Mexican Independance Day

Sindicato Class

Mexican Independence Day was this past Friday. This is a very significant holiday here, perhaps as big as or bigger than our 4^th of July celebration. Nearly everyone celebrates the beginning of the revolution which freed Mexico from Spanish rule. Friday morning there was huge parade. In spite of the blazing sun, nearly every schoolchild of any age marched in uniform by school along the main boulevard. It was quite a sight. One of the groups was from the Sindicato where we teach an English class. The group included many of our students. We were encouraged by how many folks recognized us and greeted us as we watched.

The week really zipped by. We kept very busy. Much of our time seemed to be spent trying to beat the heat. The sun has been very strong this week even through the occasional cloud. We escaped to the beach on Monday and found some relief for a while. However, in three short hours, we got more than a little too much sun in spite of the numerous clouds which (we thought) had provided some shade. The sunburn has made the heat all that much more enjoyable-NOT! It is the first time since we came here that we have gotten burned. 

It hardly seems like we have been here for seven months. It feels more as if we have been in Huatulco for a very long time. Our busy schedule, the many relationships we have formed and our acceptance, recognition and inclusion in the community makes it feel as though we have been here for years. As we look back, we see many divine appointments. It is still amazing where these encounters have led. God is most certainly in control. I wish I could boast that our wise strategy and careful planning are the reason but we would be fools to take any credit. We have learned to stop planning and go with the flow by keeping our commitments fulfilled and our eyes open. When something falls through, there almost always seems to be another appointment we couldn’t have foreseen to take its place. If not, we coast. God always has His reasons. I hope I never stop being amazed.

Because our income is not sufficient yet to satisfy the Immigration requirements for a more permanent status, we are still on tourist visas. (Sixteen months to Social Security) We need to time our visits so that we do not come home in winter. We did not keep warm clothing. Besides the fact that we are not fans of the cold, the additional difficulties of a winter visit can be avoided. Also, airline tickets are much more expensive in the cold months and we are on a very tight budget. We also miss everyone and long for a visit. We will be in Rockford from morning service at Rockford First on Nov. 13^th until Saturday morning November 26^th. We look forward to seeing as many people as possible.