When I was little, birthdays were a big deal in my family. I remember my parents would host parties for my sister and I in different places in Oklahoma City, like the zoo and various parks or pools. Then, when we were older, our parents would let us pick a restaurant to go to for our birthday dinner. It was always a very special day. Now, lest you think this is a BIG hint for a party or presents for my upcoming birthday, let me get to the point. In the Tarahumara culture, birthdays are non-existent. Many Tarahumaras do not know when they were born, not the year, the month, or the day. And birthday celebrations are just not done - it is not seen as a big deal - unless you were born on one of the big saint's days in the Catholic calendar. If you are a Juan, then you would have a big bang of a time on June 24th; not because of you in particular, but because this is the day when the rains usually come and the monsoon season begins. In many communities, they make tesguino and get drunk hoping to encourage the rains to begin. There are other important days, that are celebrated in a like manner.
I say all of that to share with you a photo from the birthday party for Isaac, Jaime & Lupe's youngest son, who turned 1 year old on April 22 (sorry that this post is so very late!). We had a great celebration with good food, sodas, and cake. I pray that this helped Jaime & Lupe recognize the precious gift God gave them in Isaac and that all of us will thank God each day for our children.
Lulu gave birth to a still-undetermined number of kittens this evening. The young mother is currently resting comfortably on top of my only black sweater. Jaynie was able to experience the miracle of new life up close and personal. How great is our God!
Sunday night Rosa gave birth to her first child, a healthy baby boy! He was born at the Birth Center of the Tarahumara mission hospital in Samachike. We are so very thankful for the thoughtful and careful attention of Shelley, the midwife, and her family. New life is such a miracle!
Yesterday afternoon, after the Bible study in San Luis Majimachi, Jose Luis and a group of men went to the remote village of Rowerachi to visit. It was a very quick trip, but Jose Luis said that it was good that they went. They took coats and knitted hats that were donated for the Tarahumaras. Rowerachi is off of the more-travelled roads and therefore the people there are always very appreciative of anything they get. There are about 100 people who live there and it has its own kindergarten-elementary school. And although I call it remote, it is not really that far from Creel - 21 miles - but the road is horrendous and it takes close to 4 hours to drive those 21 miles! What makes this trip so special to me is that the Christians in San Luis Majimachi see Rowerachi as their mission field. The Christians would like their friends and families to experience the life-changing love of Jesus.
Yesterday as we arrived in the village of San Luis Majimachi (SLM), we saw Don Santiago working in his field. What a great example to show how the Tarahumara, at least in our neck of the woods, work in their fields - plowing, planting, weeding, etc. Jose Luis' uncles and mother us donkeys or horses instead of bulls. But I could not resist this opportunity.