Borders Turned Upside Down

Holly & Braunwin adjusting their perspective at Zicatela.

So here's a fascinating tidbit you probably already knew. Apparently, if you intend to be in Mexico for more than 72 hours, or to travel further than the border zone, you need yourself a tourist card. Not quite a visa, but just a form declaring your purely touristic intentions. Apparently, they give these to you automatically when you fly into Mexico from the States. But we flew out of Tijuana. So, I found myself here:

I was there voluntarily, thank goodness. One leisurely ministry day, the subject of visas had come up, and I nearly choked on my avocado smoothie when I realized my oversight. I was on the wrong side of La Migra. Not only is that a problem for legal reasons, but I wouldn't be able to have privileges in the congregation as an "illegal alien". Two days, 262 pesos, lots of broken Spanish and paperwork later, and I was a card-carrying, law-abiding tourist at last.

Speaking of borders, the congregation composition is delightfully unusual. With 20 official publishers and at least ten countries represented, it's a cultural concoction. Australia, Mexico, England, United States, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Columbia and Japan are all present, and the mix of accents, slang, and humors are pretty unique.

The Hills; padre Mike, madre Sharon, hija Kim, and amiga Kim, are here from England for a few weeks. Mike's a ministerial servant back home and gave the public talk last week, but Crystal and I were trapped in a glass case of emotion and unfortunately missed it. They are great fun, and I admire them for taking a decidedly different family holiday than most Britons.

The collectivos, which the Hills are cruising in above, are fantastic. They're basically trucks with some metal infrastructure, doorbells strapped to the walls, and a blue tarp thrown on top. They loop the town from morning until night, and for four pesos (about $0.31 USD) you can hop on on off anywhere you please, just ring the "doorbell" when you're ready to get off and they'll pull straight over. The collectivos make getting most places around town a breeze. There a couple cars in the congregation, and most everyone else has motor bikes. 

Keiko, above, is here with her daughter Chiaki, for a year. They are from Japan and learning English so they can help the congregation...Spanish will have to wait. Look at that smile on Keiko's face - that door was accessorized by the most ravenous beast of a dog you've ever seen. She's undaunted. We have bonded over our love of sushi and there's talks of a sushi night soon.

Kent, from Australia, and Kirstie, from New Zealand, got married last November and are down here indefinitely. Kent's kind of a maverick - he's been a forensic investigator, competitive Ironman athlete, Bali surfer, cafe owner...but he let it all go in order to start pioneering and be able to serve where there is great need. Talking to him reminded me of the scripture at Phillipians 3:8, "I do indeed also consider all things to be loss on account of the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus." Seeing all these brothers and sisters putting that faith in action is super encouraging, and they are reaping the benefits in the form of over 60 Bible studies. 

The ministry requires a lot of "giving" of yourself, which is an expected and acceptable thing. However, it's important to take time to keep yourself physically and mentally refreshed. Holly and Braunwin found a Pilates class that meets on a misty mountain on Tuesdays. Anita and I decided to join them, and for 25 pesos ($1.95) we had an invigorating and at times hilarious work out, led by our freakishly flexible Dutch instructor. She's going out of town for a few weeks, and our "homework" was to master the above pictured headstands. I've had limited success.

Anita exploring the space. 

It's definitely hard not to want to save every animal you pass on the street or in the ministry. There's two kittens mewling outside my door right now. They live down the street and must have got a little lost on the way home. The reptiles are pretty much the only things I haven't wanted to adopt, but it turns out my landlords are iguana crusaders and have got that species covered.

The animals aren't the only thing hard to part with. I can already see how the constant ebb and flow of people must take some getting used to. Braunie, a super sweet young girl here from New Zealand, put it this way; "You've gotta deal with it. You've got to get to know people fast, if you don't, then they're gone. You go to a lot of going away parties."  With every group of Witnesses you meet the more you realize how wonderful our brotherhood is. Sharon whipped up a three course feast last night, how she did it with two camping burners and a handful of beans is beyond me.

Anita, Braunie, Charlotte, Chelsea, Kim, Holly, Sharon

Ah, we're all a bit sun-kissed, aren't we? I've got a guerrilla regimen of sunscreen and bug repellent. DEET is my new best friend, and if I grow a third eye or extra limb, at least they won't be itchy. 

I moved into a new place on top of a lavanderia, it's full of light and air and possibilities. It's owned by Claudia and Cruz, a super friendly Mexican couple. There's an outdoor shared kitchen, and you can see the ocean from the balcony. I've put up some pictures and flowers and a Bienvenido mat outside my door..It feels quite like home, for now.

Request:

I need to start cooking. My tamale-centric diet is quite delicious, but frightfully imbalanced. Any recipes would be greatly appreciated. I have access to two burners, a fridge, and an extremely limited amount of kitchenware.