TRADITIONS IN MEXICO

Christmas traditions in Mexico are unusual and interesting. We experienced one annual Christmas Eve tradition at Apolinar's house, the butchering of a pig. Thankfully we got there when most of the work was done and the fresh meat was hanging from tree limbs in their back yard. Since they have no refrigerator or freezer, they had to salt the meat and hang it up to dry.

It was a big occasion and several friends gathered around to help and share the meat. We were invited to join them. Marcelino brought a large shallow pan with attached feet that fit over a fire built on the ground. In this heavy pan they rendered the fat from cut up pieces of skin, ears, etc. This created chicharrones that in the United States we call cracklings, crisp bacon flavored bites. And the fat will cool and harden later creating lard. When the pieces of skin browned and shrank and floated, someone took a board and lifted them a few at a time out of the hot fat and into a large pan. The men around the fire were taking samples from the pan when they were cool enough to handle. Lloyd and I were encouraged to try the hot chicharrones and we had to eat them the Mexican way, sprinkled with fresh lime juice. In their lean-to kitchen Carla stirred the contents of a large full pot. This pot contained a stew from other usually discarded parts of a pig. The activities were all surrounded with a feeling of celebration, for a little while there would be plenty to eat.

The picture shows one of the men stirring chicharrones in Marcelino's specially made pan with legs.

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

Feliz Navidad and other holiday songs were playing on the radio when we visited Marcelino on Christmas day. The sun was shining but there was a chill in the strong northerly wind rattling windows and doors. We had gifts for each of them, including a large pring leather Bible for Marcelino. He told us it was difficult for him to read the small print in his Bible. That was when we decided it would be the perfect Christmas gift for him.

Marcelino and Griselda have four children and one granddaughter. He told us proudly that all of them now attend church together as a family. The kids sat around the kitchen table happily checking out their gifts while Griselda served us traditional holiday tamales and hot coffee. The red salsa she offered us was very spicy, but Marcelino laughingly recommended the green salsa which he said was much hotter!

Lloyd and I stopped at Cristela's house next where we were served her specialty, cups of hot fruit punch. The rich dark sweet drink contained chunks of fruit that tasted like peaches. Every year Cristela prepares a huge kettle of her Christmas punch to share with anyone stopping for a visit.

PRESENTS FOR THE PASTOR'S FAMILY

Pastor Gerardo and his family received their presents from THE POWER COMPANY on Christmas day. The Power Company, the children who attend Bethalto Illinois Church of God, purchased, wrapped and shipped presents for everyone in the family. We also had bagged gifts that had been donated for the children by the Mutza family and the Haas family from Bethalto Church of God. There were several other children present and no one was left out when gifts were distributed.

HAPPY CHILDREN

A happy little group of children gathered on the porch to play with the toys and games in their gift bags. Life is difficult in Mexico and the economy is very bad. Most families have few if any presents for their children at Christmas, mainly they emphasize family and their traditional foods. We are especially grateful for friends who generously show their love for Mexican children by purchasing, packing and sending these much appreciated gifts. Many times we heard "Gracias! Thank you!" And we responded by saying, "Gracias a Dios! Thanks to God!"

SOY LIBRE! I'M FREE!

"Soy libre, I'm free!" Marcelino kept shouting to us when we stopped at his house. "I no longer want to smoke or drink or go back to my old life. I'm free and I'm so happy!"

Marcelino accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior over a year ago and had changed a lot, but 2 months ago he had an even more drastic and life changing experience. He had an encounter with Jesus, received the Holy Spirit and made a complete commitment to Him. Now he can't stop talking about his "big father" in heaven. He tells his neighbors about his experience, he and his wife pray for people, together they lay hands on the sick and they are healed and now he wants to find more people who need to know what God can do in their lives. Marcelino is a miracle!

A slightly built but tough little man, Marcelino lives next to our church in Nuevo Progreso. For years he has watched over the project, saying that he always waits for us there. Many times he slept on the roof of the building so he could keep watch over materials delivered to the site. But when Lloyd would talk to him about Christ, he would always say he would serve Him some day.

