Recently we spent 4 days in Juarez, Mexico building homes for two families. Below is part three of a four part series describing just a few things I learned while our team was on mission. Click this link for Part One: The Local Church and this link for Part Two: The Body of Christ.
What I Learned In Juarez: The Culture
In the past 12 months I’ve been in Mexico three separate times, twice in Juarez and once in Acuna. Each time I’ve been there I’ve learned much about the people of Mexico: what they value, how they live and how they think. Each time I’ve walked away impressed by the Mexican people and grateful to have spent just a little time with them. Below are three of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about the Mexican Culture in Juarez and Acuna.
They Do Community and Family Right
The homes we have built in Mexico are not what you imagine a home is in America. We build an 18×18 building, divided into three rooms. One room (the family room) is 8×18. The other two rooms (bedrooms) are 8×8. These rooms will sleep several family members, sometimes as many as three or four. If you’re a member of the family and you need help, it seems that your family is who you turn to. Even if they don’t have room in their home, they will make room. Why? Because you’re family.
The homes in Mexico typically aren’t big. The reason? Their homes are functional. They use them for sleep, safety and to protect themselves from the elements. Americans tend to live their life inside their homes, while many of those in Juarez tend to live their life outside their home. The result is that neighbors know neighbors, children play with other children from the neighborhood, mothers spent time with other mothers, fathers spend time with other fathers. If one of them has a need, they seem to all pitch in to help provide the need. Last year, we watched a neighborhood pitch in and help prepare food for our mission team (one of the hottest tamale’s I’ve ever eaten!). This year I watched as people from the neighborhood helped string up tarps to keep the sun off of us, kids play with other kids and many more untold acts of neighborly love. In Juarez, perhaps out of necessity, they do community right…and I find myself a little envious.
They Are A Joyful, Kind and Happy People.
Our latest trip to Juarez was my third time to Mexico in the past twelve months. Each time I’ve gone, I’ve had multiple people pull me aside and warn me to be careful. Some have been genuinely concerned for our safety and wondered if we would come back. I’ve even had complete strangers at gas stations warn me about the “dangers of Mexico.” After several trips across the border I can say with absolute certainty: I’ve never felt unsafe. I’ve never felt uneasy. I’ve never felt uncomfortable. In fact, I have the same sense of safety, ease and comfort that I have in my own neighborhood at home. The Mexican people are not the people you see portrayed by certain parts of the media. They are not dangerous, they are not angry, they are not mean. They are the exact opposite. They are joyful. They are kind. They are happy. They are thankful. They smile at you. They go out of their way to say “Hola” and shake your hand. Sometimes they even say “Hello”, because they know you’re American and want to be your amigo. They say “Dios te bendiga” (God Bless You!) when they see you. Don’t buy the narrative that many in the media are trying to sell you. Mexico is not a dangerous place, at least not the places that I’ve been to. Mexicans are lovely people, they are joyful people, they are kind people…and they are mi amigos.
They Do Not Want To Be Like Us.
As Americans we oftentimes fool ourselves into believing our own ethnocentric lies about how great we are and how much of the world wants to be like us. But, here’s the sobering reality…we aren’t as great as we like to think. We might have some more “stuff”, but our stuff often becomes barriers for true and authentic joy. We replace relationships with technology, we serve ourselves instead of serving others, we sacrifice our spiritual maturity for anything and everything else that comes up along the way and we somehow have the audacity to think that our way is better. The Mexican people I’ve meet don’t want to live the American dream…and neither should we. It can be a nightmare.
If you ever get an opportunity to serve Christ across the Mexican border, take it. These opportunities don’t come around every day. Don’t let your fear stop you. Don’t get in your own way. Just take a step, and come on down with me. You’ll see the same things I’ve seen and so much more. And you’ll make plenty of amigos while you’re there.
Dios te bendiga,
Brian
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