Happenings & Happenstance

I have discovered when a people leave a place they have called "home" for much of their lives they cannot only miss foods, activities and family but also sounds. I was reminded of that recently when Diana and I heard a train barreling down the track behind the wheat factory near our place. The shrill whistle and clacking on the tracks was a unexpected and welcome delight.

Smells bring back those strong memories too. Recently I picked up a bouquet of nine small gardenia flowers at the traffic light. A young guy was selling 9 of them for .90 cents US. One good whiff and I was transported back to my grandpa's house in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was summer and the gardenia plant in front of the house was sunning itself. The grass was freshly mowed and just to the left I could see the old cistern that served as my lookout, ship, fort and a jail from one time to another.

We have been in lots of language and translation situations since we came to Mexico, but Saturday evening took it to an all new level. When we were invited by Ariana to attend a choir concert, we never expected that the announcements and devotional would be given in Korean and then translated into Spanish. It was the first time in my life when Spanish was my stronger language.

Here's another first, today I was sitting at a traffic light when a Volkswagen Jetta pulled up beside me. It was packed with eight people, three in front and five in the back. That's not all that unusual; I mean I have seen five people on a motorcycle. What took me by surprise was the guy who lifted the trunk to get some fresh air.

Momoxpan is know for their fireworks. We can attest to that! They are loud, unpredictable and untimely. Like our first night here when they went off at five in the morning. Boom........... boom............. boom................... boom.................... boom.................. boom.................. boom. Then boomboomboomboomboomboomboomboomboomboomboomboomboom in a cluster. We later learned this early morning pattern was to announce that a death had occurred in the community during the night and we could expect to see a procession to the cemetery later in the day.

To answer the person who asked about the photo below: I guess all I can say is that this much junk welded to the top of a car fascinates me (probably my upbringing) and that taking time to snap it caused our entire group to miss the next bus.

Their Impressions

Last week I wrote the team asking for their insights. First impressions are interesting since it’s easy to overlook some things after you’ve been here for a few years. Here are some of their impressions:

Something that surprised me in Mexico was...
…the food. It was surprisingly bland-their flavoring seems to be hot!!

…the fact that sickness due to lack of sanitation was a way of life for many living in Mexico. It is hard to think about living daily with stomach issues like that.

…all the graffiti that was everywhere.

…that diarrhea became such a common and comfortable word for us while we were there. Who would have thought!

…the massive size of the speed bumps... they are very comparable to the size of the hills of WV.

Something that broke my heart was...
…the darkness especially felt in the first cathedral we visited and leaving!!!

…all the lost people living in darkness who don’t know the Lord.

…small children begging for money, a corrupt and careless government, and the great deal of idols and images that they so blindly worship.

Something I really enjoyed was…
…getting to know the Harer children, adult conversation with like-minded Christ-seeking Christians.

…fellowship and worship with Mexican believers, bilingual and multicultural church service, trying new foods, and last but not least toilet tongs!!!

…being with the Harer family, worshipping with them and praying with them!

…worship with the Mexican people, worshiping and proclaiming the true and living God in front of the temples and alters of false gods, conversations with Ken

Thanks Guys

We enjoyed having the youth group with us last week. They were a huge encouragement. We found the team to be considerate, accepting of us and one another, kind, helpful, open, passionate for God and thoughtful. They came with an attitude to participate whether that meant riding a crowded bus, eating some strange food like grasshoppers, leading the Sunday service or cleaning up around the house.

The group came with a heart of a servant and God honored that. Thursday was particularly memorable as they connected with Mexican youth in a three hour jam fest and praise service. It was good enough for the young people from El Puente to ask if they could get together again on Saturday.

If they had come for nothing else but to encourage our family, it was worth it - late night conversations, thoughtful gifts, letters of encouragement or that Saturday evening challenge; all meant a great deal to us.

We also appreciate the parents who overcame their fears of influenza, travel, health, safety and all the unknowns that lurk in the shadows of Mexico to trust God. They must have taken a lesson from Mr. Beaver who reminded Lucy, “Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” These parents gave their children the gift of a lifetime. Not only in learning a different culture but encouraging them to be open to God’s leading in their lives…..and that is invaluable.

Jason and Angela are a quality couple and have a unique gift to minister to teens. They have the balance of having fun (like playing the beat box, nailing our son with an airsoft gun and using the toilet tongs) and taking the Word of God seriously. Their lives reflect what they believe; no plastic Christianity for them.

Oh yes, there was the little matter of a birthday this week

It’s All About The Group – A Photo Journal

DBC Youth at Cathedral Square

Mexico meets Appalachia

Children of the Burning Heart – On tour in a city near you

Peering out over the pyramid

Authentic Mexican food at El Balcón

Enter the Worship Circle for Sunday morning service

A young couple who know how to have fun…

…and get serious about the Word

One teen was apprehended

Post Script

P.S. – Here are some additional thoughts from last week’s journal On the Move Again.

She was more than a Spanish teacher. She was a cultural informant, an encouragement, an advisor and a friend. We laughed together, read the Bible together, discussed religion, politics and customs. We prayed together, had tea, and wrote Bible studies together. She was kind, patient and understanding. We will miss Claudia.

We now live in Momoxpan. It means the town of Momox. From our house you can see the bridge that crosses the periferico (6 lanes of belt-way traffic). This bridge wasn’t built for cars; it was built for people. Near the end of every July, the residents of Momoxpan form a procession to march their patron saint (San Diego) to the neighboring town of Cholula. San Diego stays in Cholula for a week with the Virgin of the Remedies; then they are both marched back to Momoxpan where they stay together for another week. Then the Virgin of the Remedies in finally marched back to her home in Cholula. In the past the procession stopped traffic on the periferico. Finally after eight years of strong lobbying from the priest in Momoxpan, the local government agreed to build the bridge for the procession.

A few pictures of the home we are renting over the next year: