the movie COPS in Stockton 2013! Border towns in the black state are easily avoided. SAFETY in Chapala is medium low.  I can’t even remember when I last experienced the beheading of a close friend. Everyone assumes it must be a weekly, or even a daily event: after all, I am moving to Chapala in 2014, but I have no fears because I am moving out of Stockton, famous for high rates of death by drive by shootings. Tourists in Chapala are as likely to be decapitated  — as likely as being murdered inside the gates of Disneyland. To be honest, Mexican gang members are conscionably lax about slaughtering tourists in Chapala, there are no statistics that prove otherwise. Mexico is BIG and 95% of its residents are Mexican and untouched by the drug war. In Chapala,expats and tourists are annoyingly safe.  To avoid all of Mexico because you fear drug violence, is CRAZY!

Would you cancel your trip to the Napa Valley because you hear that people are flying airplanes into towers in New York City? The homicide rate in most Mexican cities is just not very exciting.  Disney World is in Orlando. Orlando, Florida. Do you fear drug lords in Orlando? YOU SHOULD be trembling! The rate of violent crime in Orlando is really something. At the theme park itself you might not encounter drooling gangs with machetes, but the likelihood of getting slaughtered is much higher in the city of Orlando than it is in Mexico City. The homicide rate in Mexico City is sub-terrifying: 8.3 out of 100,000. What is the murder rate per capita in your town? If you’re truly bent on living dangerously, hit the French Quarter for a shot of near death experiences! New Orleans is gunning them down at a rate of 51 per 100,000. To be fair, that is an improvement upon the post-Katrina high of 71 or so. No doubt champagne is flowing at the tourist board. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu admitted — discussing a local high school — that for part of last year “a student attending John McDonogh was more likely to be killed than a soldier in Afghanistan.” Funny that people are NOT dissuaded from visiting New Orleans — or Disney World — by travel advisories that read like the script for the chainsaw massacre.  My response is WHATEVER!

New Year in Chapala 2014

Delighted and excited to spend January, February, March in Chapala and Ajijic. Our immigration to Permanent Residente will begin while we visit LOVE IN ACTION as volunteers. We get to attend our first Home Owners Association meeting at Villa Santa Paula.  Making new friends at church.

MUI BUENO MEDICAL and DENTAL
Clean teeth - $20
Tooth filled - $30 Porcelain.
Doctor's office visit including EKG - $40
Health insurance $300 annually

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
Electricity CFE - $30 for two months.
Propane gas for cooking - $2O per month
Water for drinking - $4.5 per month
Property Taxes $150.00 annually
Internet + Netflix  $35.00 USD per month

AUTO PRICES
Premium gasoline - $3.18 a gallon. Regular $3.00
Wash auto - From $2.69 to $3.46
Lubricate auto, change oil and filter - $22
Car Insurance - 31.5 per month 5 year old car

MOVIES
Cost for ticket to movie theater (first run film) $3

MAID SERVICE
Basic house cleaning (4 hours) twice a month $36.00 USD

WAL-MART or Sorianno
Prices for groceries are great all year. Farmer markets or the “tianguis” (Mondays in Chapala, Wednesdays in Ajijic) is where most locals buy their VEGGIES.

RELENTLESS JOY 2013

Be Inspired

Nelson Mandela emerged from 27 years in prison to negotiate an end to white minority rule in South Africa. Mr Mandela died on 12/5/13. This Mandella speech inspired me to write, to lead, to live fully, to travel, and to challenge myself. "Our deepest fear is NOT that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, NOT our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does NOT serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were are all created by God to shine. We are RE- born spiritually to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; It's in everyone. SHINE because you were made FREE by God. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."He is a man that embodied astonishing grace and good humor. Rock concerts celebrated his birthday. Hollywood stars glorified him on screen. And his regal bearing, graying hair and raspy voice made him instantly recognizable across the globe. As South Africa’s first black president, the ex-boxer, lawyer and prisoner No. 46664 paved the way to racial reconciliation with well-chosen gestures of forgiveness. He lunched with the prosecutor who sent him to jail, sang the apartheid-era Afrikaans anthem at his inauguration. His most memorable gesture came when he strode onto the field before the 1995 Rugby World Cup final in Johannesburg. When he came on the field in South African colors to congratulate the victorious South African team, he brought the overwhelmingly white crowd of 63,000 to its feet, chanting “Nelson! Nelson! Nelson!” Incarcerated for 27 years, Nelson walked free from Victor Verster prison, near Cape Town, on February 11, 1990. Nelson Mandella wrote that his education as a lawyer helped him to cope while in prison. Mr Mandela wrote that not every prison warden or apartheid official was bad. He emphasized this throughout his writings. Nelson asserted that to get along in life one should see the good in all people. Nelson was aware of timing, and when the time was right, he initiated talks with the apartheid regime. After he retired from politics, when asked about what should be done, Nelson replied "talk to someone in politics, not me." Nelson was a man of faith, a humble man.

CAMELOT ?

