A Trip in Missions, Pt. 10

It's Christmas 2011...and I have OFFICIALLY had the Mexican experience!  Lol!  That's thanks to a guy named Miguel.  I've mentioned him before, but he's the guy that does the construction work at the center where I live.  I alternate between working with him and working on the architecture plans.  Anyway, when he found out that I had no plans for Christmas (except staying in my room), he invited me to go on his church's Christmas retreat!  (two things:  Miguel is also a pastor, and this is the first time I've EVER heard of a Christmas retreat!)

So on Christmas Eve at around 5:30pm, I walked to his house/church.  He said we were going to travel to a town called "Las Palmas" ("The Palms").  When Miguel had invited me, he had paused to calculate space for the trip.  Thinking like the American I am, I assumed that we were going to carpool.  After all, not many people have cars here.  Well...I was kind of right...we did carpool...13 people in an old pickup truck!!!  Lol! 
The first part of my Mexican experience completed:  Riding in the back of a pickup, totally crammed for space.

We arrived to Las Palmas and I was freezing!  I know winters here aren't the same as Maryland, but imagine a Fall night while traveling 60+mph in the back of a pickup!  We went into the church building there, but it's still under construction...so no roof.  Lol!  It didn't matter!  We carried on a church service anyway; complete with songs that I tried my best to keep up on...  Lol!  The message walked us through the story of salvation (total depravity, enter: Jesus, salvation opportunity).  It was definitely hard-hitting!  After the message, there was a great skit on loving God by touching the lives of others.  The food wasn't ready at that time, and everyone was cold, so we did kids' songs to keep warm...like "Father Abraham"!  Lol! 

Then we went outside for PINATAS!!!  I was content to watch the younger kids and teens whack away at the candy filled shapes, so I sat with Miguel and watched.  (on a side note:  the first pinata was a large Tinker Bell shaped one...something about kids beating a woman-shaped pinata with a stick doesn't seem right to me...I just can't put my finger on it...)  :-P  Then Ade, the young lady who was organizing this part of the night came and pulled me over to the pinata and said it was my turn!  Then she blindfolded me and everyone separated!  Don't worry, I wasn't hitting the Tinker Bell pinata!  Lol!  I just kept swinging as people around me screamed, "Ya!  Ya!  Ya!"  My mistake...when they say "Ya!" it sounds like "yeah," so I thought they were cheering me on, like in sports...but "ya" is used to mean "already, done, stop"...heh-heh...
The second part of my Mexican experience completed:  Beating down my first pinata.

Finally, it was time for FOOD!!!!  And, man, was there PLENTY to eat!  Christian people here are so open to sharing...  Three churches had gathered together, and each brought food to share for a feast.  I sat with the other men as the women made themselves busy with preparing tables and passing out food/drinks.  I ate too much...  Lol!  1 tomale, 2 tacos, and a plate of rice and pork.  Now, there weren't any utensils given to eat...just a stack of tortillas...  :-)
The third part of my Mexican experience completed:  Eating rice and pork by tearing tortillas and grabbing it!

I'll admit, I failed hard at that eating style for a bit...but I was able to catch on quickly by watching Miguel's technique!  Lol!  And for those of you who think, "Why couldn't you just pick up the rice and pork with your hands?"  The pork was in a sea of sauce and the rice was Mexican style--coated in spices and flavor--it would have been completely messy if I had picked it up!

We gathered around a campfire and told jokes for the next hour, or so (I mainly listened as I tended to the fire--Camp Sonshine training!).  Ade joked that if someone's joke was bad, I was going to throw them into the fire!  Lol!  As I looked around, I realized that God had really answered my prayer...it was around 1am on Christmas morning...and I wasn't alone on Christmas.  I had a large family of believers around me who were all excited about spending Christmas together!  Praise God!  :-) 

We finished for the night and loaded up for the return trip.  Somehow, I fell asleep on the way back, while leaning against the tailgate...(thanks for the safety, God).  :-)  I made it back to my room around 3:30am, and I can honestly say that my heart was, and still is, full of joy!  Feliz Navidad!