Day Of The Dead

Incense filled the air from the well worn goblet as its owner blew on the hot ambers. In a few moments the sound of the ram’s horn could be heard calling in the spirits of the dead. At the altar candles, water, flowers and food welcomed them from their long journey from the spirit world…. Sounds like the opening lines of a dark novel; but no, it’s the activities on our campus to begin the celebration of The Day of the Dead.

This national holiday seems to be a cross between Halloween and Memorial Day with a twist of syncretism (blending of religions) thrown in. When the Roman Catholic Church followed the Spanish conquest into Mexico, they found a culture that honored the spirits of the dead with month long celebrations. These rituals were presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl (Lady of the Dead). They incorporated fire, incense, images of their dead and offerings of food, drink, flowers and personal items in their rituals.

This wasn’t the first time the Catholic Church had encountered this type of spiritism. It is widely accepted today that they instituted November 1^st in Europe as All Saints Day (a day to honor martyrs and saints) in an attempt to replace the traditions of the Celts and the Druid priests. The Celts believed that October 31^st was a night when the boundary between the living and the dead was relaxed and dead spirits could pass over. They danced around huge bonfires and made offerings to the returning dead. In a further attempt to replace these Celtic traditions the Church introduced November 2^nd as All Souls Day (a day to honor the dead).

When the priests and monks arrived in Mexico they attempted to “Christianize” Aztec rituals for the dead by superimposing All Saints Day and All Souls Day. The people never fully adopted these changes but instead incorporated their own beliefs. Today the Day of the Dead (November 2^nd) is a complex blending of cultures and beliefs layered with Catholicism.

This week in homes all around us, though out this city and throughout Mexico, families will prepare an altar in their home to welcome the spirit of a dead family member who supposedly will begin their long journey from the spirit world on November 1^st. In a prominent place in the house, boxes will be stacked on a table and covered with hand-embroidered tablecloths. A picture of the family member being honored will be placed on the table along with pictures of favorite saints, candles, and marigold flowers. A glass of fruit flavored water will be there to quench their thirst and tequila may also be served. Favorite items of interest of the deceased will be placed on the altar for them to enjoy as well. Also the pine resin incense the Aztecs used will be burning to attract the souls of the dead and to ward off evil spirits. Many will also gather in the cemetery to decorate the graves with flowers.

For many this holiday seems little more than an opportunity to celebrate with friends and family. For others it allows them to stay connected with their cultural roots. For most it is a remembrance of deceased family members. For some it is a connection to the spirit world. But for all, it is rooted deeply in the spiritism of an ancient people.

I’m telling you we stand in the need of prayer!

Goodbye Jodi – and Thanks

On Wednesday we made the early morning pilgrimage to take our homeschool helper to the Mexico City airport. After almost six months with us, Jodi packed her bags (she unpacked them again at the airport by the way) and headed home to West Virginia. She didn’t exactly put her life on hold to give us a good start here in Mexico, but it was definitely a detour. Neither was it easy. Taking the responsibility of teaching three different children in three different grades with three different personalities was no picnic.

Jodi moved in and from the beginning worked at becoming part of our family. While we gave a little bit to accommodate her way of doing things, she gave a whole lot to accommodate our way of doing things. Let me tell you it can be tough to learn the Harer way. Living in a family definitely gives one the opportunity to see up close and personal how things really are. So, while there are nice things about our family the pressure of transition and our humanness revealed some not so nice things as well.

Jodi brought to our family a love for learning and sharing. She always had a story or interesting fact to enhance the subject at hand. It was particularly insightful as we read the biography of John Williams of the South Sea Islands, and she shared tidbits about her own missionary family in the South Seas. We will miss all that she did with our girls and how she went out of her way to make things go smoothly for them but she is just that way.

Hopefully she will take with her a passion for the Savior that causes a family to go off on some crazy adventure. Hopefully He will be branded in her brain in a fresh and living way because of our time together. How do you say a proper thanks to someone who gives so much? Why you post it on your blog of course.

