Thursday, April 17, 2008

On the road again, in Mexico

"On the road again..."

Everytime we set out we sing that Willie Nelson song, and when we pulled out onto the deserted Cacalote street at 5:00 in the morning, and then on to the "Costera" (the narrow winding road/highway that leads up the Oaxacan coast) Angie joined in singing from the narrow backseat of our little Toyota 4x4 pickup.
It was such a pleasure to have Angie with us. God is so gracious to give us family when we are so far from home. Traveling in their bigger Ford F150 4x4 pickup, Drs. Dave and Mary Kay had Bertha, and Tina (a friend from near Guadalajara)with them .

It was a pleasant two days, driving up the Pacific Mexican coast, especially when we reached Michoacan State. Here we are on one of the many deserted beaches examining sea turtle tracks and nests.

Turtle tracks!



"Guadalajara, Guadalajara..."
That's another favorite song of ours, sung by mariachis, and we played it as we drove into this great city!
Many of you don't know that Eddie and I lived in Guadalajara to study Spanish. We got to stay in a hotel in our old neighborhood! It was fun to see the old sights!
Whenever we get the chance, we take our friends to Tonala, a suburb of Guadalajara where much of the amazing art sold around Mexico is made. Pottery, glass, stone and marble, as well as paper art and tin and wood...and at the best prices!

Our favorite destination is Don Jose Bernabe's gallery and pottery. Bernabe's work is amazingly expensive! I asked him one day, "who buys your work?" He told me that most was sold in Europe and the USA, "governors and presidents..." You can see examples of the pottery online!
http://www.altamex.de/index.php/language/uk/cat/c25_Jos--Bernabe.html
If you would like to see some idea of what Tonala is like, this is the town website http://www.tonala.gob.mx/artesanos/iniciales/a-barro.php.htm


Mary Kay and Bertha watching one of Don Jose's sons applying petatillo (fine stripes that cross) to a pot.


Dave and Eddie listening to Daniel Bernabe talk about their 5 generations of famous pottery.

Soon we were headed toward Nayarit, and the rest were headed for Laredo and points north in the USA. Soon we passed out of Jalisco State and into Nayarit, and then the town of Cofradia where our daughter's family lives.
Cofradia and Mojocautla

We arrived during the chili harvest, and everywhere you went there was the warm sight and smell of chilis drying in the sun.




Up in "Mojo"
Jay and Faith, as you may know, have moved their family up to the village of Mojocautla, about 40 minutes from their home in Cofradia. Please note that the house may be made out of mud and sticks, but it has the fastest internet connection we have had in Mexico via satellite!
They are there to learn the Cora language, and so the children are enrolled in the bilingual Spanish-Cora school next to the Mojocautla house.

Isaiah was sick the day I took these photos, but here is Elisabeth leaving for school, and with her friends and other Cora students. This school is the best they have attended in Mexico. It has won awards and Elisabeth reports that..."the teachers are very dedicated!"



Faith reading to Kai up in the "Mojo" house

Back in Cofradia...
We stayed at their home and played with the kids and rested. Here is Isaiah 12 1/2 years with Kai 9 months. Elisabeth is 10 1/2. The two older kids are great readers (Elis is very fast) and bilingual (and quickly learning Cora). I am impressed that they do all their schoolwork in Spanish! Faith is taking a break from homeschooling right now.

Faith with her best friend Pola, who should be delivering her fourth child (and first boy!) any moment now.

Mazatlan, Sinaloa
We left Cofradia right after church Sunday morning and drove to Mazatlan where we hung out and enjoyed a little local color...

baby in a sling, actually in my pareo


Mexican corn...roasted or boiled, served with lime and salt, on the stick or in a cup.



We had a great dinner on a lovely plaza in an old district of Mazatlan, not far from where Jay and Faith lived 14 years ago when they were in YWAM.


We left the next morning and headed for the border...you don't take pictures at the border anymore. We did see Border Patrol van deliver some would-be illegal immigrants at the border, carrying their things in clear plastic bags and holding the straps that had bound their wrists...sigh.

For some reason it was hard to leave Mexico, it always is. No matter how much we miss our Washington children and grandchildren, we love Mexico, and Mexicans. He has given us hearts for Mexico, and vision for what He wants to do through while we are there...

but that is another blog.

