No Delta-Wing Has Been Here Before

6:30 came early. Practically before the dawn cracked. Granola, yogurt and fruit accompanied by a small swallow of coffee was to fuel the hike. Everything takes longer than expected here, so we didn't actually leave the house until like 7:40. Jose was wearing Zach's shorts in which he felt considerably uncomfortable. No one here wears shorts, and he said he felt like he was wearing a kirt. By that he meant kilt, but skirt would have communicated the jist. We snuck past snuki and through the neighbors front yard straight into...town. Yes, although it seems like we are in the country driving out here, just beyond the neighbors house is town. Concrete galore. We walked to the left and then directly ahead. We walked, and walked, and walked. Then we turned right. And walked directly ahead. We walked and talked. Then turned right again and then left and then went straight. It was easy to tell where we were going. It was where the huge mountain was. Our journey cleared out of fields and opened up to the base. I still had my jacket on at this point, and was comfortable. We determined that the only path we saw - which led in a straight line to the top - was going to be too steep and so we decided to take a little trail and find our own way. We skipped around some mud pointing out various tracks - dogs, donkeys, cows. At one particularly interesting track Jose crouched down and exclaimed with all sincerity "Some one has been here before. And that person is wearing Adidas!" It was just too much, the expression, the pride in his eyes shinning from behind his strikingly Harry Potter-ish glasses. I laughed and laughed and laughed. He looked at me confused - and told me. "Kim! That was real, it was not supposed to be a joke." This is when Zach informed him that sometimes I just laugh - especially at "mi hermano" who is not funny. I defended you Cade - as best I could through gasps of laughter. And I will have each and every one of you know that Zach did laugh at Jose's discovery. :) We were still gaining altitude, weaving around little shrubs, scrambling over rocks and trekking on. At some point in the journey the trail evaporated - or disintegrated perhaps. Nevertheless the going was fine. There wasn't anything too arduous in front of us. But our progress was relatively slow, as this was a good climb. The pace was fine and we were greatly enjoying ourselves, and the occasional glace behind to see how far we had come and how small the town was getting. (Imagine best Mr. Bean impression here) Suddenly... we came to a halt. The terrain had changed drastically. The occasional shrub had turned into a wall it seemed - of surprisingly thorny and daunting bushes. Slower now we pressed onward. Zach leading the way sort of stomping a trail, I following closely - but not close enough to get slapped in the face by the branches when they whipped back. And Jose - wait where is Jose? And then I hear it. A mixture of surprise, frustration, and a gallant attempt at maintaining a positive attitude. "WAHHA this plant will strip me naked!" We turn to see Jose completely on his own in what looks like a sink hole of thorns (side note - I can hardly type for the tears in my eyes and the bouncing of the computer from the laughter at the memory of this). He was not at all following us but instead "Trying to find my own plan" That plan had landed him in quite the mess - every time he tried to move, one thorn would grab his blue stretchy kirt while another stabbed a free appendage. He would tug at the kirt only to have his arm stabbed, his head would then shoot up eyes wide and mouth in a perpetual OWWW shape. He would disappear slightly once again and some rustling would be heard and then his face appeared once again. The fight in his eyes was tremendous. And low and behold Jose emerged. Rubbing his legs and expressing his wish for his long pants. He managed to work his way over to follow us as we once again started forward. We paused a few times trying to calculate the best route. We were probably 50 meters from the top of one of the little peaks - from where our plan was to follow the ridge to the highest high. With every step the brush thickened. We were advised by our native friend to "If you see a poisonous plant...keep stomping it" Thank you Jose. Zach was now spending five to ten stomps trying the clear each step. Now 15 or 20. Jose suggested we sing "To make this trip more pleasant." He couldn't think of any songs except for "Ring of fire" Maybe his legs were still stinging from the thorns. Now 50 stomps. Now 100. And then it happened. The wall was 7 feet tall. We could see over it where the ridge was, but to the right and the left and even behind us it seemed we were surrounded. Some sort of mesquite breed. With tiny little thorns - sharp little buggers. We tried to go through, tried to go over, tried to go around, tried even to go under. But to no avail. We humbly accepted our defeat (20 minutes later) disappointed to have come so close, but worn and content with the nice progress we did make, we turned back to get to a spot with bushes shorter than our necks so we could take some pictures. And then we started down. For those of us without Aaron Brown ankles, going down the mountain is almost as laborious and definitely more precarious than going up. Jose flitted about jumping off edges that made me turn green, and urging me to do so as well. I opted out of the broken ankle prescription in favor of a slightly less risky walk of switchbacks. At one point Jose asked us if we had brought our delta wings. Unfortunately we all forgot to pack them in the sack. Neither Zach or I could- for the life of us- think of what a delta wing was. And so it must have been a combination of our befuzzled faces that got Jose explaining. A delta wing is like a hang glider. Jose decided to almost demonstrate how our journey would be if we could then just "Jump!" Fortunately he slid only one foot off a rock and startled himself enough to say "OH I almost did" From then on he was a little less bouncy. We made it back down to the fields. Took a picture next to a Mexican scarecrow, and trudged home.
