Holidays, A Cracked Rib, Fishing, and Iguana for Lunch

          Well, this was one adventure-filled week. I hardly know where to begin. On Monday, I went fishing with my friend Manólo at Playa Chahue next to the marina. We didn’t use either poles or fishing line. We used 200’+ nets, three in all. My job was to swim straight out from shore with the net. It was in a bag on top of an inner tube which I pulled behind me. Manólo followed deploying the net as we went. We finally ran out of net about 100’ past the safety buoy line.

          After all three nets were set, we settled on the rocks for some excellent conversation. When about three hours had passed, we went to work retrieving the nets. By this time, it was very dark except for a partial moon. All of the nets were filled with fish of various sizes. As we were about finished, I slipped on the rocks and took a sharp blow to my left rib cage. It hurt some, but except for a skinned elbow, there seemed to be no other injury. I thank God that the foot which had slipped into a crevice in the rocks was uninjured. More on this in a minute.

          The next step was getting the fish-laden net bags to the pickup truck and then home. Once there, we set about to remove the fish from the nets. I always thought that you just dumped them to the floor. Hah!!! Each fish had to be individually disentangled. This was no easy task. As they struggle to free themselves, they become thoroughly stuck in the net. As we worked, his wife was busy preparing some of the catch for dinner. De-e-elicious!!!

          The ribs were sore, but I figured it was worth the adventure. It didn’t bother me too much (only when I breathed) until sometime in the middle of the night Friday night. One time when I turned over, I felt a sharp snap followed by an intense pain which did not go away. I went to the Red Cross to see a doctor on Saturday. He examined me, gave me an anti-inflammatory shot and a box of Naproxen. Diagnosis - “probably cracked” rib. The total cost was less than 200 pesos. That is around $14.50. It would have been thousands in the US. I’ll be hurting for awhile. {Insert violin music here}

          Thursday, I was invited to a friend’s house for lunch. On the menu – Iguana. That’s right. I ate Lenny! Well, maybe it wasn’t Lenny, but it was of his relatives. No, it didn't taste at all like chicken. It was quite good actually. The texture was slightly chewy and the flavor was distinctive but good. Wednesday I had partaken of another very traditional, but forbidden local delicacy which must remain unnamed. Chapulines is yet another treat. They are seasoned, fried grasshoppers. They are very tasty, kind of like barbecue potato chips. You just have to pull the legs off the juicy big ones or they get stuck in your throat. The only "bucket list” food left on my list is Tacos de Ojos. (cow eye taco)

          Friday was “El Dia de Reyes” (Three Kings Day). It is the culmination of the Christmas celebration and it is a big holiday. It, rather than Christmas Day, is the big gift-giving day in honor of the gifts brought by the three wise men. One particular custom is the Rosca de Reyes, or King’s Cake. It is round like a crown, but looks like a giant decorated bagel. Hidden inside is a tiny Jesus figure. The person who gets the figure has to host the February 2^nd Candlemas Day celebration. The day ends with a dinner of corn tamales and hot chocolate.

          The week was very busy with many ongoing ministry opportunities. God also seems to have given me a very effective strategy for ministering to Jehovah’s Witnesses. It really messes up their programmed responses. We look at evidence within their own literature which undermines their belief that the organization is God’s sole mouthpiece in the Earth today. We also look at information in their literature which undermines the credibility of the organization. It is more loving and is much more effective than trying to attack their flawed (and ever-changing) doctrines. They are too well trained. They are wonderful people. I hesitate to say it, but they put most Christians to shame with the lives they live.