2/19/2008 Mexico

Today is a day that will not be forgotten…. Leaving the trailer at the KOA in Las Cruces, New Mexico we kind of back tracked a little and went to El Paso, Texas. Now I’m sure you are asking yourself “now why did they go back?” Well we went to Juarez, Mexico. We were only there for a few hours but what we saw will not soon be forgotten. We parked our van in a small lot just outside the immigration checkpoint and walked into a different world. By the way, the immigration checkpoint is surrounded by 8 foot fences topped with razor wire. David and I had no idea what we were walking into.

Most of the cars are taxis and looked like junk yard reject. There were people everywhere and within just a few minutes David noticed a man that he thought was following us…. This man would walk past us and then cross the street well in front of us and back down the opposite side of the street, cross the street behind us and pass us again…. We went around the corner and down the street towards to the Mercado (market), this man was never to be seen again. Again just down the street there was a space of about 15 to 20 feet between David and I and two men stepped out from a small street shop right behind David, one motioning to the other where David had his wallet. (which was in a pocket on the front of his pant leg) While maintaining the same distance one man turned to look over his shoulder and realized that David was not alone…. Perhaps my cover made them think I was a nun (the Catholic Church is a very ominous presents) helping this poor man with his children….. but both men stopped dead in their tracks and smiled at me while giving me a pleasant nod…. We were grateful for the protection our Lord gave us. While walking along the streets we all noticed a very high number of handicapped people and many of them were begging…. One woman with two small children sat on the sidewalk begging for money…. Lord please forgive my gluttony… we are a very fat country. We also found a street preacher in the square preaching the Lords word…. Bible and megaphone in hand. I am sure our friends at OPBBC would be delighted.

As you walk along the street many people will walk up to you trying to sell their wears… that could be anything from a balloon animal to razors to a blanket… but we encountered a woman selling small bags of assorted candy. Her name was Sylvia and she was a non-using heroin addict. She told us that she had been clean for 8 months and was selling candy to raise monies for the drug house she lives at. They are helped for free and in return are asked to make fund raising their job. The house gives them the bags of candy they just have to pay for the bags at the end of the day or turn in what she doesn’t sell. She also introduced us to her husband Thomas. They both say that God has helped them… but we don’t know to what extent they believe… (language barrier) Before we parted ways we prayed with them for protection and that they would seek everything from Him. Please pray for Sylvia and Thomas, the world is against them…

On our way back we walked back over the Rio Grande River and into the United States. As we walked over the bridge I saw below a man with a large paper cone. The man stood there with that cone yelling to the people crossing over the bridge. His yells were consistently the same “ Hey help, Hey help”. He wanted the people transversing that bridge to throw him money and he would catch it with the large paper cone.

I believe I have left a part of my heart with these people and in this city and would love to go back. God’s will be done. Please pray for this city and its people, they are shockingly poor and the Church here is only getting fatter. God help us!

Robin