A VERY long day!

Have you ever had one of those days where you counted down the hours until it was over? Well.... today was that day for me. The first part of the day went well and then I had to go to the funeral of my friend Cesilia's husband. Barbara, ( my other friend) went with me and all I could think about was how much I wanted to acurately describe the things that happened. So, if you are up for a short story, read on, if not, close this page out!

Okay, so have you ever been the only white person in a group of oh, say 1000? Well, let me tell you it is an interesting feeling. I did not go to the mass at the church, I joined them afterward when they carry the casket to the cemetary. It is about a 1/2 mile walk. Talk about some burning muscles. So, here we all are walking the 1/2 mile on a dusty dirt road and all I could think about was how Jesus had to walk a long dusty dirt road as well. I hadn't seen my friends yet, but I was praying for them with my whole heart on this walk to the cemetary. Once we arrived at the cemetary, I spotted Cesilia and Lupita sitting on a tombstone quite some distance from where the casket was. I walked up and hugged them and that is when it all started.

It was as if a wall of emotion fell away and poor, little , 13 year old, Lupita fell into my arms and WHALED! She cried and cried and said many things about her grandparents that she probably shouldn't have said, and at the time I had no idea why she was saying these things. I later found out that her grandparents, her dad's parents had not let any of Cesilia's family get near the casket. As if they were protecting him from them. I just sat there and tried to hug them and pray quietly with them while the rest of the 1,000 people were singing sad songs around the casket. I noticed they all had bottles of rubbing alcohol and couldn't figure out why. They were rubbing it on their skin. ( very strange) Anyway, Lupita stands up and asks me to go and say good-bye with her. I am thinking, "Oh great, now I have to get up in front of the 1,000 people." However, I went and as soon as they saw her coming, they all lifted the casket and carried it to the grave. (it was under a little shelter for a few minutes) So Lupita and Cesilia tried to push their way through the crowd so that they could reach the casket. That is when I thought I was going to lose it with these people. The family of Juan made a wall about 5 people deep all around the grave so that they couldn't see anything. They never got to even touch the casket. Then before you knew it they had lowered the casket into the ground and more whaling started. Some women came and took Lupita from me and escorted her out of the cemetary as she continued to WHALE!!! I was helping Cesilia when I see Lupita go completely limp. Hmmm.... now I know what all those bottles of alcohol are for. So we carried her over to the side of the road and I started slapping her. Okay, get this picture in your head, the only white women is now slapping the poor 13 year old who just lost her father. Really good picture huh? God has to laugh at some of the predicaments I get myself into! Anyway, they begin to throw alcohol at her face and on her clothes and they were putting their arms that had been soaked in alcohol under her nose now. She finally comes around and starting screaming at the top of her lungs that she was not going to stop crying, and no one loved her mom, and why were they all telling her it would be okay? They said something that I didn't understand and she got up and started walking down the street with the rest of them.

As we followed the thousands of people down the street, I asked Cesila where we were going. She said, " Well, all of them are going to the house that used to be mine and are going to eat, but we are not allowed to go." Mama Missy kicked in and said, "Well, we will just go to my house." So WE did. I thought WE was Lupita, Annie and Cesilia. NOPE.....about 30 people entered my house and that is when God showed up! Many of the people from our Monday night meeting came and they all started to pray. We prayed and they gave Godly counsel and I fixed popcorn (the only thing I had) and after about an hour and a half, they all left.

I asked Cesilia what she wanted to do, and she said, "I guess I will go home." "Do you have anything to eat?" " Not really." Then I got really sad and realized she hadn't worked this week and had no money for food. So we went to the meat market, bought some food and they returned to their home with smiles on their faces. This poor woman has a very tough life and I am not asking, but begging you to please pray that God will bless her in ways we can't even imagine!

Sorry it was so long, but I had to share this with you. I asked for prayer for Barbara too, and we never got to meet with them today, we are going to try again tomorrow. Until then!