Ixtlan 2015

Almost a week later I'm finally getting around to posting about my trip to Mexico.  I'd been rolling it around in my head, making a trip that is, for a little while.  Seeing as Grant and Hannah move back in a week, I knew that if I wanted to visit while they were down there it would have to be soon. Then I went to Haiti so I figured that would be my mission trip for the year.  Well, turns out that one evening back in early March while I was Skyping the Herrmanns we got talking about me making a visit which turned into finding cheap plane tickets which turned into me buying cheap plane tickets.  It being so spur of the moment I managed to plan a trip out of the country over my dentist and doctor appointments as well as the symphony Leah had so kindly bought tickets to for my birthday.  The first two were easily changed but I missed the symphony and hope to make it up to Leah someday!  Other than all that, it was a perfect week to go.

Overall, it was a really good trip.  There were definitely some emotional swings through the week.  Some of those fears that seized me the last time began rising up again and one particularly difficult day as I was wrestling with my selfishness and doubting God's good plan for my life I remembered why being there was so difficult.  But below are many reasons it was good to go back along with a few of the few pictures I took.

Spending time with the people down there was a blessing.  I am especially thankful for all the Herrmanns did for me a year ago and again during this week.  If I had a picture of Grant and Hannah it would likely be around the Settler's board where Hannah and I solved all of life's problems and occasionally remembered before Grant reminded us that it was our turn to play.  But I have no picture to show so you'll just have to take my word for it.  Ivory and I spent a lot of time together those ten weeks of 2014 and although I knew she wouldn't remember that, it was heartwarming that she warmed up so fast.  We read books, made cookies, colored, and went on walks.

 

Walks.  That's another thing I love about Ixtlan.  People walk everywhere.  Sometimes when Ivory and Titus needed to get out of the house we'd buckle them up in the double jogger and stroll around Ixtlan while they munched on crackers and banana.

 

 

The sights of Ixtlan haven't changed much but that's okay.  I take great delight in seeing scraggly trees growing by brightly colored houses, clothes drying on a barbed wire fence, or a group of older men sitting in the plaza wearing cowboy hats. 

 

 

 

 

The fresh produce is another wonderful thing about Ixtlan.  When you can run twenty yards up the street for tomatoes, sugar, or whatever's missing, life is simpler.  Some of the produce is in the market down the hill a little ways but within easy walking distance.  Just looking at the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is fun not to mention the cheap cost.

 

 

 

And speaking of cheap, Hannah had a garage sale on Friday and Saturday.  It was fun to see her in her element, bartering with the Mexicans and getting rid of the things she didn't want to move to the States.  I made sugar cookies to sell because the school children really enjoy frosted sugar cookies and some of them walk right by the Herrmanns on their way home from school.  Turns out they were not the hot item--curtains are surprisingly in demand in Ixtlan.  Hannah had a woman ask if she was going to sell her living room curtains which were still hanging in the living room windows.  I'm not sure if the woman ever understood that the things outside of the house were for sale, not the things inside.  Oh well, it made for some interesting conversations!

 

It was good to be back at Jovenes, women's Bible study, and singing in Spanish.  On Sunday after the singing in the evening, Matt and Ruth went to visit a sister in a nearby town so Caleb and Abby stayed back at the church.  A group of us decided to walk down to the plaza for some garbanzos and corn.  Mmm, mmm.  Gotta love the street food!

 

There were other special moments throughout the week, but I won't bore you with all the details.  Overall, it was just good in a hard way to go back to the place that challenged me to grow and to reflect on God's faithfulness.