Mexico

Today we drove through Veracruz and arrived at Catemaco. The land was quite dry and more desert like along this stretch, but when we got into the mountains it was lush green.

Here is a few pictures we took along the way. The mule is the workhorse of Mexico. Alot of the crops (mostly oranges) are on incredible hills that no tractor could climb. We have seen hundreds of these tied up on the side of the road. I think the farmers do not have grassland to feed them so they let them graze in the ditch along the roads. No need for roadside lawnmowers.

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God" (Psalms 90:2). This mountain is clearly made up of sedimentary rocks or flood strata, that would have been uplifted after the Flood of Noah exposing these layers. "Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth" (Psalm 104:6-9).

We must have passed at least 50 sugar cane trucks like this.

A major crop in this region is also pineapple (Sp. pina). They were 10 Pesos each which is about a Canadian dollar. They were so sweet. Back home we pay about five Canadian dollars for one pineapple.

There are alot of thatch roof houses.

Someone said they last about 20 years. Alot of the houses have concrete roofs and walls though because of termites. Alot of the telephone poles and fence posts are also made out of concrete.

We had to go through several military checkpoints, and this was the first one that wanted to go through our vehicle. He asked for three pesos when he was done. Another soldier was indicating to him to leave us alone and was waving us on.

Again, there are literally hundreds of roadside stands like this one along the way. There are also speedbumps (Sp. topes) in all the towns that have people standing in the middle of the hyway trying to sell you some food or drinks.

"The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing" (Job 39:8).

There were lots of banana crops as well.

We went for a boat ride on Lake Catemaco. Here are a few scenes. The three girls in the boat with us were from Mexico city. Two of them spoke pretty good English. One of them was a school teacher. I asked her what was a salary for a teacher in Mexico and she said it was about 2000 Pesos a month (200 Canadian dollars). She said that she held two other jobs as well.

They have a strange ritual here. The people pay to have some mud put on their faces, then they go across the lake and buy a bowl of mineral water to wash it off.

Alot of different birds and new sounds. Nothing sounds the same at about 6am.

"As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them" (Psalm 103:15-18).

Lizard

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come... The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell" (Psalm of Solomon 2:12-13).

We went for a walk in the jungle and we saw a couple of crocodiles, and some monkeys.

In Catemaco I checked out a grand cathedral only to be dismayed once again at the idolatry that the people are given over to. There was a long line leading up a stairway and when I got up there they were worshipping the idol "queen of heaven". This is the same pagan diety that the children of Israel worshipped in their rebellion.

"Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem..." (Jeremiah 44:15-17).

Outside the cathedral there was much merchandising going on. There is big bucks in making idols. "For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good" (Jeremiah 10:3-5). "I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images" (Isaiah 42:8).

However, last night in this town, I did find one bright young man, who spoke English, Jore Villasis from Veracruz, and he was very open to the gospel. Speaking to the locals about the history of the pyramids is an open door to speak to them about the true history of these pyramids and their connection to Babel, and ultimately give an opportunity to preach the gospel.

There are no comments yet

Our Mexican Field Trip 2005

Day 6: Catemaco