Freedom

What a whirlwind week.  This week we were blessed to celebrate the bicentennial 16th of September - Mexico's Independence Day. I had erroneously thought that Mexico's Independence Day was Cinco de Mayo.  I have learned so much since!!    We studied the history of the 300 years of Spanish rule, of Father Hildago's famous Grito de Delores and his ringing of the Church bell at 11pm, and the 10-year war that raged afterwards.  We learned that this is reenacted in every plaza across Mexico on the night of the15th of September. We dressed in traditional Mexican dress, (see Payton's picture), ate delicious food from states across the country, and cheered at the firework display. 

We are beginning to see the beauty in the history, the culture, the people.  This is a country with strong ties to family and building relationships with those around you.  It is a "slow down and talk to your neighbor" culture instead of a "hurry up and get where you are going" culture.  It is a community that knows their aunts,  uncles, cousins and their birthdays and their children's birthdays. 

While it is a country of "haves" and "have-nots", we have a lot to learn from the "have-not's".  The "have-not's" are not unhappy, unproductive or unwilling.  They are generous, kind, and hard-working.  They may only have enough food for today, but they will share the food they have with you.  And they will thank the Lord for the food and depend on Him completely for food for tomorrow.  It is the faith that moves mountains, ties a culture together, and profides true freedom.  Freedom from worry, stress, and anxiety.  Freedom to give and know that you will be taken care of.    To the people we work with here,  faith is a prerequisite to freedom.  What an honorable lesson for us all.