Now Marcelino is so happy that he can barely stand still. "I waited for you so I could tell you what has happened to me," he said. "I feel so much power and boldness to tell people and I'm so happy! It's in my heart! Everyone needs to know about it!" He said he remembered us telling him so many times that nothing is impossible with God.

When I took this picture of Marcelino before we left, he was saying over and over, "Dios es grande! Con Dios si se puede!" God is big, with God we can do it!

THE MEXICAN MILITARY

Soldiers with weapons stand guard at the entrance to Nuevo Progreso. Some are behind sandbagged enclosures, some stand watch on the balconies of nearby establishments and others stand near lanes of traffic keeping their eyes alert for problems. The Mexican Army is currently represented at the international bridge and the Mexican Marines have set up their headquarters in the police station they recently seized.

Lloyd wanted to ask permission to give them all New Testaments, but we didn't know who was in charge. Two soldiers walking down a side street appeared to be off duty, so we tried to follow but soon lost site of them. We walked around the block and found ourselves once again in front of the customs office. Without much hesitation, Lloyd took several Spanish booklets, walked out into the middle of the street and approached two armed and uniformed men. He explained what he wanted to do and asked if it would be okay. One of them said Lloyd could give them the books and they would see that they were distributed to the others. Lloyd then left several dozen booklets with the soldier in the bunker on the side of the busy street. Lloyd is pictured leaving booklets with a soldier.

Our next destination was the police station where we found a military truck blocking the road. Lloyd pulled the Jeep over to the side of the road and we walked to a small group of Marines standing in the shade of a tree. Friendly and courteous, they said good afternoon and waited for us to tell them what we wanted. The first young man we spoke to called an older man over and we repeated our question, "Would it be all right if we bring New Testaments to the men?"

When the man in charge saw the books of John and Romans we held out to him, he accepted them eagerly and thanked us. He said there are about 50 Marines now in Nuevo Progreso and they would be glad to receive New Testaments from us. Lloyd and I thanked him for being in Nuevo Progreso and for the work they're doing. He responded by saying, "Dios lo bendiga," God bless you.

Before leaving, I asked him his name. "Lazarus," he said. "The man Jesus raised from the dead."

BROKEN ROADS

Flooding from hurricanes last summer caused great damage to roads around Nuevo Progreso. The road we traveled many times to Rio Bravo no longer exists. Instead huge sections of pavement were gouged out with great force, leaving deep ditches about every 20 feet. The broken road stretches about 1/2 mile through fields that once contained corn and other crops. The forceful river of water transformed the area and left behind a huge lake that was full of large fish from the Rio Grande River.

Apolinar went with us to view the damage. He said he and many other people from town caught tilapia, carp and catfish for their families from the flooded fields. It's difficult to see from this picture how much damage was done to the road.

The government is now working on the truck road we often use that circumvents the city of Nuevo Progreso. The road has been widened and they have smoothed out the deep ruts and potholes. The best news is that a water pumping station is being built alongside the truck road. Standing flood water that's always a problem on the east side of the city will in the future be channeled along the road and south toward Rio Bravo. This is a great improvement and will be a blessing to many families and to our church.

CHURCHES UNDER THREATS

One by one churches in Nuevo Progreso are closing or are being abandoned by their pastors. Even though the Mexican military has the city in their control, church leaders are still being pressured for money by the mafia and they're leaving in fear. Gerardo, the pastor we've established in Nuevo Progreso, said he has not been threatened in any way, but he knows of at least four pastors who have left. Many churches have been joining together in homes to pray for God's protection on their congregations. The persecution by the mafia has brought about new unity among believers. As in any other time of testing, only the strongest and most courageous pastors will want to continue ministering in Nuevo Progreso.

Gerardo reported hearing two separate spurts of gunfire Tuesday, but no one seems to know or will say what happened. When we were there the next day, everything seemed eerily quiet like the calm before a storm. Many of the largest restaurants, bars and stores were closed and shuttered. This is like watching an exciting boom town die a slow and painful death.

While we watched, five or six large military trucks loaded with armed Marines drove out of town. Evidently there had been a change of guard. Some of the young men on the trucks smiled at us and waved; and one held up two fingers in the sign of victory.

