The city of Oaxaca

The state of Oaxaca is made up of 8 different regions. In this photo I am pointing to the region where I live--the central valley. This is where the city of Oaxaca is located and from my home in the city I travel to the other regions. The city of Oaxaca is pretty much exactly in the middle of the state - right where my index finger is pointing.

The official name of the city of Oaxaca is Oaxaca de Juarez and it is the state's capital and only city of any size. There are old buildings, shady plazas and many sidewalk cafes. The city has some fine museums and art galleries and is famous for many handicrafts that are often sold in other parts of Mexico. It is a popular place for learning Spanish and has a long and varied history.

The city's population has greatly increased in the past years - mostly because of people migrating to the city from mountain villages. This has resulted in marginalized communities surrounding the city. The Covenant has several ministries in these areas.

The city of Oaxaca has had several major earthquakes--the last one being in 1999. Because the city of Oaxaca is built on rock, we seldom feel earthquakes under 5.0 but there are several a week. My house is near an earthquake siren that is supposed to sound 20 seconds before an earthquake of 5.5. We have had several earthquakes over 5.5 in the past two years but the siren has never sounded.

There are 7 Evangelical Covenant churches in the city of Oaxaca and the immediate surrounding area. The other 18 Covenant churches in the state of Oaxaca are in the mountains to the north, east and south of the city.