Mexico

Today we arrived in what is known as the Emerald Coast.

Landscape between Tampico and the Emerald Coast.

There were lots of bananas, coconuts, orange groves, flowers and corn (6' tall) along the way.

God's amazing creatures: the crab. God created this little creature on the fifth day and "every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25). Lori saw that this little guy was white along the seashore where there are white shells and suds, but when he ran up the beach he changed color to brown to match his surroundings.

Our oceanside camp. When you go to the washroom, Daniel found out that Damas is Ladies and Caballeros is Gentlemen.

There are different customs as well. When driving along the road, if you follow somebody who is travelling slow and signalling left, he is actually signaling you that it is ok to pass, but, he may also be passing a car in front of him or actually turning left so beware!

There was lots of seaweed along the ocean. But the water is very warm.

We have been having some very long days. The birds and roosters prefer that you get up around 5:30am. Let this be a warning to all other roosters.

Today (March 21st) we visited El Tajin (pronounced Tahin) and there was probably around a 100,000 people there. Apparently this time of year they have a week long festival here. It was very crowded, and again, they are still practicing the old Babylonish religion of sunworship. Many were in long lines waiting to get some kind of blessing from the many shamans along the way.

Witchcraft.

One of the many pyramid structures at El Tajin. This is a very old religion that goes back to Babel. "For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill..." (1 Kings 14:23).

This pyramid is called "Piramide do los Nichos". It has 365 cubicles, that apparently each held a god, one for each day. They were very involved with astrology and the motion of the planets, and like the Babylonish religion, they worship the host of heaven. This is the religion that Israel became ensnared in, to "burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven" (2 Kings 23:5).

There are many pyramid structures El Tajin.

"I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; And them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not sought the LORD, nor enquired for him" (Zephaniah 1:4-6).

Here is one strange performance. As we were walking down the trail we noticed some guys that climbed a tall pole, they tied themselves up by the feet and swung down to the ground after about 10 minutes of spinning like a top. When they reach the bottom, their eyes were bulging out and their heads are quite swollen (just kidding), but I am sure they had one headache and a half.

Care for a fresh drink of sugarcane.

This machine squishes the juice out of the cane into a cup.

The coconut juice is very tasty. Probably healthy too.

Then you can have someone chop it open for you to eat the meat.

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (1 Peter 1:24-25).

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1Corinthians 15:1-4).

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16).

The Bible tells us, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8), and this "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17), precisely the good word of the "gospel".

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God...For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe...But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:17-18, 2,23).