March 28,09 Highlights #1

Policemen on patrol in La Alameda, the large park in the center of Mexico City

Organ Grinder in front of Belles Artes, the famous art museum near La Alameda in Mexico City

Rosario and David's apartment

On February 10, we flew into Mexico City. Rosario met us at the airport and took us by taxi to the small apartment that she shares with her husband David. We used their apartment as our hub from which we spoked out 150 miles in different directions to visit friends. We spent Feb. 10-13, 17-20, and March 9-12 with them.

I have mixed emotions about Mexico City, always have.
The largest city on the planet, with a population of between 20 to 24 million people, depending on who you ask, the city is an anomaly. Towering skyscrapers, tower over buildings that were constructed 500 years ago. A downtown that boasts its wealth with fine shops, boutiques, upscale restaurants and La Alameda where thousands of people promenade daily, while at the Zocolo, the huge square in front of the National Cathedral, Indian peasant women sit on blankets trying to hawk the few handicraft they made. Streets are lined with small stalls where merchants sell Chinese junk articles like copy-cat, name brand merchandise. Some might ask," How do the Mexican people in such a large city make a living?" I would answer, "Anyway they can."

Crime
Another question people asked frequently is "How dangerous is it in Mexico city?"
It can be very dangerous. David has a job working for the Mexico City government. The city is doing a census on unregistered, small, street-side, businesses. David has 5 men working under him. These men are to interview the small merchants in their grid and make an accounting to the government. On numerous evenings David came home frustrated by the dangerous atmosphere in which he had to work. On one occasion his "man" as he called him, was jeopardized when he inadvertently was caught in gunfire between rival gangs. On another occasion another man was involved in a robbery that happened near one of the stalls he was registering. This all happened within 4-5 days.
Banks, government buildings and fine restaurants are all guarded by men with AK-47 and they are on the alert, ready to fire. Lounging on the job may cost them their life.
However, Ruth and I moved around the city on the Metro, by taxi, and by foot and saw no trouble. However we became aware that Rosario and David lived in a high crime area when the taxi driver we tried to hire refused to drive us to their section of the city. To enter their apartment one has to go through 3 locked doors so we felt safe while there.

Smog
The pollution in Mexico City is horrendous. I always get sick but this trip was an exception since I was only in the city for no longer than 3 days at a time. Many years ago Dr. Esparza asked me to be a member of the faculty at the Bible College in Mexico but I had to refuse because of the smog. When one flies in from Lancaster they are immediately met by trying to cope with altitude higher than a mile and the smog. Thousands of people who live in the city have serious respiratory illness. When I asked some of these people why they didn't move they would reply, "Where would I go, the jobs are here?" Each week thousands of people move to the city in search of a job. Many end up on the street.

Traffic and accidents
Yes, it is true, drivers all drive like Jehu! Major avenues are six lanes wide. Traffic lights and policemen control the intersections. We traveled extensively throughout the city weaving in and out, competing with busses and tractor-trailers.
But we did not see one accident, a miracle.
Metro ... Subway system
The Metro will take you anywhere for two pesos=to 15 cents. It is an excellent system, clean, fast and safe, unless you are traveling at night or over rush hour when it is packed. We rode during off hours. There are 12 lines that radiate across the city and we learned to use them years ago. Large, wall maps are in all Metro stations. One can now buy automatic 'swipe cards' that make entering quick. I like the Metro and have had trouble only on one occasion some years ago when we had to run to escape being robbed. But thats another story.

Fast Food Restaurants & Wal-Mart
If you are a fast food junkie, you can still visit McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut,Burger King and Dominos. You can also buy Ben and Jerrys and Haagan Daass ice cream at Wal-Mart but come prepared to pay $9.00 American for a half-gallon. I didn't.
Wal-Mart is very popular and full of customers in its downtown locations. Upscale restaurants have parking lots full of late model cars.
However, when one leaves center city one falls down the economic ladder into the basement. Here passersby stand at taco stands munching on spoiled meat tacos, drink off-brand pop and eat chicharones, a hard, deep-fried pig skin. If you never have tasted it, don't!
Surprisingly Mexico City, at least the downtown area, is clean. Street cleaners walk the sidewalks and parks picking up trash.
My opinion of Mexico City improved during this visit and if it were not for the all pervasive smog it wouldn't be so bad.
I hope this blog posting has answered some of your questions as to what the largest city on earth is like. If you have a specific question, post it in the comment box or drop me an email at noahsark747@yahoo.com

Mexican Ministry February-March, 2009

Rosario sits in her apartment with the birthday card and gift we gave to her on her thirty-fifth birthday.

Pablo and Niky and daughter Jaci are with Pauls mother and Ruth in their home in Celaya.

