A Spanish blog I read called Vivir Mexico has recently started a great series called (in English), “That’s how we are: Mexicans.”
The idea is that they are going to explore Mexicans and their culture, talking each week about an aspect of Mexican culture (they say they will explore both the good and the bad).
Mothers and the word Mother is something that is reflected in every aspect of Mexico, from religion to culture; from moral values to politics.
You can see the difference between Mothers and Fathers just by looking at the difference between Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day. Mothers’ Day is practically a national holiday while Fathers’ Day goes practically unnoticed.
Motherhood represents the protection, faith, and safety of always having somebody by your side regardless of what happens. Somebody will always be there to comfort you, attend to you, and will always be ready to forgive you and love you unconditionally.
To be a bad mother is the worst possible thing in Mexican society. Bad mothers are the villains of every story. This logic would also explain the controversy over the legalization of abortion, halting the possibility of being a mother.
In Mexico, you can steal, kill, kidnap, beat, and do whatever, but to abandon your children is to fall to the bottom.
The same thing applies to children. You can do anything else, but the child who abandons his mother deserves less than the devil himself, especially if the mother is elderly.
It is even said that the devil acts the way he does because he didn’t have a mother to advise him.
I look forward to this series. There are many things there that I had already noticed, but to hear it from a Mexican and to think about the implications have helped me understand the culture so I can better minister within the culture.
Last December, I went to a Miami Dolphins game with my dad, and I teared up as they sang the National Anthem before the game. Spending the 4th of July in the United States means a lot to me, especially since I spend a lot of my time outside of the country. After almost 5 years of living in Mexico, my thoughts on freedom have changed dramatically.
We are truly blessed to be Americans. Although you may not agree with everything our country does or stands for, one thing is for sure: The United States of America is a country of great opportunity. Regardless of what you think about the reasons for it, the United States is a blessed country.
When I travel with my blue passport, I am reminded of the opportunities I have simply from being born in this country. I can travel freely to pretty much anywhere in the world. I know people who must receive permission from their country to visit another country. I can write (even here) exactly what I think about any issue. I can speak my mind (even against the very freedoms that allow me to do so). I can practice my religion freely, and the government cannot limit what I say about my personal beliefs.
So today, we celebrate freedom. As you see the stars and stripes, remember all of the freedoms that you have. And remember to cherish them. There are many who would love to have the freedoms we have.
“La Bodeguita del Medio,” or the warehouse in the middle, is a restaurant, cafe, and bar in Old Havana that is extremely popular with tourists, celebrities, and politicians. Ernest Hemingway frequented this place when he spent time in Havana.
It’s a historical and touristy place. So, when we were in Havana, I decided to take some video of La Bodeguita del Medio. It was crowded, so the video isn’t as good as I’d like it to be.
I already wrote about our trip to Xochimilco and included photos, but I wanted to give you a taste of what it was like to be on the boat with the Mariachi band playing. So, here’s the video of the Mariachis that came onto our boat in Xochimilco, Mexico.
I posted on our vlog (Mexico Movies) about El Mejunje, a place called Mejunje (translated = concoction) that I visited in Santa Clara, while I was there teaching two weeks ago.
I don’t want to duplicate the post, but you should check it out over there and watch the video of the band we saw playing there.
It was truly a cultural experience. If you’re at all interested in global youth ministry or global youth culture, you should click here to watch the video and read about El Mejunje.
It’s a great collection of art from the pre-revolution era, which shows ads for rum, department stores, movies, and other things. It’s worth checking out.
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