June 2011
We got to Mexico! On Tuesday, May 31, we flew into Mexico City and saw a sea of lights below us. It was an incredible sight. As we looked down, it was overwhelming to think of a city that has 30 million people in it. That is almost the same population as the whole of Canada. We cleared customs fairly easy, and, even though we were chosen for a “random search,” it went fairly smoothly. I accidently tipped our porters way too much (100 pesos) at the Guadalajara Airport where we were connecting, and the porters were all smiles. When we got to the Mexico City Airport, Brother Wes Palla picked us up, and I asked him how much I should tip. When I gave these porters 15 pesos each, they were not smiling at all! I asked Brother Wes why they were upset, and he told me it is because they think I am a rich American and that I was being cheap. I wanted to go back and tell them I was neither American nor was I rich, but it wouldn’t have done any good.
We were exhausted and tired but also rejoicing that our journey to Peru feels like it has actually begun. Our hosts and good friends, Wes and Cynthia Palla, are going out of their way to make us feel at home while we are here and have started teaching us Spanish. Yesterday Brother Wes and I went out soul winning, and I had the privilege of seeing a young lady come to know Christ. So I could pass out John and Romans, Brother Wes taught me to say, “May I give you this book?” I went up to the first lady I saw and said in Spanish, “I want you to give this book to me.” She smiled and took it anyway. I also got to see Iglesias Bautista Monte Sion (Brother Kevin Wynne’s church). It is an incredible work, and I am looking forward to being here for the next month and learning as much as I can.
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| Tienguis (Open Air Market) |
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| Iglesia Buatista Monte Sion |
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| A roof top view of Mexico City |
The city doesn’t ever seem to sleep, from the noise of cars, to people trying to sell things over loud speakers, to people blowing their horns. Last night a man came down the street ringing a bell, and we asked what that was. The Pallas told us it was the garbage man. All the people then came out to the street with their garbage. Then you tip him. I have learned you tip everybody here, even the guy at Wal-Mart who blows his whistle while you park, telling you that you can park where you are parking. Before we left the United States, I went and got my international license. It will be staying in my luggage. The traffic here is not for newbies. It makes the traffic in Los Angeles and Toronto look like a drive in the country on a Sunday afternoon.
