Easter Traditions

For the past six weeks I would say I have done pretty good about not getting homesick and enjoying the experiences here in Mexico. Though this past weekend I struggled with the fact that back home everyone was celebrating Easter with family get togethers, egg hunts, Easter baskets, a chocolate bunny, and of course a wonderful church service about our risen Savior. I have missed my Mawmaw's home cooking and all the cousins hunting for eggs. We also missed the Moncivais side with the traditional crawfish boil and money egg hunt. I have sincerely missed our little traditions and miss seeing my family enjoy those things. Here in Mexico they celebrate Easter differently than we do in the States. There are no Easter eggs, Easter bunny, new Easter outfits and worst of all... no chocolate bunnies.
Easter is only about Christ and they truly emphasize the death and resurrection of Christ. Which I can totally appreciate. On Good Friday they have reenactments of the Crucifixion of Christ. There is a man that portrays Jesus and other people dressed as the Roman soldiers. The man walks down the streets with the cross on his back while the soldiers beat him with whips and mock him. After they make it to their final destination they then hang him on the cross. Although I do miss the American traditions; I do like the fact that Easter is all about Christ and there is nothing that takes away from that focus.
I still plan on teaching my American Easter customs to the kids but not emphasizing it as the spot light for Easter. We didn't do the Easter bunny or basket this year; but we did enjoy dying eggs using kool-aid (because we didn't have any food coloring) and they had fun hiding and finding them.

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

On our way to church

Family gathering every Sunday afternoon. They are celebrating the win of their team.

Go Tigres!

Sofia is the only girl in the group of cousins. So of course she is the Boss.

Abuelito has been raising bunnies and this one is Isaac's.

Kool-aid Dye

They actually turned out pretty good.

Sofia found an egg.

Isaac wanted to sleep with his eggs.

Still Honeymooning?

I have a good friend that has traveled a lot and has lived in different countries. She is familiar with how things go as far being homesick and culture shock. While chatting the other day with her she asked me if we were still "honeymooning." I asked her what did she mean by that term, and she said that is what you call the stage that we are in here in Mexico. Even though we have been here several times and this is where Beto grew up it is still new for us as a family. As I walk down the crowded streets and look around I still get that tingling good feeling. Surrounding me are mountains, houses side by side, people, kids playing in the street, honking cabs, and taco stands. Every time I walk out the door I feel as if I have stepped out into a movie that has been filmed in another country. It is what I have always dreamed of besides the millions of roaches, cold water, no air conditioning, and other things that I have gotten spoiled to in the States. I know this honeymoon stage won't last forever, but I am enjoying it as long as I can.

 Make a donation to this poor child.

She said she will work for food.

Amigos

I believe my kids are starting to blend in.

Pray for Brayan

Brayan Monsivais was a very active two year with big brown eyes and a charming personality. A couple of months ago his parents noticed that he had trouble moving his left arm and hand. They took him to the doctor hoping that is was something minor but instead was delivered troubling news. After a couple of test he was first diagnosed as having a tumor on his brain, but later tests revealed that it was actually an aneurism. The doctors told them that he would need surgery and that there could be a chance that he would not make it through the surgery. They also explained to them that without surgery that he would certainly die, but that it could be a month or ten years. At that time the parents chose not to have surgery, because they were scared of the risks.

Within a couple of weeks after the decision to post pone surgery his health deteriorated and the aneurism started leaking fluids on his brain. The doctors had to insert a drainage tube in his brain. Since then he has quit eating and vomits frequently. He is now too weak to play, walk, and sleeps most of the day. The doctors have made it clear that he desperately needs surgery and the parents have now agreed to do the procedure. The problem now is that the medical machine they need is no where to be found. They will be doing some more test on him tomorrow and will make a final decision on the next step. They have been told that he may have to be taken to Mexico City for the surgery; which is about 614 miles from Monterrey.
Sometimes I forget that we are in Mexico and that they do things different and everything is not so easy. Going to visit with Brayan today was a hassle just getting in the hospital. Once we arrived to the pediatric ward it was truly heart breaking. They do not have private rooms and all the pediatric patients are in the same large room. Brayan's mom was there sitting beside his crib and she has no privacy. There is one chair for her to sit in and she has a little corner to put a couple of belongings. Next to his bed was another baby, about a month old, that was born blind and deaf. She had a small seizure while we were there and you could see and feel the pain that her family was experiencing.
Brayan slept most of the time during our visit, but we did have a good talk with his mom. She teared up several times while telling us how scared she is and how it hurts her to watch him go through this. She told us that they had to shave his head when they inserted the tube for drainage and that upset him more than anything.
Please pray for this sweet little boy. I can't even imagine what his family is going through. Pray that they will find the equipment soon for the surgery and that the surgery will go smoothly. Also pray for a quick recovery and that everything will be for God's own glory.

The Market

One of my favorite things to do here in Mexico is go to the market. Any day of the way there is a market close by and you can find just about anything you could imagine. The only thing that is somewhat disappointing is the fact they really don't sell authentic Mexican things. I would love it if you could buy Mexican clothing, pottery, or handmade jewelry, but that is not what Mexicans like to buy. What they like to sell is things that come from the States. Most of the vendors go across the Texas border and buy American items, such as: clothing, toys, baby items, costume jewelry, shoes, and many other things. Contrary to popular American thinking most of those items are more expensive here in Mexico. That is why vendors sell American goods.
You can find authentic Mexican food at the market. The smells that flow through the air remind me of all the wonderful smells of the food at the fair back home. There is anything from tacos to churros to fancy fruit concoctions. I personally looked forward to eating a couple of churros.
I can remember the first time I came here with Beto. We had been married about six months and came during the hottest time of the year. We stayed at his grandmother's house and I woke up to a wonderful surprise on a Saturday morning. The market was right outside the window in front of his grandmother's house! This being my first time to Monterrey and everything was so new and exciting it felt like Christmas morning. I woke Beto up and said "Look Beto! The market is here!" He unenthusiastically said "Yes Kandace, it is here every Saturday." Although the market is an everyday occurrence here I still look forward to looking at what every vendor has to sell.
Maybe one day when I grow up I can be a vendor at the market. Hmmmmm... what could I sell?