Newsy Notes

While many of you are already enduring one of the worst Octobers in history we have 80 degree weather down here. As I type this journal I’m wearing shorts and a T-shirt with the fan running, it’s great. Mornings are nice and cool with a sweater feeling just right. The rainy season is about to end which will bring even more sun and just a little cooler temperature.

In local news Diana spent Saturday with missionary ladies shopping; Maria is drawing beautiful horse pictures; Daniel just finished his biology course; Ken is celebrating that both the Volunteers and the Mountaineers are in the top 10; Christina still wants her ears pierced; Chelsea got her first haircut and Cuernavaca continues to have a garbage strike.

While we are in the process of learning a second language (one more quickly than the other) we are also learning a third language. Yes, a third language! We are learning that while talking with the Lord there is also the language of the heart. Among other things it’s the realization of His presence in the room, it’s His comforting words and strong arm, it’s assurance that He hears intimately our heart with or without words.

It truly is a small world. On Sunday we were invited to have lunch with some veteran WEC missionaries. There we met Ed and Debbie Somerville. Both grew up in southern West Virginia, Ed in Boone county and Debbie in Barboursville. They have eight children, homeschool, are developing a camp ministry, and have been in Mexico for six years now. The Lord continues to give our family special surprises. (Check out their website)

On another newsy note we are about to begin the language school shuffle. With Jodi returning to the States, Diana and I will take turns in school and at home. It’s really probably best for me since it will give the “boys downstairs” a chance to sort through and organize all the information I have been sending down to them over the last few months.

Linda's Story

It has been one year since we completed our cultural training at CIT in Union Mills, North Carolina. While there we were privileged to rub elbows with many people who have answered the call to be an instrument in God’s hand in a foreign country. They became good friends and impacted our lives in many ways. One of those was Linda,
a fifty-something horse rancher from Wisconsin.

By her own admission Linda spent most of her adult life shunning God, but that all ended a few years ago when at the end of her rope she surrender her life to Him. Things begin to change for Linda as she spent hours at her kitchen table reading Scripture and pouring out her heart to the Lord. Two years ago on a warm October day (there isn’t many of those in Wisconsin) she found herself on the roof re-shingling her house. As she took a break soaking up the beauty of the day and looking over her ranch she heard in her heart a voice from heaven. “Linda, the second you die this will all be dust.” Stunned she heard herself answer, “Yeah, but Lord I want to show my horses, but I want to ride my four-wheeler in the mountains, but I want to enjoy my ranch, but I…” After she finished pouring out all of her “yeah, but’s” she was aware of that same still voice saying, “Linda, the second you die this will all be dust.” Realizing what this meant and thinking it would be years away, Linda agreed to give her life for the Lord to use in any way He wanted - but not just yet.

Over the next few weeks and months Linda felt an increasing desire to use her nursing skills for God in Africa but she didn’t know of anyone or of any organization in Africa. Searching for answers she found herself at her small town library looking for information. The time was spent in vain but the librarian promised to call if she turned up any leads. A few days later on her answering machine the librarian had left the number of a possibility. What could she do but give it a try. “Hello my name is Linda. I’m a nurse and I think God wants me to go to Africa.” “Oh really, who are you going with?” “Going with, I’m a fifty-something year old lady. No one wants to go with me.” “What I mean is what mission organization are you going with?” “What’s a mission organization?” “Ma’am, do you know who you have called?” “I don’t have a clue who I have called I just know that God wants me to serve Him in Africa.” “Ma’am you have reached the home office of Serving in Missions, an Africa based mission” (formerly the Sudan Interior Mission).

Where is Linda today? She is in that African country as a fifty-something learning two languages and using her nursing skills to bring Christ in a tribal situation. Here are the highlights from a recent letter. “I am here in…language school for 2 more weeks and then to the bush…I have 6 months provisions purchased and will be ‘out’ for that long at least…must pull teeth. Also must teach an English class. I am told they will be ok with me, but they are quite short tempered with each other and bring their AK47's and machetes to class…we will try to get to some even more remote villages by dug out log canoes…we have to try and stay as close to shore as possible cuz the crocks like to rub their backs on the bottom and tip us over, then we MUST get to shore very quickly or ?????...HE will keep us as HIS Word is perfect in all things. What a fabulous place to rest…”