La Boda -- The Wedding



Well, I am sure you saw this coming! Those of you who have been to Misión Victoria and worked with Laura, or have taken classes with David will surely want to see the pictures!

When finally it was time for me to hand my clipboard and pharmacy inventory over to Sarah, I was more than ready. I spent the next 2 weeks helping out a little in the clinic, helping with Laura’s many wedding details, and physically began to recuperate from the previous 4 months.

La Novia y el Novio- The Bride and Groom

The beautiful bride

Laura came to Roca Blanca in 1991 to help with the establishment of the ministry of Misión Victoria. A Registered Nurse, her ministry focused on opening areas closed to the gospel, and the medical outreaches into unreached areas were second only to the intense prayer that proceeded Laura and her teams’ contact. Over 70,000 people have been served by her ministry over the years.


David with son Nathan and daughter Miriam before the wedding

David has been a missionary to Spain, and a pastor as well as a itinerant missionary here in the states. Currently he is teaching at Christian School in upper New York State. We first met him earlier this year when he led a group of his high school students to Oaxaca this February. He is well loved for his crazy sense of humor. His subjects are music and Spanish.

After their honeymoon they will be going back to New York so David can complete the school year, and Laura can spend sometime away from the clinic, just being a wife. They will return to serve together at Misión Victoria. David has much to give the worship school, and hopefully develop further the vision for a Spanish language center at the base.


Lupe and Ann making last minute invitations

During the last week I have thought about you as I watched so many people work together to make the wedding happen in the true Mexican style. That includes: hand delivered, often handmade, invitations, purchasing and personalizing “recuerdos” (gifts given out to all the guests), obtaining the cows, butchering, digging a pit for the Mexican barbacoa, and baking 74 separate cakes which were to be placed on each table.



Angie helping me do the last minute shopping for the rehearsal dinner

Lasagna and lots of roasted garlic
Friday night I prepared the rehearsal dinner. My week was filled with lists and shopping, and lots of helpers. Saturday morning the base property was covered with teams for set up, flowers, decorations, cutting open coconuts and making the coconut water that was served.

Sarah serving lasagna

Linda Andrus, Dr. Ross and Linda Taylor and Ann Classen at the Rehearsal dinner


Misa helping with the decorations



Arranging dozens of flower baskets to line the aisle

Padrinos

Because Laura is so greatly loved by everyone, she was assisted in cash and practical gifts of service by churches and individuals from all over Oaxaca, and the U.S.A. There was even a patient who cut and delivered wood for the barbacoa.

wedding cakes were in every refridgerator on the base

Also very important are the Padrinos, who pay for the cake, the rings and other specific items. Eddie and I were padrinos de pastel, along with Ann and Ralph, and Vicky (the baker) (remember, there were 74 cakes!) Drs. Dave and Mary Kay were padrinos de anillos (the rings). It was a great honor to be part of the wedding for someone we love so much!


Little Princesses

Hani is one of my favorite little girls, when she walked she picked up her skirt and carried it just like Cinderella did in the movie that she has watched so many times!


The five little flower girls almost stole the show

La Boda

Laura's brother Leonard walking her down the aisle

Mexican weddings can go long, that's why they let the couple sit down....


Rebecca wasn't the only flower girl who fell asleep

Wearing the wedding lasso

I am afraid that I cannot represent for you all the specifics of the wedding. There were many Mexican elements, like the “lasso” and pillows given to couple for to represent their prayer life together. The service was about 2 hours long. There was worship and a very personal message from Duane Kershner, the founder of Misión Victoria.

"Beso, beso..."

Duane forgot to tell them to kiss before he sent them back down the aisle as husband and wife, so every now and then throughout the reception people would begin to chant, “Beso, beso…” (kiss, kiss…) and then after they kissed, the chant changed to “Otra, otra…” (another, another…).

It was a lovely night, so much rejoicing! For me the loveliest part was when David sang to Laura “Here, There and Everywhere”. We all just stood and watched and held on to our husbands and wives, it was very touching.

Well that was more than I intended to write. The following morning at 5:00 A.M. , Eddie, Angie and I, plus Dave, Mary Kay and Bertha, headed north back to our homes. I am writing this from our daughter’s home in Nayarit.

But that is another story.

READ MORE ABOUT THE WEDDING: www.jebojang.com or http://sarahbethcooper.blogspot.com or http://danbimartin.blogspot.com