This is a unique time and opportunity for evangelism because of the fear and economic troubles families are experiencing. Are we here for such a time as this? If so, we're under God's protection and He will guide and direct us.

The photo is of Lloyd and two children from Nuevo Progreso.

HURRICANES AND DRUG WARS

Hurricanes, drug wars and political upheaval. Mexico has been battered lately, but miraculously Nuevo Progreso remains a haven of peace. Sitting directly on the US/Mexican border only five miles from where we live, the tourist town would be a natural place for drug gangs. Instead, Mexican Marines stand guard at the entrances of the city as they have for the past couple of years. And the city is now completely under their protection instead of the local police. It seems like God's hand has been on Nuevo Progreso.

Disastrous flooding from hurricanes last summer closed down all highways surrounding Nuevo Progreso, cutting the town off from the rest of Mexico. Supplies could only be brought in from the United States across the international border. We learned that heavy machinery was brought in south of the city to dig canals that diverted water down river toward Matamoros. Although the flooding was severe, without the canals the water would have destroyed Nuevo Progreso. One more way that the city experienced protection.

But instead of the usual heavy tourist crowd, Nuevo Progreso's main street was almost deserted. Vendors lacked customers for their wares and stores were almost empty. This hurts the economy of this tourist based town. We walked past store after store that was closed. And the extreme heat and gusty winds made conditions even more uncomfortable. Will tourists regain their confidence and return to Nuevo Progreso? The livelihood of many families depends on their business

We made some initial plans with Pastor Gerardo for some new projects, praying together for guidance in this new atmosphere of change. One priority Lloyd suggested is to find ways to minister to the Mexican Marines who are stationed in Nuevo Progreso. These young men are Mexico's best and they are probably homesick and lonely. What a great opportunity we have to win them to the Lord.

So we ask you to continue praying with us for the people of Nuevo Progreso. Even though we hated to hear about the bad storms and all the trouble while we were gone, it seems like a battle has been won and now there is peace. And the door remains open wide for us to minister in this bright and interesting little town south of the border.

A FAMILY EVENT AT THE CHURCH

Bellem is raising her hands and worshiping the Lord. It's automatic for her even if she is only two years old. Celino who is a member of her family, watches her proudly.

Many people participated in a family event which included a wiener roast at the church in Nuevo Progreso on Saturday. After a time of praise and worship, specific prayer requests were taken and everyone committed to pray for each other. There are many needs among families in Nuevo Progreso because so many are without jobs.

We all need to be as trusting as Bellem when we bring our needs to the Lord.

"HE'S MY PRODIGAL BROTHER!"

"He's my prodigal brother," Marcelino said about his friend Apolinar. "He went away for a long time, but now he's here working with me. He was lost and now he is found!"

Apolinar was glad he could work on the church building again and Marcelino was saying how close they had become and how well they worked together.

Marcelino has changed dramatically since his conversion last fall. He talks about the Lord and about the church a lot while working and he keeps the radio on a Spanish Christian station. Apolinar admits he is interested in Marcelino's experience and because he has so many problems to face in his life, he is leaning more and more toward God. Marcelino is sensitive and caring. Just a word of encouragement here and there, understanding that Apolinar needs to come to a decision on his own. What he needs most right now is a friend.

Apolinar went away from his family and was in the United States for four years. He has never seen anything wrong with drinking and partying; and on his return to Mexico he left his wife and family and took another woman. So Marcelino's words had double meaning. Apolinar really has been the prodigal brother.

We're sure that with continued prayer and Marcelino's good influence, Apolinar in time will completely surrender to the Lord and be saved. Marcelino's words held so much feeling when he said, "He's no longer lost, my prodigal brother has been found."

How many people do we know that are lost and without God? One day we'll rejoice and say that our prodigal brother has been found!

The photo shows Marcelino on the left and Apolinar on the right with Lloyd between them.

SOLEDAD

Soledad was walking along the dusty gravel road outside Nuevo Progreso on a very hot day. She looked old and tired and she carried a small heavy bag in each hand. Lloyd suggested we stop and offer her a ride to wherever she was going. She was headed out of town and had to be going quite a long distance on foot.