We arrived and then I left. To get tortillas and salsa; I will not try here to speculate on how far the trip was but it was certainly far enough to make me not so excited to walk to town to get the vittles. I returned, crashing my delta-wing into the couch. Marina prepared enfrijoladas and they were marvelous. We lazed around for a bit and Jose went to his house. I opted to seize the sleep that fled from me this morning...
We went to town and met the adolescents. Oti was there. We waited, waited and waited. A few others came. I haven't had very many object lessons come to mind, and this has been disconcerting for me because I want this time to be meaningful for the kids here. I walked around and found two old blankets. What better object for the Exodus than chariot races in the auditorium. So we began and and everyone seemed to have a good time. I then gave them the book of Exodus in 17 minutes. I prefer telling the story over reading verbatim out of the the text.
Afterwards Zach went to the classroom building for a mens bible study, and I played hacky-sack with Oti. When she had to go, I settled back into crocheting until Lulu came to get Pedro and Miguel (her sons) and we talked for the remainder of the time. She is a really neat lady. She has worked very hard to make a comfortable life for her sons, and they are very good sons to her. Her husband left them and does not provide any support, but Lulu had a very good job for 18 years working in the archeological industry. She talked of her journey to the church. Her brother Felix introduced her and she brought her sons. They are all relatively new (perhaps a year and a half) Pedro and Miguel were both baptized on Mothers day of last year - she said that was the best gift a mother could ask for. I too was baptized on Mothers day. We thought this was a neat and unique thing to share. Once the men were finished, they gave us a ride out to Gerardo's house. When we got there it was a full house. Gerardo and his wife Alma Rosa have two children - their daughter is married and has a little boy of her own (who was quite entertaining). Their son Toti is 15 or 16. They were all sitting in the living room talking and watching the baseball game on TV. There is a kind of "world series" going on in central and south america. Oaxaca's baseball team was playing (in town) in the semifinals. They won the game (much to everyone's excitement) A smeal (small-snack-meal) was prepared for us - Hot Dogs with diced tomatoes on top, and tomato sandwiches. And sprite (it is clear when bought in 3 liter bottles).
I had coffee as well, and gelatin. We sat eating and watching the game, joking and enjoying Gerardo's grandson and his shy antics. When the game finished we had watched the end of a very strange movie with Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson, former fleeing from the latter in the desert while the former shoots the latter, then gives the latter the gun to shoot him, but instead the latter ops to die, yet the former helps the latter to his feet and they walk off in different directions the former throwing a Bowie knife into the ground. Like I said, strange. It was during the credits, which I'm not certain were due, that I was called to preach.
My audience was none other than Gerardo's sister-in-law and her son who are Catholics. Gerardo invited then to ask me any questions about protestant faith they had. Thankfully they were a bit shy at the beginning, giving me a brief opportunity to gather myself, but they asked sincere questions about infant baptism, the Old Testament and I was able to share some of my stories and experience. I was asked about miracles and forgiveness of sin; it was quite a doctrine check on my part. I very much wanted to smooth the rocky path Gerardo had paved for them. The first road is always rocky but must be done and is probably the hardest work, the one who comes after is very grateful for the path established. The night ended amicable with the conversation having been a dialogue. Gerardo and Toti gave us a ride back to the house as it was approaching one o'clock. It was a long and beautiful day.