Sta. Maria Guienagati

The river where we bathed

The one room church building

Emily enjoying huevos a la mexicana, black beans, and hand made tortillas

Childrens´Bible Hour

The river baptism.

These are a few pictures of Emily and my trip to Sta. Maria, Guienagati. It was just incredible. We were invited rather last minute to the Women´s Seminar, and I really didn´t think the other women would be interested in going, or would find any excuse to not go, but Oh me of little faith... Before I knew it there were five women ready to get things on the move to go. We worked like crazy that week getting things in order. We had to get a gift to give to the hosting congregation and the other women who would be attending. We met every day that week working on the gifts, we even involved several men on cutting, glueing, and running last me¡inute errands. We made 42 wall hangings with a weekly schedule of women´s chores. Each day with a Bible verse, and miniature clothing, Bibles, dishes, etc.... I got the biggest hot glue blister in all history (maybe not) but it was entirely worth it.

We left Oaxaca at 4:30pm on Friday. The bus driver rudely left one of our young ladies who arrived just as we were getting ready to pull away. The passengers yelled offences at him until we were well out of city limits. I still can´t get her face out of my mind, her look of disbelief as we pulled away leaving her behind. After hours of constant curves and two movies, we arrived in Tehuantepec at 9:00pm. We rushed to the Preacher´s house there to find a group of about 20 waiting for our arrival. We said a quick prayer, then everyone piled into pick-ups, volkswagens, and a minivan ready to go up the mountain. Actually we arrived rather quickly. Or is that because I fell asleep and woke up when we arrived? We pulled up to the church in Sta. Maria Guienagati at around 1 or 2 in the morning. The brethren quickly showed us to where we would stay, some slept on the floors, some in hammocks, and some how, Emily and I got a place on a bed.

Saturday, the big day of the event, we awoke and stumbled out of the bedroom to be ushered into the kitchen where the women were preparing hand made tortillas over the tipical wood heated comal. They gave us warm, coffee and homemade bread, and the hand made tortillas with salsa and cheese. When Emily and I finished, we realised that the other guests were waiting to be served outside under a structure supporting a palm leaf roof. Down the hill a bit was the river, and we constatly we reminded of its presence through the sound of its rushing water.

The first class began at 10:00am sharp. Sister Elsa Banda gave a wonderful class on serving God in the way that He has called us. There are no gifts too little to be usefull in His ministry. This was Elsa and her husband Arturo`s last activity on their trip to Oaxaca. Originally from Ciudad Juarez, they spent a month and a half in Oaxaca serving the coastal communities with classes, VBS, and other activities. They each have a heart of gold, and a great love for the Lord and his people.

After the class, the women were ushered by the men to sit again at the table under the palm roof where we were all served a delicious lunch of Amarillo de pollo. The men did the cooking, the serving, and the washing of dishes. Very impresive.... HINT HINT! With our stomachs full, and time on our hands, we decided to take a walk, then get a bath in before the afternoon class.

We walked back towards the mountain village accompanied by two of the local sisters. Emily and Karlita (Marisol´s daughter) walked up front hand in hand singing church songs. We stopped at a small store and bought a coke, and called home to tell our family that we had arrived fine. Amparo took us to her home and gave us each a kilo of ground coffee which her family plants and harvests. We then walked down to the river where the women were washing clothes and bathing while the children also bathed and played. One of the sisters offered to take us to a place perfect for a bath, so we sent Mari back to the house for a change of clothes for each of us and our towels. Us city women got in the water with our clothing on, and began to suds up all exposed areas of skin. Since the water was cold we shivered and laughed as we gasped for air. Amparo and the other local sister laughingly yet seriously told us, "You have to take off your clothes, thats why you are cold!" In the distance I could see at least a dozen women and children attending their river duties, and within "eye-shot" downstream there were some men washing their truck, so we decided that was a definite NOT. The only one to strip down was little Emi who splashed and played and enjoyed the innocence that we all once had.

After drying in the sun and changing behind the bushes, we walked back towards the church building. We stopped on the way to admire a strange fruit growing on a tree. An old lady with her long skirt, long gray braids, and worn apron came out of her adobe house to offer us two guanabanas that had just fallen from the tree. They were sweet and fresh and tasted marvelous under the heat of the afternoon sun. Back at the church grounds Emily played with her new friends, and before we knew it, it was time for the afternoon class. Before entering, we passed out the handmade gifts and were touched to see how the women each began to smile as they read the words on each hanging. Several asked for another for the aunt, the sister, the friend who couldn´t come, but we were shocked and pleased to see that there were exactly enough for those present.

Sunday services were very touching. Brother Toño from Tehuantepec had a very encouraging sermon, but the most touching was when the brother who preformed the Lord´s Supper broke out in tears as he prayed for the Bread of Life. Marisol and I saw that the tiny cups were insufficient for the brethren present, so we humbly shared a cup between the two of us. At the end of the service one of the visitors went forward and confessed her desire to be baptised. She said, "Since I have arrived I have been watching all the sisters and brothers, and have seen that here there is the true love of Christ." We all then walked down to the river and she was baptised, renewed, and re-born in the presence of some fifty brethren who immediatly broke out into song. What a sweet and blesed way to end such a touching time on the mountain!!!

After one last bath in the river we rushed to sister Elsa and brother Arturo´s minivan as they would drop us off in Oaxaca on their way home. As the van quickly drove down the mountain rode, we passed the brethren from Pto. Escondido in their pick-up truck, and Arturo honked and we all waved and shouted blessings from our windows. We passed the brethren from Salina Cruz in their pick-up and honked and waved and shouted blessings. We passed the brethren from Tehuantepec and honked and waved and shouted blessings.... Sister Elsa chatted all the way to Oaxaca where we gave them a bed and a shower before sending them off the next day towards the north...

I think our Lord for such a beautiful experience and for letting us know the brothers and sisters in Sta Maria Guienagati.