The friendly little woman gratefully accepted our offer and with a little help climbed into the back seat of our Jeep. "Where are you going?" we asked. "To Rio Rico," she answered in Spanish as she proceeded to tell us that Rio Rico was a little settlement to the east of Nuevo Progreso.

Soledad told us that she started out early that morning and walked all the way to town to buy medicine for her son who is crippled. She thought it took two hours to walk the great distance from Rio Rico to Nuevo Progreso. Soledad is seventy-nine years old!

In Rio Rico we met Soledad's husband and her son who is about forty years old and cannot speak or walk. Then she was proud to tell us that there are three churches in the tiny village and two of them are near her house. She took time to show us around her yard which was bare dry ground with many pots of plants and flowers. She told us they had lived on that place for thirty-four years. We wondered how many times during those years Soledad had to walk the four miles one way to Nuevo Progreso.

LORD, PLEASE OPEN HIS EAR!

Carlos Guerrera is fifteen years old and he attends school in Nuevo Progreso. He is friendly and likable, but a little shy. He is Carla's son and the stepson of our friend Apolinar.

When we ate lunch with Carla and her four boys, we learned about the special need that Carlos has. His right ear which is usually well covered by his thick hair, is deformed. Not only that, but he cannot hear out of that ear. His mother told us that he has difficulty in school because he can't hear everything the teacher says. Carla said she has tried for a long time to get help for Carlos, either an operation or for a hearing aid. But no one has offered help.

Carlos said that he has accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and he gave us permission to take his picture and tell everyone about the need for his ear to be healed. Before leaving the family, we anointed Carlos with oil and asked the Lord to open his ear.

THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE

It's amazing how involved we are in families in Nuevo Progreso. Wednesday we went from one family to another, visiting, catching up on the family news, eating a meal together and taking pictures. We felt so at home and so included in everything, just like we were family. What a blessing it is to feel that we belong with these families. These are our people.

First we stopped to talk with Christela where we heard good news and not so good news. The bad news is that Christela twisted her ankle this week and can barely walk. Since she walks back and forth to her job on the other side of town, she is missing work. And when she doesn't work, she isn't paid. We know Christela enough to know she'll be limping back to work soon.

The good news is that Nayeli whom we've known since she was ten, is going to have a baby. She and Mario are very happy and this will be Christela's first grandchild.

Next we stopped for a visit with Marcelino and Apolinar who are doing some work on the interior walls of the church. They were having their lunch break and some of their kids were eating with them. Apolinar said Carla was preparing a meal for us in their house and it would be ready by the time we got there.

At one time Apolinar and Christela lived together next to the church with their daughters Nayeli and Nancy. About four years ago Apolinar left Christela for another woman who already had three boys. This situation was very difficult for us because we loved them all very much and we knew the heartache Christela endured when Apolinar left. It forced her to have to take a job and raise Nayeli and Nancy alone; It was difficult for us to forgive Apolinar. With God's help we focused our prayers on his salvation.

The photo shows Apolinar who is always happiest when he is working. But jobs are hard to find in Nuevo Progreso.

CARLA AND HER BOYS

That day was the first time we'd visited with Carla other than stopping to talk to Apolinar. Her three boys, Carlos 15, Rogerio 12 and Julio 9 are friendly likable kids and now there is a fourth boy, Esteban. Carla shyly invited us in and served us steaming bowls of chicken soup and tortillas with chopped serrano peppers and onions. By this time we were hungry and the soup was good.

Apolinar, Carla and the boys live in a one room house about 12' x 14' that was built for them by missionaries. Everything was clean and tidy. There was a double bed on one side, a small sofa and one chair. A small narrow table with a little bench was against one wall. A tiny chihuahua puppy shivered and shook but stayed near Lloyd's feet while we ate. Probably because Lloyd kept giving him little bites of chicken. Already we're beginning to feel that we're part of this family.

