Mexico

The Life of Mexico

Mexico city is the largest city in the world and it is polluted far more than we could ever imagine. Yet life goes on and people survive under the harsh sun. I was able to stay in different parts of Mexico.. most places were very poor. I came to know the people as very loving, often oppressed by rich land owners or factory managers that find ways to use cheap labor to build their own wealth at the expensive of the poor who haven't learned how to speak out.. to stand up for their self respect and dignity. children are sometimes put out in the streets to become prostitutes by their families. It is so sad really to see the innocents of a child used to bring in money.

Bishop Raul Vera Lopez , the Bishop of Saltillo, Mexico go to many remote areas to reach out to the poor, encouraging them with the same passion as he has done thousands of times before. He showed me the value of loving until it hurts... always reaching out to the people.. personally greeting each one when he arrives in the village. I hope that this Bishop's example will touch the lives of others to see what we must do in our life... to walk the narrow way where we must face each person we meet with dignity. The people stand still and he goes up to each person and lets them know how special they are.

I am trying to help the poor people of the Desert where time has stopped.

The strength of the women who care for their children, take care of their house,
and hold the family together is found in Chiapas.
The life of the Indian women is hard, told through her picture.

As I traveled from village to village with Bishop Raul,
the children were the life of the community

These children live deep in the desert. Their families earn money by picking cactus that is used in making a certain type of makeup. They can work days in harvesting the cactus, making only a few dollars where as the middle man who has the car, makes a huge profit.
Many of these people of the desert in the diocese of Saltillo, Mexico.. a place where I am interested in helping.

The doors are open in the churches and sometimes dogs come in and sit right in the middle of the walk way, looking straight ahead as if they understood everything that was being said.
Bishop Raul just finished saying Mass

Bishop Raul nodded off during a meeting after he said several masses
and traveled a great distance to meet the people.

It reminds me of the ancient way of life for the people who have been oppressed for so long

If a car breaks down in the middle of the desert on one of the primitive roads,
there are no tow trucks to come and help. You are at the mercy of the skills of those you meet.
There are no cell phones, or triple A to come rescue you.
We were on our way to visit a very remote village out in the desert.

In some parts of Mexico, Donkeys run loose and you can go up to them as I did with this little fellow..
and it is wonderful to put your arms around such a delightful little thing as these Donkeys.

This little church is far from any main road.
They don't even have electricity out here. They use power from the sun.

All along this primitive road that went deep into the desert are people living in stick homes.
They are very poor. They are very isolated from any neighbors.
I wonder how they survive. They live about four hours toward Texas out of Saltillo.

The people of the Desert are strong and it shows it in the profile of the people

In Chiapas, near the sea, Pablo had lost his arms in an accident where he was electrocuted.
I brought him to the United States for medical care and to receive new arms.
It changed his life and he went out and learned to drive a cab and is earning a living for his family.

Bishop Raul goes up to each person in the village and personally greetings
them even if this takes more than an hour..

Bishop Raul and an Indian man in Chiapas who had a bandage wrapped around his head, hugged each other. Bishop Raul was so excited because he said that it wasn't the usual custom for the Indians to hug one another.. He felt it was a very special gesture of friendship

The hardships of women in Mexico is shown as this woman walks in the hot sun
with her son following behind her.