Pastor Hector Perez and "Papa Carlos" Hostetter stand on a mountain near where Hector lives in Necaxa, Puebla State.

God has brought Ruth and I home safely and we thank Him. We also thank each of you who have been praying for us while we were in Mexico. One can seldom use the word, "perfect" but because of the good hand of God upon us, we can say, "we had a 'perfect' trip." We did not get sick, Ruth had energy and strength, we were delivered from the evils around us, the weather was terrific, and because God was with us we accomplished all the goals we had set.
In the following blogs I want to detail some of the mighty works of God that we experienced during our trip.
I will begin with a brief character sketch of the important people we visited. In future blogs I will detail some of the activities we participated in. Let me introduce the important players in our one month odyssey to Mexico.

Pastors Hector and Maricela Perez:
Ruth and I first got to know Hector when he arrived at the Bible Institute in Jerez, Zacatecas in 1996 for his freshman year. We
became a spiritual "papa and mama" to an eighteen year old lad who had never known the love of a father. In 1999 Hector married Maricela who had already graduated from the Bible Institute. We attended their wedding in Mexico City. In 2004 their first child was born. They named the baby boy, Mairon and I had a namesake and a grandson. God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. In 2006 a daughter was born and they named her Betsi. After pastoring various churches, they were assigned to the church in Necaxa in August of 2008. Hector is also the national youth pastor for the denomination and tells me that at the last youth retreat held in Necaxa in December of 2008 there were 1,000+ youth. He also teaches at the Otomi Indian Bible School in the mountains of Hidalgo State. He and his family visited us in our home in June of 2008 and attended two Sunday meetings held on the farm of Matthew and Barbara Kniesly. Hector is 32 years old and Maricela is 34 years old.


Pastors Pablo and Niky Rimerez
Pablo was a "project" boy in Fresnillo before coming to the Bible Institute in 1996 for his freshman year. He was one of the boys that came to the feeding project sponsored by Lois Raser in Fresnillo. Paul was saved as a teenager by God's work through this project. Paul's father died while he was a boy. One evening after and English class held in our home on campus, Pablo asked me if I would be his father? I happily agreed and so acquired another son.
Niky was a classmate of Pablos in Jerez and they married after they graduated. They have a five -year old daughter named Jaci and a two month old son named Pablo Andras. Paul and Niky pastor a small church in Celaya. Paul is 34 years old.

Rosario Reyes

Rosario came from Rancho San Antonio, a desert village 50 miles north of Jerez. She was twenty years old when she arrived for her freshman year in 1996 at the Bible Institute in Jerez. Rosarios father abandoned the family while she was a child and later committed suicide. She quickly won our affection and when she asked to be considered as our daughter, we happily agreed. God had given us a spiritual daughter. After completing her five years of schooling she graduated and was ordained as a pastor in 2001. After serving at various churches she left the pastorate when she married David in 2001. Rosario and David live in Mexico City. We celebrated Rosarios 35th birthday with her on February 20.

Our three former students all refer privately and publicly to us as "Papa Carlos and Mama Ruth." We accept our titles with humility and gratitude. Neither of them knew a father who loved and encouraged them. Rosario explained it to me this way, "my father is the one who cares about me, encourages me, prays for me." Each one of our spiritual children have a natural Mexican mother who is a giant in faith and there natural mothers have accepted us as one of their family. We respect them and honor them for being Godly mothers.

Doctor Graciela Esparza
Dr. Esparza is a missionary, teacher, pastor and counselor without peer. She has a PHd in psychology from a Canadian University. Though she is a single lady age 81, she keeps a schedule that would tire someone half her age. She has 3 adopted children, She works throughtout Mexico, Central and South America. A close friend of Lois Racer, she is a former Director of Compassion International, Mexican bureau. When I think of Dr. Esparza I compare her to John Sauder in her zeal and commitment to God. Dr. Esparza invited me to teach my Death and Dying Counseling Course in 1990 and I have been teaching it since having taught in all three pastoral Bible Institutes of her denomination. We have enjoyed the hospitality of her home on numerous occasions and she has always respected the belief and practice of the Old Order River Brethren. It is because of her good graces that the OORB's have an open door to minister throughout the 400 churches of the Movimiento, as their denomination is referred to. We thank God for this open door, it is indeed a unique invitation and opportunity, one we value highly. Dr. Esparza has invited me to teach this October and hope to do so, Lord willing.

You will meet many more people in future blogs. Each one has their unique place in God's Kingdom. We are thrilled to know and serve God with our Mexican brothers and sisters. We all have our special role to play in our generation and as we fulfill it we are blessed.
Please communicate with us either by posting a comment on our blog or via email to: myron@oorb.org
And be sure and look for our next blog post next week.