Dios Te Ama - Mexico Mission 2001
"God Loves You" - Friday, April 13, 2001 -- Day 1
Well, my first entry and I'm sitting on the plane, half way through the flight. Amazing views! We've flown under two planes so far, and ate lunch - it wasn't bad really. They've actually got That 70's Show playing right now... plus 11 channels of music and talk. They played a movie, a rather strange one - a Canadian made independent film, which had the actor who played Carpathia in Left Behind as a co-star. Makes you wonder if the actors in Christian movies are good Christians themselves. His character was one who slept with other women while he was engaged because his fiance wanted to wait until marriage. Would he really have agreed to that role? I dunno.
Anyway, the flight's been great so far. Can't wait to land in Mexico. This will be wild!
Oh my, what a day. I'm now in my sleeping bag on the porch of the retreat center, outside. It is simply amazing. The sun, for one, just hitting the skin, feels like it's burning, but the air isn't that hot. The traffic is crazy - people are cutting other people off, no one signals, horns honk for no reason. I'd not want to drive down here. The city is indiscribable. Coming in on the jet, you could see how the city fills all the spaces between the massive hills and mountains, and creeps up the hills. Some roads seem to drive up at 45 degree angles! The home styles vary from place to place radically - from apartment type homes (ghetto quality for us) to what look like ancient ruins. Although I have no idea what the insides look like. I'm already seeing how blessed we really are with all we have.
We passed a coke advertisement wall, and someone pasted a lone Pepsi ad on it. hehe But there's loads of advertising all over, Coke being a major contributor. I mentioned how just by looking around (at the airport at least) in most areas I could imagine being at home, because the environment was so similar in middle to upper class areas. The fashions and styles are pretty much the same, but as soon as you see people's faces or the spanish signs, suddenly you're in Mexico :) I'm only just beginning to realize - I'm in Mexico.
Our flight was fun. It was a smooth take-off, but had massive turbulence before landing, but surprisingly one of the smoothest landings the pilot's done.
Man, Mexico. We attended the Good Friday service - that was interesting. Natasha and I practiced while everyone else handed out invitations in the neighborhood. The group sang At The Cross. Moises' guitar was great, and the volume was up high, so I had to get used to not strumming hard. Natasha and I did Shout To The lord for special music - and I took the wrong chord sheet to the front! I went blindly, made a few mistakes, and for some reason I still can't play it through without error from memory. But Lukas and Lisa (sorry, Lucilla) gave their testimonies, and were well taken. Moises translated.
...and I fell asleep while writing...no, not in the service...
After the service, we travelled around, meeting some of the locals, playing around, and winding down for the first night.
Continued... Next >> Day 2, April 14
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