Poetry by Rolland Smith Mexico

A Tale of the City


Mexico City with all of its flare
Its glamour and glitter---everything’s there!
Day into night and night into day
‘Til nerves are on edge and ready to fray!

If someone should ask me, “Why are you here?”
That’s a good question; the answer is clear.
Our Savior has called us to live in the smog
And help them escape sin like a bog.

Religion and night clubs abound here together
Working all hours whatever the weather,
They have lived all their lives for sin and for self.
The wrecks of these lives are left on the shelf.

Mending these wrecks, we never could do,
Yet God through His Son can make them anew.
Satan’s control is in so many places.
Sin leaves its scars on their unhappy faces.

We must shine in the darkness while there is time
For Christ could return while I’m writing this rhyme.
Do others see Jesus now living in me?
Or am I just tossing adrift on life’s sea?

Bible study, evangelism---important we say,
But what if our life style is stubble and hay?
Yes, my dear Savior, I want to be used
To help these dear people by Satan abused.

The men who are machos, at least so it seems,
Are running from God with all of their schemes.
Some who have wives- number one, two and three
Are finding that’s not what it’s cracked up to be.

The men who are saying “Stay out of my life.”
As to spiritual matters, “Please talk to my wife.”
In Christ they could find what they’re searching for,
For life may end soon, don’t close your heart’s door.



Rolland R. Smith about life in Mexico City

The Power of Three Minutes

The Power of Three Minutes

By Beth Gross

I was floored by the deep issues that surfaced in three minutes . . .

During the third week of April, Jonathan Edwards led a group of Questers in pursuit of better listening skills. He taught the principles of listening skills, demonstrated with a brave volunteer and then set us loose in groups of three to practice them. In every group, each Quester had 3 (or 4) minutes to share while another Quester practiced the listening skills and a third evaluated. I was floored by the deep issues that surfaced in three minutes.

It made me wonder why we don't see more of that kind of sharing in our casual conversations. Maybe some of it can be attributed to the urgency of the time limit or the preparation of the participants.

But, I think some things we learned about active listening are transferable to everyday interactions.

1. Freedom to choose. Our group found if we left the field wide open, others were more likely to share below the surface. Instead of greeting someone with "How's the wife and kids?" we could say "What's on your mind?"

2. Be quiet. Too often in conversations, someone's sharing triggers the memory of an experience or story. When it's our turn to speak, we jump in with our two cents, the conversation takes a turn and the opportunity to hear someone's heart is missed. Instead, we could recap what they have said, ask for more information or ask about the emotions involved.

3. Avoid advice and solutions. Sometimes a person's greatest need is just to be heard. Resisting the urge to "be a fixer" allows another the chance to continue telling his story. Affirming the difficulty of a struggle and the emotions involved can in itself bring healing. At that point, the story-teller might be ready to look for solutions.

A lot can happen in three minutes. Let's listen for it.

After attending the Quest conference in April, Beth Gross who serves in Puebla, MEXICO wrote the above article

Making Tule in Honduras

Thanks to John, Nancy, and Andrew Mckeeth for this fine look at basket weaving. The McKeeths serve in San Pedro, Sula; HONDURAS.