As our time in Aguilar and in Mexico comes to an end I can’t help but think about some lessons learned. The first lesson is about Mexican Hospitality. The people here are so hospitable. Unlike our gated communities and homes with entrances and garages in the back of the house; the doors to most homes here are almost always open. When we walk a kid home we can pretty much expect to be invited in for conversation and something to drink or eat. It hasn’t been unusual for us to leave with a gift of oranges or something.
Related to that is their apparent trust. Maybe they are just very discerning and able to detect the Spirit of God in us?! They looked at us suspiciously the first day or two and the kids were very shy. But within a couple days we were off and running all over the place with their kids. That would NEVER happen back home. And it probably shouldn’t. But what’s the difference between here and home? Maybe it’s because this town is full of extended family. Probably every kid we ran around with had numerous Cousins and Aunts and Uncles. We may have thought we were in the middle of nowhere but in reality there were probably eyes on us most of the time. I don’t know.
People here walk more than we do. Of course many of them do so out of necessity. Gasoline and cars are expensive. Taxi’s are cheap by comparison and numerous. Pretty much anywhere you want to go you can just start walking until a van or small pickup truck with a tall camper-like top comes by and if there’s room you can get a ride fairly cheaply. I think it would not be unusual for someone to just stop and pick you up if they had room- like it’s a common courtesy. How many times at home have we blown by someone trying to hitch a ride? Yeah, I guess it’s different. Or is it?
I can’t help but think of the huge influx of Latino’s on the Mississippi Coast following Hurricane Katrina. A lot of the recovery wouldn’t have happened so rapidly without their help. How foreign is the Mississippi Coast to a Mexican? First of all there’s one person per car and we’re all driving like Wal-Mart won’t be there when we get there. Secondly, there’s no doubt the wages is higher . . . but so is the cost of living. And their wages really isn’t enough for them to buy a car. If I had it to do over again, I might never pass a Mexican walking to Wal-Mart without offering him a ride. Finally, I wonder what they think of the “closed ness” of our neighborhoods? We’re hospitable to those we know and like; but not to the alien and stranger. The Bible says we should do no harm or violence to an alien and that we should love a stranger that sojourns with us as we love ourselves. I’m going to spend this entire year being an alien in a foreign land and I am appreciating all the hospitality I can get. I bet the strangers you encounter in your streets and in the aisle’s of your WallyWorld would appreciate a warm greeting more than a condescending look the other way.