Our next stop was to purchase some sand and gravel to be delivered to the church. Carmen, who works at the store was glad to see us. She wants to learn English but can't take off work to attend our classes. So she uses every opportunity to glean a few English words from us. We began giving her lesson pages and now she won't let us leave the store until we go over more English together. Sometimes customers have to wait because she gets so involved. That day she told us she is gaining a lot from our visits and lessons with her. She's beginning to feel like family.

The day wasn't complete until we visited Bardomiendo and his son Ruben who sell jewelry among the tourists near the international bridge. There were a lot of people on the streets but they weren't buying, just looking. Bardomiendo wouldn't let us leave until we promised to come to their house for a meal some time soon.

During the day it became apparent how much we know about these people, the "ins and outs" of their lives, their problems and their concerns. I watched as Carla's boys looked up to Lloyd with respect and little Esteban kept going to him for attention. I listened as later Bardomiendo told Lloyd how pleased he is to know him and how glad that we take the time to stay in touch with them. And I heard him say that Lloyd's name is very good in Nuevo Progreso.

It's a mystery how we came to be such a part of these families, but we know one thing for sure. These are our people.

IN MEMORY OF VICTORIA HERNANDEZ ZARATE, December 1950-February 2010

Victoria Hernandez Zarate was known to everyone as Gloria. She and Sergio had been married thirty two years. They had no children. Gloria was from San Luis Potosi, but lived many years in Nuevo Progreso.

Gloria reminded us of the disciple named Tabitha or Dorcas in Acts 9:36, a woman who was full of good works and love for God. Gloria had been ill for a year and had been hospitalized three times. During her first stay in the hospital she talked to everyone about accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour and ten people became Christians! During her second stay five more people were saved including her doctor.

Gloria helped raise three of Sergio's nine brothers and was like a second mother to them. They talked about what a good cook she was, how much she loved all kinds of flowers and how she always talked to them about God. When women in the neighborhood had problems, they came to Gloria for counsel and for prayer. And she was a worker and encourager in the church.

Gloria was laid out in their home in a pink and white casket surrounded by many large sprays of flowers. Relatives and friends kept vigil with Sergio until Monday afternoon when they all formed a procession and carried her casket to the cemetery where she was interred.

"ARISE AND GO TOWARD THE SOUTH..."

It was time for another trip into Mexico with Bibles and this time we decided to search for churches along the gulf coast south of the Texas border. Before leaving Monday morning February 22nd, we happened to read the scripture in Acts about the angel of the Lord telling Phillip to "Arise and go toward the south..." Acts 8:26. The story goes on to say that the angel told Phillip that he would meet a man there. We don't like to say that God speaks directly to us, but the words from the book of Acts really gripped us and held our interest. Was God confirming that we were to go directly south? Would there be someone there waiting for us? It was exciting to think that something significant might happen, so we wrote the scripture down and decided to wait and see.

FISHING VILLAGES AND ALBINO BOYS

Eighty five miles into Mexico the map shows fishing villages that can be reached by venturing off the highway onto rough old roads. On the first road we found a church in a village called Francisco Madero. A member lived next door and he was excited to unlock the church and invite us in. Two other members came in, a woman named Irma and a man who was partially blind. The church is currently without a pastor. We prayed for the man's eyes and the spirit of the Lord was very real. Irma told us that she and her husband Gustav have been conducting services until they get a pastor. She was very concerned for the church. As we drove away, we wondered if one of them could have been the person we were to meet.

In another town called "The Fifth of May," there was another church. The pastor of "Templo Jerusalem" was a woman with two albino sons. When we asked one of them what he wanted to do with his life, he said he wanted to preach the word! We prayed that the Lord would give him a great anointing to preach and then we snapped a picture so we could remember to pray for him. Could this boy have been the one?

The next day we drove slowly and painfully down another road toward a town called Carbonera. There were many small churches there. Again, everyone was friendly. People waved to us as we passed, including men dressed in rain gear who worked with fishing nets. Small boats lined the beach. One young man directed us to a church and then invited us into his store for lunch. As we ate, he told us about his life in the fishing village. He and his family sell groceries and bread that they bake in their home. He is very enthusiastic about being a Christian. Was he the one?

