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Winnie’s NewsletterA take-home paper for kids! MEXICO

Diego Diego wakes up as a car horn blares outside the apartment building. He shares a bedroom with his two brothers in their little home in Iztacalco, a part of Mexico City. The boys have a light breakfast of sweet rolls, then they hurry off to school.

At 1:00 in the afternoon, the school day is over. Diego comes home hungry! He can smell the soup, refried beans, and corn tortillas that his mother has made. Yum!

Las PosadasMost people in Mexico are Roman Catholic, and they celebrate Christmas in a big way. The celebrations begin nine days before December 25 with Las Posadas (the inns). Children dress up as Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and shepherds and go from home to home seeking shelter.

PiñatasPiñatas are a fun part of the Christmas celebration. Colorful figures made of papier-mâché are hung up high. Children are blindfolded and try to break open the piñata with a stick. When it finally breaks, candy and small toys spill out.

The PoinsettiaThe poinsettia flower originally comes from Mexico. Because of its red and green colors, it’s used as a

Christmas decoration. In fact, poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plant.

Poinsettias were introduced to the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett, for whom the flower

is named. Today, there are over 100 varieties of poinsettia.

Christmas in Mexico

© 2010 by Gospel Publishing House, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, M

O 65802. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce and adapt lesson com

ponents for exclusive use in the classroom and student notebooks. Any other use requires written perm

ission.

At Easter time in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, people gather to act out the crucifixion of Jesus. Many beat themselves, trying to pay for their sins.

A teenager sells drugs on the streets. He doesn’t have a family who loves him, so the gang is his family.

In an Indian village, a man sacrifices a chicken to make the spirits happy. He doesn’t know Jesus can take away all his fear and make him happy.

Mexicans need Jesus, and for almost 100 years, Assemblies of God churches have helped them to find Him. It started when some Mexicans living in Texas were baptized in the Holy Spirit. They returned home to tell others about Jesus and His Spirit, who is greater than all other spirits. They preached and started churches. Today the Mexico Assemblies of God has

nearly 6,000 churches.

Our 75 missionaries help all around the country, from Tijuana in the north to Merida, w-a-y down south! Some help start churches and teach in

Bible schools. They travel to teach people who can’t come to a Bible school. Some train Mexican missionaries, who then go to other countries or to Indian villages. The Mexico Assemblies of God has sent

missionaries to four other countries. BGMC helps supply books for the Bible school and ICI courses for

those who can’t come to Bible school.

Kids need Jesus! Some of our missionaries train children’s leaders, who teach kids and train more leaders. BGMC has provided lots of children’s ministries supplies for our missionaries and churches all over Mexico. BGMC has paid for puppets, puppet stages, clown outfits, clown supplies, candy, prizes, props, and costumes. BGMC also provides Sunday School and children’s church curriculum. Thanks, BGMC!

Many churches have Royal Rangers and Missionettes programs for boys and girls. They

hold Vacation Bible Schools and special activities like soccer clinics. Once again, BGMC provides lots of the needed supplies for VBS programs, camps, and special activities.

Some churches work with street kids, helping them find life in Jesus, not in drugs or gangs. Nearly 500 kids who couldn’t afford school otherwise are getting a good education at six Latin America ChildCare schools. BGMC helps in the LACC schools by providing the needed equipment, such as computers.

Teens need Jesus! They learn about Jesus in youth groups. A Teen Challenge center in Mexico City helps teens get off drugs and live for Jesus. In one city, missionaries provide on-the-job missions training for college students from the U.S. The students take classes and spend time helping young people and working in the churches.

There are so many people in Mexico who need to know about Jesus. BGMC is helping wherever it can by helping Convoy of Hope, HealthCare Ministries, LACC schools, the churches, orphanages, homeless shelters, Teen Challenge, and our missionaries. Many, many people in Mexico are very poor. They don’t even have enough money for food. One of the ways BGMC is helping is by providing food for kids and adults who don’t have enough to eat. All of this is possible because you kids give to BGMC. Thank you for giving!

Mexicans Need Jesus

LET’S PRAY…• for our missionaries as they tell people about

Jesus and work with the Mexico Assemblies of God.

• for the kids of Mexico. Pray that as kids learn about Jesus, their families will also believe in Him.

• for the missionaries working with Indians, and especially with the people in central

Mexico, where there are only a few believers.

• that God will call even more Mexicans to reach the people of their country and other

countries.