A Dios; Hasta Leugo Mexico

I was so taken by the beauty of the hand painted cross and bird on wood that the bishop gave me, that John and I asked the bishop if we could go to the place and buy some more. John and I want to share the beauty of the glorious popular art with people in our part of the country.

The artist's name is Romero. He has a little shop on a side street across from the workshop that teaches single mothers hand crafts to sell. There is so much beautiful popular art that in these two months I bought enough to fill the extra carry-on that John brought me! And I don't even like to shop!

I'm having mixed emotions this morning as I prepare to leave. This is my last day in Cuernavaca. Yesterday, I took John to meet some of my teachers at my first school, IDEAL. Evelia, my friend from my first family greeted him warmly. Somehow, Evelia can communicate totally in Spanish and get the message across to those who can't speak it. John is an avid gardener and has become enamored by all the healthy, exotic vegetation in Mexico. Evelia showed him around her garden. She offered us a sweet limon from her tree. I felt myself begin to cry as I said good-bye. I hope to see her next year. Indeed, as we walked down the street from her house she called to us to come back to see her, pronto.

Luis, Miriam, Luisito and Natalia, the bishop's family have accepted us cordially. We took a trip to "magical" Tepotzlan on Monday. We saw the ancient, famous former convent, now a church. I took pictures of the pyramid way up high on the mountain above Tepotzlan. Last month I climbed that mountain. It was so perilous and difficult I thought I'd either have a heart attack or my knees would blow out. But I reached the top and vowed never to climb it again!

I have loved the people of Mexico most of all. My teachers have been superb and have become my friends. I hope they visit us in Plainfield. Yesterday afternoon two women from rural Mexico were selling peanuts and flowers on the front steps of the Anglican Cathedral in Cuernavaca. With deep and generous humor Bishop Delgado laughed and said, "Yes, I have to ask the permission of these women to enter the cathedral!"

The culture of Mexico is markedly different than that of the United States. One of my teachers observed when he lived in Chicago that the United States has laws for everything and that his niece learned what was legal before she learned what is family or real or moral. I think he has a point.

I'm ready to come home and begin the next phase of my ministry in the wonderful parish of Grace Church, Plainfield. I've missed my friends and parishioners. But right now I'm weeping because I'll miss the people I've met. I'll miss my volcano which on clear mornings is a magnificent view from my window at the diocese. Even the volcano, Popocatepetl has become my friend.

Perhaps "good-byes" are not permanent. (Even our faith tells us they are not even permanent in death.) So I say, hasta luego, Cuernavaca. Until later, mi amigo.