Side Trip to Xela - Monday through Wednesday

On Monday, Darinel, Elver, and I drove to Xela. I was to preach there in the home of my niece and her family (David and Amy Raif) on Monday evening. They requested that I preach my Shepherd lesson on elders, as they have just been studying elders as well. Amy had prepared dinner for the group, and then I would speak. Among the gathering of about 20-25, there was good discussion afterward.

Then Tuesday evening, I spoke at a nearby congregation, Pachaj, and David suggested I preach the same lesson I had preached Sunday night in San Cristobal, which had resulted in some degree of controversy. I did, but the result was different. The applications of my lesson required some consideration on their part, but there was relatively quick agreement with the points I made. Afterward, we noticed the board where they listed who will be filling any of the responsibilities in their assemblies, common custom in Spanish speaking churches. My nephew David is known there, and so I was listed (click pic to expand) as "Gringo dos." :)

It was especially nice to again visit with Gilmar and Maria, the first family who ever invited me into their home in this part of the world. That was 5 years ago, and it was nice to renew that acquaintance, and to see their children 5 years older. They seem to be such a good family; some of you may remember them from a sermon in Georgia, wherein I mentioned them, their home, and his work choices. Others of you may remember them from a Pleonast post I made at the same time with the same observations. The picture at left is the second I took of them. The two boys were not smiling in the first, so I asked they do so. It is obvious in Angel's case that not all Latinos are accustomed to smiling for pictures. :)

Tuesday thus made the 10th day in a row I had preached. Earlier in the day however, Darinel, Elver, I, and three of the Xela brethren, David, Marcos, and Carlos, climbed Santa Maria volcano. It was a 4000-5000 foot ascent, and while I’m writing this on Saturday and that was Tuesday, my legs are still a bit sore. My Spanish speaking friends learned the English idiom, “My legs feel like spaghetti.”

(In pic below, Santa Maria is the farthest peak, as seen from David and Amy's house)



Wednesday was a true day of ease, a day off after those 10 days of preaching. We drove back from Xela to San Cristobal, and Darinel asked if I would like to drive. Any of you who know me know what my answer to that was. Drivers here are not overly cautious by American standards, and I adapted to local customs. The roads were mountainous, full of holes and topes (speed bumps), and crazed “chicken bus” drivers; all this in a low horsepower car, and which developed brake fade the day before, and which had an odd feel when turning more than a low-radius curve. I enjoyed it immensely, and I appreciated his confidence in me. Arriving back in San Cristobal, we had a supper appointment at Darinel’s home with his wife and children. They are another high quality family. He is one of those I hope to see serving as an elder one day. And the tostados she prepared for us, well they were the best tostados I’ve ever had – although I have to give credit to Margie A, whose tostados were likely just as good and possibly better, but it’s been nearly 4 years since I had hers and I can’t remember them in detail!

With that segment of my trip passed, I now have the weekend meeting at Palenque to look forward to, Friday to Sunday.