Fender Bender

Continuing on with my theme of, "Missions ain't always a boquet of roses," I thought I'd share today's events. We set out from San Luis Potosi around 8:00am after a good night's rest. Around noon, as we were driving out of the quaint colonial town of San Juan Del Rio, we missed a sign and took a wrong turn. Sandra found a place to turn around on the other side of the highway. As we slowed to make a left turn into a store, a car came up behind us at about 60 mph and attempted to pass us in the left lane of oncoming traffic. Had we not seen it, we could have died or been seriously injured if this car would have hit us. What we didn't realize was that behind that car was another one, going slower, and as Sandra pulled out, it began to brake, but hit us anyway.

So there we were, with the driver of the other car (that hit us from behind) implying it was our falt. That made for some wracked nerves, discouragement, etc. As we went our seperate ways (the drivers of the other car and us) I prayed for them.

Get Me Off This Rollercoaster

So, after spending 4 or more extra hours driving around yesterday, we packed what we could. All of us have been battling colds and I am exhausted. So at about 10:30am, realizing that to pack our home-schooling family of 5 up to leave for a 6 week trip is not finished, I go to bed.

We get up and celebrate Christmas, having told the children that we have a special line with Santa and sent him a note telling him about our missions-trip and could he stop by our house early this year. He did. So we celebrated Christmas for a bit in the a.m. I've realized that one of my favorite things in the world to do is to take pictures of the childrens faces right after they open their presents. That look of surprise and wonder is priceless! I got a few good ones.

We began packing, finishing up last minute things and running errands. We finally leave Monterrey at 5 pm which put us into San Luis Potosi at about midnight. We actually got through SLP straight away this time unlike last Spring where we got lost downtown. Tomorrow we head down to Valle de Bravo to visit some long-time missionaries in Mexico who have opened a number of doors for us. After that it will be onward to Cuernavaca!

School Zone!

Time for some, "Real," stories right from the mission-field. I think I have painted too rosey of a picture of what misionary life is like, so I thought I'd share a bit from the other side.

It's Thursday, about 2pm. I am at the base working on trying to tie up too many loose ends before we leave for Cuernavaca. Sandra is at home doing school with the children and packing and she's even more stressed out than I am. I head out to run an errand with a friend and we go down a street where there is a school zone, however I've never been down this street so I wasn't aware of it. Keep in mind, compared to most Monterreyans (that's people from Monterrey) I drive slow. I am a 40 year-old, father of 3 and I don't really get my kicks out of driving fast like I did in my younger days.

So there we are, my friend and I, cruising down Rio Naces going the speed limit (when it's not school zone time which is 3 times/day in Mexico because they have morning and afternoon school). Problem, it's one of the 3 school zone times and I've never been down this street. So my friend shouts out, "School zone," which for any foreign missionary in Monterrey means, "Slow down instantly to 5 mph until you get about 30 yards past the Transito and then speed up. Transitos are the guys who patrol the school zones and not only love to give out tickets, but they actually prefer to settle the matter, "Under the table," for willing customers. The advantage for them is that they pocket the cash and the government never sees it. But it's corrupt and wrong.

I get flagged over and try politely pleading my case and why I felt he should cut me some slack just this once. He indicates to me that he can't let me off because if he let everyone off, blah blah blah...he is going to write me a ticket and he informs me that my driver's liscense will be held for me at the Transito Station until I go and pay the fine, or he offered me the bribe, which is where I just pay him directly in cash and then he supposedly brings it in to the station, however he doesn't write me a ticket and I just pay him directly and go on my merry way. Not wanting to contribute to the corrupt system, I inform him that I'm not willing to handle matters that way. He writes the ticket and I won myself another to-do item on my list.

We head to the Transito Station and find it interesting that when you try to go to the Bank in Mexico (where you take money out) there are typically long lines, however when you go to the Transito Station (where the Government takes your money) they have relatively short lines. They make it very easy for you to give them your money. By the way, the Transito kept my liscence and told me I could return for it after 4:30pm.

Back to the office for some more work and at 4:30pm, back to Rio Naces to pick up my liscense. I get there, greet my friend the Transito, who informs me that he dropped off my liscence at the Station, clear accross town. Now I'm steamed! I headed back accross town (a city of 8 million people) to rescue my DL a little nervous that I might not find it there. I get there, I get my DL back and I head back to the base.

Keep in mind, I had too many items on my to-do list today to begin with and I didn't budget 4 hours in to my schedule for all this. Is it spiritual attack? I don't know, what I do know is that if I ever have to drive on Rio Naces anytime soon, I am going to be awfully careful of the School Zones.