A Week in Northern Mexico

Here is an article I wrote a few months ago about what we did in Northern Mexico- "a day in the life" post.  I hope this gives you a glimpse into the work we have done for the past two years!

Fields.  Cultivated fields on both sides like well-manicured gardens ready to be planted.  The loud hum from the suburban seems to fit the sleepiness of the area.  Every now and then a bump in the highway jars me from my contemplation.  Looking back I see most of the team asleep or reading.  Two hours into this trip and the conversation has faded, except the chatty boys, who love the chance to go “to work” with dad.

We pass a small town where kids are playing and speed bumps force the highway traffic to slow down for half a second on its winding path ever south.  As our speed again picks up, my thoughts turn to my sleepy surroundings.  I could be driving in almost any state in the US.  We could be on a vacation through Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, or even Montana (well the mountain-less eastern Montana anyways).   But we aren’t in any of those states.  And we aren’t going on a vacation.

As I look out at the fields, dark green plants are replacing the dark black rows, almost imperceptibly.  Rows and rows of corn like sorghum are everywhere.  The harvest is coming.  I break hard and turn left on our journey, almost missing the nearly hidden turn.  Once again I'm thankful for the old building with the faded BUD LIGHT sign that marks our next road.

The abrupt turn and subsequent rattling of the washboard road shakes me from my thoughts again.  Looking back at the bouncing heads and hearing every rattle of our suburban, I start to wonder how many times can this truck take the constant beating?  The reality is that not all roads are paved and smooth, and sometimes you have to take the road less travelled, even if it rattles you like a marble in a spray-paint can.

As I'm contemplating the worthiness of our vehicle, my hope and wonder rise as we pass a small Geo Metro loaded with more passengers than I can count coming down the road toward us.  The car seems to leap from one pothole to another as if in a frantic hopscotch game.  We exchange waves and smiles and continue our methodical plodding.   The view now starts to change to glimpses of water here and there in the distance.  Yes, we are close. 

Forty minutes later we stop at a small house, the size of a garage back home, and get out.  The smell of fish is everywhere.   We are in northern Mexico. We are in village “M”.  We are here to fish.  We are here to encourage the fishermen.  And as is always the case, we are encouraged by the fisherman here.  They are little known and greatly used by God.

We have no boats, nets, or tackle.  We are here to be “fishers of men” Matt 4:19.  Not to take fish from the Laguna, but to seek and save the lost and perishing, those who have no hope or hardly any access to it.  But even more so, we are equipping the fishermen, the only believing family here, to continue the vital work in village “M”.   

As the boys get out and immediately start collecting “treasures” of discarded batteries, bottle caps and seashells, the team walks past the flock of chickens standing guard and yell the familiar “Hola R”!  A moment of silence and then a clear reply comes from behind the door in a singsong voice that only R can do “Hō-Sway” (Joshua in Spanish).   R comes out of the house and there is a warm hug for everyone and a lot of laughter.  The village seems so small but when R comes out and starts talking about his ratty old dog “Stitch” or the tire he had to replace on the way to sell the days fish, and how he had to pay for the repair with a large trout, the village seems to grow into a comfortable neighborhood of old friends.  There is a deep friendship and love that only Christ can form despite cultural barriers, language barriers, and life experiences that are worlds apart.  Jesus is so amazing!

We clean up our small but very adequate house and head over to R and A’s for dinner and conversation, both of which are delicious.  We eat fresh fish, fresh salsa and tortillas and talk about the previous week's happenings.  R has trouble pronouncing my teammate Todd’s name and has resigned to call him Pedro.  That will stick.

After dinner, we gather together in R and A’s house and begin a study of scripture.  This takes different forms at different times but it always includes studying the word, prayer, and talking through questions or life issues.  I am constantly amazed how God works!  He saved me when I wasn’t looking for him and now I am here in northern Mexico teaching and being encouraged by a man, who was a town drunk, mixed up in the cartel and left for dead, and now is leading a devotional for us and his family!  I am thankful for the consistent planters and waters that have worked in R’s life and now we see God is giving the increase. 

The next day we went through the village of about 70 people talking with those we know and inviting all that we saw to the outreach bible study that afternoon.  Typically we have 8-10 people attend the outreach.  We usually story the bible and share the gospel.  There is always good discussion after the study and seeds are sown.  Some people come and go from study to study, while others are consistent fixtures.  We are praying for ears to hear.

Just before our study was to begin N, a man who usually comes to the studies, came up to R and our team as we were waiting for people to arrive.  He was wearing his fishing gear and a grim face.  “C, was fishing in the Laguna and he fell out of his boat and drown.”  Through our translator I asked N what happened.  Apparently he must have had a heart attack, because he grabbed his chest then fell into the water.  By the time other boats came to help it was too late.”

I was shocked.  Two incredible things happened that afternoon.  One was that we were able to talk with N about life and death.  N knows the realities of death.  He has seen it and been around it much more than me.  He would say, “All you can know is this life and that death will come.  Nothing else.  No one knows what is after that. “  Except God, I asked?  “Of course.” With that we had a great discussion about God revealing what happens after death in the Bible, how we all have sinned, how God has made a way for us to be made right through Jesus and we can know with confidence that death is not a fearful unknown but a glorious full knowing and seeing our great Savior in all His glory.

The second thing we saw was a glimpse of that glory here in village M.  As the afternoon faded to evening, people were making there way to R and A’s house.  Sometimes it would be a single woman.  Sometimes it would be a groups of two or three.  We found out later that they were coming to R and A for comfort, consolation, and counsel.   There is something about this family, and their relationship with Jesus, that is drawing people to them in the darkest hour of the village.  This is the manifestation of the love of Jesus to those who need it.  And as R fully attests, this has come about only by a changed heart through Jesus Christ.  It was a privilege to see their faith in action and I was reminded again that we are not the only missionaries in this village.    

Yet there is so much work here.  There is no church here.  There is no access to the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ except through this family and maybe one or two others that we know of for sure.  The mixture of Christianity and other beliefs are constantly surfacing.   After our study that evening R asked a good question.  “There is a mythical bird people fear here.  It will come late at night and walk on your roof (all the roofs are sheet metal) and if you hear it, it means that someone will die.  That man died today.  Is there any truth to that legend?”  

This is why we go.  To proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to those who need to hear the gospel.  Please pray for our team:  Jill Rae Johnson, Joshua Brown, Todd Simpson and myself as we strive to be fishers of men in a fishing village.  Pray also for R and A, the fishers of men in their own village!  God is working here and it’s exciting to see!