A strong cold wind began to blow and suddenly we were pelted with rain. People ran one way and another, but the rain didn't stop the men working near the water. Temperatures continued to drop and the next day there were reports of snow flurries. But there was one last bumpy road for us to explore.

EL BARRANCON

One more bend in the road and we saw houses and signs of life. There was a town of about 1500 people on the coastline and five evangelical churches in the desolate area! The name of the town was El Barrancon Campo Pesquero or the Ravine, a fishing camp.

Only one of those churches had a pastor who lived at the church. Pastor Francisco (Frank) and Lupita Coazozon greeted us and invited us into their home. Frank is from Tabasco and Lupita is from Oaxaca. Frank was not a Christian when he was a soldier in the Mexican army and he was in a severe accident. For two years he was in the hospital with many broken bones and they thought he would never walk again. He had an experience with the Lord and he was told he would be healed but he must dedicate the rest of his life to serving Him. That was nine years ago and Frank is still pastoring and preaching in their church and on the streets. He and his wife travel to Vera Cruz and to Oaxaca once a year where they take the gospel.

The couple told us about having a strange experience a year ago when they were planning one of their missionary trips. An elderly couple they didn't know came to their door and greeted them with embraces. The man had white hair and a white beard. The first thing he said was, "Don't worry! Jesus loves you." They brought a box of food into the house and they all sat down to eat. Then the man picked up a musical instrument and played and sang about the love of Jesus. Before leaving, the man placed money in their hands that would pay their way to Oaxaca. No one in town saw them after that. Frank and Lupita are convinced they were visited by angels!

Frank and Lupita are missionaries, excited to go deeper into Mexico with the word. This is an opportunity for us to share in their efforts by providing many gospel tracts to spread among the churches in southern Mexico. They live only 4 hours away, so we will return to El Barrancon before their departure.

Frank and Lupita are convinced that the Lord sent us. Our visit was a great encouragement and confirmation to them. Before leaving, we prayed together for their ministry. And Frank prayed that angels would be with us and bring us back again.

In a short time we found several churches and gave out our supply of Bibles. We were in the right place at the right time and did encounter the person we were destined to meet. And it could be that we met more than one important person on this trip!

The picture shows Lloyd with Frank and Lupita with their three children and a neighbor.

"AQUI LOS ESPERO, HERE I WAIT FOR YOU"

"Aqui los espero!" That's what Marcelino always says when we start to leave him. Now when he says that, we all laugh together. It has become a habit for him to say, "Here I wait for you." But he means it sincerely and he's always there when we need him.

Marcelino has dug ditches, laid concrete blocks, worked with long pieces of rebar and wire, made up forms and poured concrete at the church since it's beginning. He is so dependable and trustworthy that we don't know what we'd do without him. Marcelino and his wife and three children live next to the church where he acts as both caretaker and watchdog for us, always on the alert. A small wirey man, he is surprisingly strong and agile. But his health is not good.

He admires "Mr. Lloyd," and seems to want very much to please him. For years when we talked to him about living for the Lord, he would say, "maybe some day." And meanwhile his wife and kids went to church faithfully.

In the fall of 2009 Marcelino had some health issues and had a close encounter with death. At that time, he called on the Lord for help and was saved. Now his face is bright and his words are uplifting and different. "Don't worry, Mr. Lloyd, God will help. No problema!" And his sentences are peppered with "Gracias a Dios, Thanks to God."

Every time we give him building instructions his new habit is to say, "Yeah, I know." He has become so involved in building the church that he seems to know what must be done next before Lloyd tells him. And now every time he says those words, he catches what he said and we have another laugh together.

Marcelino is not the only person in Mexico who say to us, "Aqui los espero, Here I wait for you." The Apostle Paul in the New Testament was haunted by a vision in the night of a man from Macedonia who said, "Come over into Macedonia and help us." Acts 16:9 Just like that call from a man in Macedonia, we are haunted by many in Mexico who have said goodbye to us and added the sincere and meaningful words, "Aqui los espero, Here I wait for you."

