Mid-Mexico Moment

It's been a while since I've written. I've been getting the classes going. They are running smoothly. I teach classes in Oaxaca and Mitla--two classes an evening. Kendal Geno and Daniel Smith have been learning to tutor and teach English. I let them tutor individually and from time to time they teach group activities. They have been very helpful.

Last Sunday we went to Hierve el Agua, a park in the mountains. It has natural mineral springs as well as cascades of mineral deposits that seem to flow down the mountain side in a tremendous solid waterfall. Because of my double vision and trifocals, I didn't do much exploring, but I did get Kendal to take pictures for me of his hike up to the top of the "falls."

We stopped in Mitla before going and picked up a few of the Saints there. We had 19 in the van. The roads were narrow and wound around the mountains in zigzags. The scenery was beautiful, of course, as in most mountainous areas. On the way home, it was dark and at one point Frank yelled, "Did you see that?" He backed up the van and I expected to see something extraordinary--some rare animal, or maybe a lost child. But no, it was a tarantula. It was maybe 5 inches in diameter. I don't know how Frank saw it in the dark. Anyway, we stopped and took photos. Even me. The natives in the back were probably thinking, "CRAZY GRINGOS!"

My Spanish always improves when I come to Mexico. I'm remembering more and more of it and learning new words. I can carry on a somewhat limited conversation with sales people in stores if they talk slowly. There are so many American stores down here now, that the states don't seem that far away. On one shopping trip we went to Sam's Club, Office Depot and Burger King. We could have gone to KFC, Pizza Hut, or McDonalds. We went to a movie theater where most of the movies were in English. However there were none playing at the time we arrived that we cared to see.

Tomorrow we are supposed to go out to a place where they make tapestries. Maybe I can find some miniature ones. People are always trying to sell me big things. I have to tell them, "No tengo espacio in mi maleta." (I have no space in my suitcase.) They usually laugh and wander off to another tourist. The other day someone tried to sell me a huge gorgeous plant outside of the grocery store. Sadly, that wouldn't fit either, and even if it did, I imagine customs would have a problem with it.

In this beautiful land, it's easy to see the handiwork of God. I never tire of looking at the scenery as we drive to Mitla from Oaxaca, or even as I look out the windows of my third story "penthouse" room. This is the rainy season and there are constantly huge and brilliant rainbows. Yesterday we saw one that seemed so close and so big we could have walked inside it or climbed it. What beauty!!

I still have a little over two weeks here. I hope to be able to make a difference in the lives of others--to let the Light of Christ shine through me.

Until later--