The trip to Mexico was a great experience. It was the Amazon in reverse.
Instead of the tropical jungles I was accustomed to, this region of Mexico was arid and dry — and yes, they even had cacti.
Instead of the daily downpours of rainy season, they just had their first rainfall of the year the week before we arrived. For the missionaries among the Trique, water is a commodity that is purchased weekly from the local water truck.
And instead of living in an isolated location, the Trique live in communities just outside of town. There’s even access to a local supermarket that rivals the Aldi grocery stores I frequent back here. And there were restaurants. … Unheard of in the jungle!
Stranger yet, from my experience, was the fact that there was even internet! There I was, prepared to go offline cold turkey on the trip — and I didn’t even have to do that. I didn’t have to “suffer.”
It was a great experience. But it was more than that.
The time spent with our dear Mexican coworkers was refreshing. It was a privilege to hear their stories. To hear how they are pressing on despite setbacks. To see their determination to reach the point where they can begin teaching the Trique people from God’s Word in their own language.
And they’re close.
Though one never truly ceases to be a language learn, the official language learning period is over. This team of singles is diligently making strides towards the goal of teaching. Miquel is translating the chronological Bible lessons. Amelia is currently translating Genesis. And Gricelda is working on literacy booklets in the Trique language.
There’s a great backstory behind all this. The story of Amelia. The story of how she responded to the need of missions when she was still a teenager. The story of how her church, in a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Tijuana, responded to the need to provide for her financially. They could have said it was impossible. Instead they asked how could they make it possible. In faith, both stepped out.
That’s why I went. To do interviews and get the story. After nine interviews, I think I’ve more than enough material with which to work. This is going to be a great story to get to write!
Thanks for praying! And thank you for your continued prayers.
Credit for the photos goes to Ian Fallis, who was also on the trip. You can see more pictures and read his post on the trip by clicking HERE.