SPEED BUMP EXPERIENCES

The country of Mexico has an effective way to control speed by using speed bumps called "topes." For amusement, I began keeping track of how many of these speed bumps we drove over after we crossed the border. Since I kept a log of each day's activities on our recent drive through Mexico, it was easy to record each speed bump experience.

There are large speed bumps in Mexico and there are small ones. Sometimes we would drive over as many as fourteen speed bumps at the entrance of a town or in front of a school. Sometimes the speed bumps were painted yellow or there was a warning sign, but many times they lurked on the pavement ready to surprise travelers who weren't alert.

Lloyd has traveled in Mexico for many years and has learned a few things about watching for speed bumps. For one thing, he has learned not to be the lead car in a line of traffic. Staying behind someone and watching their brake lights saved us from being taken unaware by these brutal bumps.

Experiencing a speed bump in our long van is doubly uncomfortable. If a speed bump is not crossed at extremely low speed, every bit of cargo we carry will be tossed in the air and rearranged. And on our return to the United States another alignment of the front end will be necessary.

During our six days of traveling approximately 1,560 miles in Mexico, we experienced an amazing 690 of these very effective speed controlling bumps!

INTO THE HEART OF MEXICO

Our recent trip into the interior of Mexico with Spanish Bibles was interesting and successful. We drove into the heart of the country as far south as Salvatierra, Guanajuato, traveling on winding mountain roads one day and flat desert roads the next. We thought of the Apostle Paul and his missionary journeys that took him many miles away from home. We were out of our comfort zone!

Throughout the whole trip we were never stopped and searched by the military or the federales. Only one time were our passports, visas and vehicle papers examined briefly. Once again the doors into Mexico were opened wide for God's word.

The most obvious truth was that we were traveling in Catholic territory; and there were few evangelical churches to be found. We drove into small settlements called ranchos where we questioned the people about churches. Most of the time the people directed us to Catholic establshments. Some streets were so narrow and winding that it was difficult for us to get through in the van. We were frustrated when one person would give us directions to go this way, and then another would say we should go that way. But regardless of all the difficulties, everyone was extremely kind and friendly and very willing to help.

MEXICAN HOSPITALITY

The unique hospitality of Mexico was demonstrated one afternoon when we were stranded on the side of a steep mountain road in the middle of nowhere. The highway we chose to take was a long and winding passage through dense forests. Hairpin curves and switchbacks with dizzying drop offs and no shoulders kept our attention until we saw a small church and stopped to investigate. After discovering that it was an empty Catholic chapel, we started back up the hill only to have the engine stall and die. After trying to start it several times, Lloyd coasted the van back into the driveway of the church. There was a lot of heavy traffic on the road and we were on a sharp curve.

Thinking the engine had overheated, we decided to wait for it to cool and tried not to panic. Meanwhile we asked ourselves what reason could there be for this to happen. Was there someone nearby that God was leading us to? It seemed possible, so we walked across the road and down a steep embankment to a little home that was perched on the side of the steep mountainside. A man greeted us while two small children watched us with curiosity. The little boy who was very excited and happy to see us, was completely naked. We sat in the shade of tall trees and visited with the man who said he had lived there on the mountain all his life.

After an hour when the van still wouldn't start, we walked down the road and found a mechanic living nearby who was willing to help us. He picked up a small plastic bag of tools including a few screwdrivers and small wrenches and walked with us to the van. While Lloyd and the mechanic tried to find the problem, I went back across the road, down the steep bank and sat in the shade. By this time the man's wife Nellie had returned home with their third small child. Nellie invited me into the tin roofed shelter on the side of their home where she was preparing a meal. On the side of the mountain in the heat of the afternoon Nellie and I talked about the Lord until we finally heard the welcome sound of the van engine roaring to life. The heat had made the float in the carburetor stick causing what we call a vapor lock.

