Mexico

So, we made it into Mexico! What a crazy event that was! We got a green light at the border which meant that we could drive through without having the border guards go through all our stuff. There were militarty personel standing by and they decided that they would like to check us out. Unfortunately, they did not speak any English! It was a riot. They were more amused than anything, as they tried to ask us questions about our destination and the contents of our van. We played charades and figured out most of the questions in spite of our poor Spanish. At one point, the soldier looking through the van found a small container of loose catnip that he thought looked fairly suspicious. Knowing what he was thinking, I had Eden pass Evinrude to the front so we could demonstrate that it was for the cat! Evinrude was distracted by the chaos and wasn't interested at first, but finally, he chowed down on the catnip and the guard was satisfied that it was "No por hombre!"
After the border, we had to go through customs which took about an hour and a half. Laine waited in the van with the kids while Steve and I filled out the paperwork for visas and temporary import of vehicle permit. Again, no one spoke English and we were again faced with the challenge of communicating with minimal Spanish! I tell you, we have learned way more Spanish in the past 3 days than we have in the last year! We miraculously got everything we needed and with a little help from our GPS, carried on down the road. On our way out of town we passed 4 rebel vehicles with scary masked men and guns mounted on the top! All the cars moved to the side to give them lots of room so we did the same! They passed by and we drove on, hearts in our throats!
The first night we found a quaint little motel with secure parking which they probably charged us double for! We started brushing our teeth with bottled water and tried to remember not to flush the toilet paper. (Guatemalan plumbing is poor, so we are practicing now so we don't plug the plumbing later!) Our travels through Mexico have been full of new sights. We have seen tin shacks, road side cafes in the back of a pick up truck, scraggly dogs, people begging for money at frequent speed bumps, crops of oranges, mangos bananas and bamboo, farms and orchards on many hills. I think when God made Mexico, He made a people that can do anything! There are many people here that love Jesus! On the road today we saw some people in a white van waving at us. Later we saw them at a gas station and they had a Jesus fish and a dove sticker on the back of their van too!
We haven't had good a good internet signal since we've been in Mexico. I must admit, I did feel a little isolated yesterday when there was no internet and I couldn't speak Spanish well enough to ask how to use the phone! I'm good at asking for more towels though! " Qiero cuatro toallas, por favor." We have been speaking Spanish to each other, practicing on everyone we get a chance to speak to; it is amazing how much we have picked up since we crossed the border.
We have been waved through most policia and militia road blocks. Today we were pulled over at a military check point and they attempted to search us but they couldn't communicate so they gave up! I asked to take a picture and the guy in charge nodded but gestured that I couldn't photograph the Hummer with the machine gun mounted on top! The soldier requested that my "Muchacha" should be in the picture with them, so Laine got to pose as well!
We have always felt very safe with the military personel and the Policia. They have been very curteous and good to deal with. Pray that we don't pass by any more rebels though. We have heard that they avoid the toll highways because they are heavily patrolled by policia and we have found this to be true. God is our source of peace, our refuge and our strong tower.
Our hotel tonight was a gift from God. It was getting dark quickly so we went into the nearest city hoping to find a place to stay. It was a maze that we quickly misplaced ourselves in. Suddenly, before panic set in, we found an ATM and just across the park we saw a Hotel. It was big and we thought it would be expensive, but desperate for a safe place to stay, we went in. They gave us a great deal and then they even gave us back more money. It has almost been the cheapest place so far! (Not cheaper than the one I wrote about before with the dirty tub!) Laine has her own bed tonight; she usually shares with Eden, and the boys don't have to sleep on the floor either! Earlier we heard singing comming from the street below and the van is safely parked in the courtyard. I deffinitly feel like our Heavenly Father prepared this place for us tonight.
It has been difficult to break through the language barrier to share Jesus with anyone in Mexico so far, since we are always just passing through. Autumn has broken through a few barriers with her rays of Sonshine and Cole has captivated the hearts a a few people as well. We just keep praying that God's love will cross the divide!
Our prayer requests are for continued saftey as we travel and for us to learn the language quickly.

My favorite slow cooker meal so far:
1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. mexican rice side dish (any brand)
1 chopped red pepper
1 small onion
1 jar salsa
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans mixed beans, drained
taco seasoning
cumin powder
Mix it all together in the slow cooker and add anything you'd like to make it your own, then turn it on high for 6 hrs, give or take. Spoon into tortillas, soft corn tortillas are best, with cheese and eat! Mmmm....delicioso!