FUN in the SUN

Mi hermana Jill wondered if we had fun in Loreto, she wanted to get to know me better. Here are 11 facts about Barbie Sue: 1) I was born in 1951 as the last child of three born to Willis Earl and Maria Alley. Momma Mia met dad in the war and dad brought her to the USA from Germany. Papa was born in Arkansas. 2) I gave birth to two children; 1968 Andrea Marie; 1971 Jason Cory 3) I have one 18 year old grand-daughter Marissa 4) Four kids adopted me; Hennie, Alex, Ruthie and Catalina in Chapala 5) I am an optimist, an encourager, a risk taker, and I laugh in my sleep instead of snore 6) I prefer blue jeans, ball caps and the grand outdoors in every season 7) I have travelled to Brussels; Hamburg; and to where my mother was born Shuen Ecken Germany; Hawaii; Seoul Korea in 1988; Loreto and Chapala Mexico; Washington DC; Pensacola Florida; Houston Texas; and to where my dad was born Little Rock Arkansas. 8) I was 19 when I married my children’s father; I was 60 when I married my soul mate 9) I enjoyed working part-time in high school at Shaunessy Car Wash, the Stagecoach Café, and JC Penney’s. 10) On 12/12/13 I retire as a Civil Servant to become a Community Servant in Mexico 11) I am blessed and highly favored by God Almighty full of grace, mercy and JOY! I have LOYAL GRAND FRIENDS who know the TRUTH about me and love and encourage me. My testimony of transformation began when God heard me crying for help at Annunciation Church at the age of seven. God answered my prayer and rescued me, He redeemed me, changed me, empowered me, anointed me, gifted me, and gave me His courage and righteousness. His work on the cross is finished and He died that I may live joyfully! I am in Him and He is in me. Eternally His, I totally depend on His forgiveness, I trust His mercy, and I am in AWE of His grace. I believe in His power, His will, and His purpose to use me for His glory. I am justified, sanctified and reborn in His Holy Spirit. Listening for His still small voice, I respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading to walk this way. I relish time alone in the awesome, transforming, renewing presence of God. My LIFE scripture is full of grace. 1 Corinthians 9:19 “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” Barbara issues grace and thanksgiving to those who invite her to share what they eat and drink, in their respected cultures.

Big Faith

It was a bright Sunday morning on October 16, 1882 in Philadelphia for Reverand Russell's first sermon. The greeters at the door turned away a little girl named Hattie because the church was too full. She stood sobbing as Reverend Russell walked by. Hattie cried 'I can't go to Sunday School,' the Pastor guessed she had been turned away because of her shabby, unkempt appearance. Filled with compassion, Reverend Russell took her hand and led her into the Sunday school. Hattie was thrilled to learn more about Jesus. That night she went to sleep thinking of all the kids who do not know Jesus. Two weeks later, this same sweet girl died of diphtheria. Her dad told the Pastor of her savings of 57 cents towards building a bigger church. Hattie’s dad gave the pastor a note she had scribbled and her small donation.

'This is to help build a bigger Sunday School so more kids can learn about Jesus.' After sharing Hattie’s devotion to Jesus after only 2 visits at Sunday School, Pastor Russell sold Hattie’s 57 pennies and raised $250.00 from his congregation. The peace and joy Hattie May Wiatt found in Jesus was something she hoped every kid could know. The church began their building fund with the hope contained in a young soul. Soon after Hattie’s death a wealthy local realtor offered the church a parcel of land worth $10,000. When the non-Christian realtor learned that the church had no down-payment, he was compelled from within to give the church a loan at 5% with only 57 cents as their down payment. The hope was to fulfill Hattie’s dream and checks came in from people who heard of Hattie’s faith. God took the gift of her pure soul and He moved hearts to pay off the loan of $10,000; build a new church that today seats 3,300; build a new School named Temple University; and a new hospital. God changes hearts and He uses people to do His will, to reach the lost with the truth. God blesses those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Hattie May Wiatt had saved her pennies and denied herself candy and sweets. Her heart was on fire with an idea; she believed a larger church could be built. Her determined spirit led her to give all she had saved. Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen”. (Hebrews 11) Hattie suffered with diphtheria, however, her legacy is her faith in her Lord Jesus Christ. She trusted that God would see to it that a bigger church would be built.

No mortal eye has seen, nor has a heart fathomed the number of souls Hattie blessed with her 57 cents. “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites.” (Mark 12:42 KJV) GOOGLE: Temple Baptist Church in Philadelphia. God is great and He touches hearts in mysterious ways. In September 1887 at the Centennial Celebration of the United States of America money was received from the Wiatt Mite Society "for the success of the new Temple".

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:20) In 1880 Russell Conwell was ordained a Baptist minister. Before graduating from Yale University he served as a Captain in the Union Army during the Civil War. After the war Conwell studied law at the Albany Law School. Russell worked as an attorney, journalist, and lecturer. Russell Conwell’s most highly read book is “Acres of Diamonds” He also penned biographies of Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, and James A. Garfield.