Holy Week in the Desert

     Yes, Holy Week was more than a month ago and I'm barely getting to writing about it. It is always tough for me to put into writing all of the ideas and experiences without getting behind on all of it. Oh, well, I hope to keep better track of this blog in the coming weeks as our schedule is firming up. As I said earlier, we arrived on Monday of Holy Week and had little time to get settled before we were invited to different gatherings.

Raul, left and Marta, middle

     One of the first invitations was from Raul and his wife, Marta, who are one of FMC's newest missionaries who live here in General Cepeda. I had only met Raul during our 3-week visit to Mexico for our Intake training in 2010 but we immediately made a connection. He reminds me a lot of one of my uncles so it is easy for me to treat him like family. :) Anyway, he asked me to go with him to two of my favorite ranchos, San Francisco and Fermin. These two lie on the outskirts of one end of General Cepeda's boundaries. There aren't many people in the ranchos there but I always feel blessed when they put aside their chores to come and listen to us preach the Word of God. The people are always welcoming and afterwards thank all of us for coming.

Manuel, far right. In case you couldn't guess :)

     All I could think about when we visited Fermin was if I would see the man that left a huge impression on me during Intake almost two years ago. I think the elderly gentleman's name is Manuel, like my grandfather's. We had asked that anyone who wanted to share a testimony could come up. Manuel got up from the rickety bench and removed his cowboy hat. He stood there for a short while not saying anything and I was afraid that he had gotten stage fright with everybody staring. Then, he started talking about how he has lived in Fermin all of his life. He said that he remembered praying with his mom and having all the saints' pictures hanging on the walls. But it was when he said this that made me tear up: "No one can come here and take away my Faith in God. They can try to drag me out of here but I will be fighting them all the way!" He said it with so much passion and sincerity. I don't know who "they" are that would try to take him out but I looked around the rancho and it was a very simple layout. Two rows of homes on one side and there the chapel in the middle. That's it. I think what hit me most is that he probably doesn't own very much, except for his valuable Faith, which is something that he would be willing to fight for. It made me think of how our Faith is attacked like it is today. Are we willing to fight for it or just sit back and not get "into it" with others? Well, we did see him there this time. He probably doesn't remember who I am or that I was there a few years ago but it was good to see him.     

     After that stop, we continued to San Francisco. The sky was starting to fill up with gray clouds which looks very cool in the desert. A few drops fell on the dusty windshield and I quickly hit the wipers out of habit. Bad move. All we had now to look through was a muddy smear and not good while travelling on a rough dirt road. The drops had stopped and I looked at my water bottle thinking if it was worth it to use up my only few sips for a clean windshield. I prayed for just a few more sprinkles enough to wipe the window clean. Sure enough we had a clear view when just enough raindrops fell a few seconds later.

San Francisco Chapel

     Finally arriving at SF, we exited the van and took in all the Stations of the Cross to hang them up on the walls. The people gathered and we held a short prayer meeting with them afterwards telling them that we would be back on Good Friday. A few days passed and we were able to return to pray the Way of the Cross with them. It was a blessed time to be praying with our brothers and sisters and united in the passion of Our Lord. It was also a very quick reintroduction to Spanish for me. It had been so long that I had used it especially using religious terms as found in each station.

     As our first week went on, Raul asked me to go with him to a home visit. There we met a bunch of ladies form a neighborhood and held a prayer group. We read from the Bible and each gave a testimony. I shared that I am always in awe that everything that the Lord said happened or is happening! Why do we get anxious about our problems or let or worries get in the way of living our life? Don't we know the end result? Jesus lives! He is risen! Death is not the end of it all. It is the beginning of our eternal life with Him in His kingdom. Be not afraid!

     We also were invited to go on the Via Cruz (Way of the Cross) all through the town. It sure was different than last year's in the Philippines! We didn't start at 4am but at 10am-ish. We also didn't have any big leafed banana trees to protect us from the blazing sun. It was still a very blessed time knowing that our brothers and sisters took time out of their daily lives to meditate on the Passion of Our Lord. We stopped at every station to pray and finally finished on top of a hill. We were all beat and tired when we arrived and I started to think how much more difficult it would've been with the world's sins on my whipped, bleeding, and torn back. Thank you, Lord, for thinking of me and dying for me so that I may have that chance of entering Your kingdom one day.

We somehow ALWAYS forget an umbrella: 0-2 in a foreign country's Stations of the Cross 

     Well, I am thinking of wrapping this up here. It's been more than two days writing this and I seem to get farther and farther behind. Anyways, this Way of the Cross was just as memorable as the last one. Please join me in praying that all Christians are always ready to take up the cross and follow the Master. Yes, we may fall (more than 3 times) but we need to get right back up, dust ourselves off, and keep trying until the Mission of the Redeemer is complete...even if it means giving up our own lives.


1 Peter 5: 12-13 "My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual is happening to you. Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's suffering, so that you may be full of joy when His glory is revealed."

Cool gray clouds in the desert