When everything was settled and we were ready to go, Nellie invited us to share a meal with them. We sat with the children, six year old Flor and three year old Jonathan while Nellie served up bowls of soup with spaghetti and black beans with tortillas. As the children ate and played, we talked about the importance of teaching the children about the things of God. I learned that Nellie is a Pentecostal Christian and there are two other Pentecostal families in that area, but there is no church nearby for them to attend. Her husband Gerardo is not a Christian, so it isn't easy for her. Nellie suggested that we might spend the night with them and drive down the mountain early the next morning but we declined saying that we needed to be on our way. As we prepared to leave, Nellie said with great emotion, "Remember that when you are in Mexico, this house is your house."

Altogether we spent three hours alongside the road at Nellie and Gerardo's house. We left Nellie with some Sunday School books that will help her teach her children and we urged her to continue her walk with God. Was this the reason we found ourselves forced to spend time near the top of that mountain? We may never know, but we do know that there are people living up there who want to live for God and need a church to attend. And once again we experienced the sincere and open hearted hospitality of Mexico.

HANDMADE AFGANS FOR MEXICO

Don Rhodes, an elderly friend of ours who lives in Bethalto, Illinois, has a hobby of crocheting afgans using yarns of many colors. He donates many of these to our ministry and we love to give the warm and cozy wraps to the older people of Mexico. We gave out several on our recent trip into the interior of Mexico and they were very welcome. Especially since the weather was a little frosty at times. We spent a night in Ocampo at the home of Pastor Carlos Chapa who keeps a spare room ready for visitors. The next morning Pastor Chapa, his wife and his mother-in-law Matilda went with us for breakfast at a small cafe. Matilda's eyes sparkled when we wrapped one of Don Rhodes' colorful afgans around her shoulders.

TRAFFIC, FAST AND SLOW

On the side of a busy highway, the old couple rode to the feed store on a little cart pulled by a donkey. They live high up on the hill in a peaceful little settlement. We stopped to visit with these senior citizens and gave them afgans. We then watched as they waited for a break in the heavy, fast moving traffic before they urged the donkey to trot across the pavement to the other side. It was obvious that they had made this dangerous trip many times before.

BITTER COLD WEATHER

Record breaking cold, freeze warnings and reports of sleet. Those are foreign phrases to those of us in the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico. And for the many with no heat in their homes, and no insulation, those are dangerous and sometimes deadly words.

It's always good to have blankets, sweaters, caps and jackets to give out on our visits to Nuevo Progreso. The children and the elderly especially are affected by the severe weather. In the past we have heard reports of children dying from smoke inhalation from open fires and we've also heard of babies being smothered under too many blankets.

It looks strange on cold days to see little dwellings with all their doors and windows open and little campfires blazing just outside their thresholds. But they have learned that good ventilation is critical and if they try to trap heat inside, they also bring in deadly smoke and fumes.

Our prayer is that the cold weather pattern changes soon.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

How do you begin teaching the basics of the English language? Where do you start? In our first class last week in Nuevo Progreso, we began by reciting the alphabet and the vowel sounds and discussing the differences between English and Spanish. Several children came to the class with notebooks and pencils in hand, eager and excited to learn. The adults were more cautious. As you can see in the picture, they sat in the back seats and let the children take the lead.

Our plan is to share the common English phrases with the class while teaching the basic rules of the language. This will give them the ability to speak some things right away, while learning the harder things such as how to conjugate verbs and form sentences.

Bible story books for children make good teaching tools in these English classes. God's word can be used as a bridge since everyone is familiar with the wonderful old stories. Teaching English is one more way that we can minister the word of God to the people of Mexico.

TAMALES, AN OLD TRADITION

Stacks of large corn husks, tubs of corn meal mix, a wash tub full of pork cooking over a fire between bricks on the ground, women working and laughing together. This is what we saw at Poli and Roberta's home on New Year's day. It was an assembly line, one woman filled the corn husks while another ground hot peppers into salsa using an ancient looking stone bowl and stone rollin pin. This is the way it has been done for generations, it's an old tradition. They were making tamales for a big celebration and they made it look like fun.

After the tamales were assembled, they were arranged in a large kettle on the open fire where they were steamed. The ladies told us they were preparing several hundred tamales because they were expecting lots of family and friends that evening.

In the picture our friend Gloria holds a stack of prepared corn husks while Rosa and another woman grind hot peppers by hand.