First Week in Chiapas

It was a very good week here in San Cristobal. The first few days we unpacked, did a little furniture rearranging, set up our bedrooms, school room and office, and just plain got settled in. Rachel and I are in a pretty good routine with school and spend most of the days studying together. We also have gone for lots of walks around the city to figure out where the grocery stores, tortillerias, taquerias, and bread stores are (as well as the best places to buy candy!)
Last Tuesday was a little like Christmas in November. Before we left for Acapulco, we had three of our big suitcases shipped to Chiapas. We didn't want to take them with us to Ecuador, Peru, Cheranastico and Acapulco. And it was a lot cheaper to ship them ($23) then to pay the airline's extra baggage fee. So last week Tuesday, Brian went to the shipping company office, and there were our suitcases! It was fun seeing what we had packed and having a few more changes of clothes, books, and some kitchen goodies.
This past weekend seemed somewhat strange, and at first we couldn't figure out why. Then we realized that it was the first weekend since September 5 that we hadn't been traveling! So instead of packing, checking out, catching a bus or plane, checking back in, unpacking, and getting accustomed to a new place, we were free to do something else! So Saturday morning Brian and I went to the market. Now that was the San Cristobal that we remembered! What a reminder of years ago as we walked past stalls selling tomatoes, papaya, avocado, chayote, several variety of bananas, as well as chickens, spices, rice, beans, and hundreds of other things.
Then for lunch we grilled ribs, chorizo and beef with the family that is living in the basement of the mission house, Rogelio and Becky. Actually Rogelio did the grilling and we did the eating! After lunch Rachel and I went to the movie theater at the shopping plaza (not the San Cristobal that we remember from before!) and saw "New Moon". I have to admit that I am not a Twilight fan, but Rachel is and I was curious to see what all the hype was about. The movie wasn't too bad, but I don't think I'll run out and read the books anytime soon.
After a little shopping at the mall, we got home in time for tamales. On Saturdays in San Cristobal, various people make tamales in their homes and then sell them in the evenings. You can tell who has tamales for sale by the red light they hang outside their house. So we went to a few different "red light" houses and picked up tamales de mole, azafran and de bola. Yum. We made sure to buy plenty so we'd have leftovers.
Rachel already wrote about Sunday and our visit with Vern and Carla Sterk to Nuevo Zinacantan. This Tzotzil village is made up entirely of displaced Christians. Vern said that there are 50 villages throughout Chiapas for Tzotzils who have been forced from their own villages because of their Christian beliefs. It was amazing to worship with the people and see the Sterk's reconnect with friends from the years that they lived here.
Now as we prepare for Thanksgiving, we are reminded of how thankful we are. Thankful to God for being so loving and faithful; thankful for this opportunity to serve Him in the area of Bible translation; and thankful for family and friends who mean so much to us. We pray that you will all have a very meaningful and blessed Thanksgiving! Donna