Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Hello dear readers! I apologize for my absence, but I have been very busy. God has been doing some awesome stuff though, and I want to share it with you!

This last week was Semana Santa (roughly translated, Holy Week). For those of you in the States it probably just meant another normal week until the service on Resurrection Sunday, but for Mexicans it means an entire week of vacations. The only thing that I can really compare it to and be accurate is spring break at Palm Beach, Florida. On our beach, it is basically one whole week of drinking and spending money (and earning money for others).

On a normal day Las Glorias is a quiet town with little to no activity. There are only about 13 families that live here year-round. Needless to say, during Semana Santa those numbers swell to thousands and the beach becomes a beehive of vendors and families on vacation. These two pictures will give you a little bit of an idea...

Cars line up for miles near the entrance to our town and it literally takes hours to navigate the streets and get out. For this reason, those of us who live here either walk or stay at home during the week. Sometimes I cannot believe that this mess of cars and people is my home. It is so different! Still, while there are many down-sides to living on the beach during Semana Santa, there are also many benefits, one of which being that it is a wonderful opportunity for ministry!

Over the years, we have experimented with many different kinds of outreaches, showing Christian movies, giving out water with memory verses taped on the cups, evangelizing and handing out tracks, but none of them have worked as well or had such a tremendous response as the one that we did this year. I first saw this drama three years ago when my Dad was involved in the Bible school (A.D.A.P.T. International, located in Boca Del Rio). For the past two years we have been unable to do it for lack of the sufficient number of people.

This year, however, our pastor brought a team down from the States providing us not only with the right number of people, but a team of people who were willing and able to serve God by helping organize the drama. It was a bit last-minute and we had to rush to get the props together, but with the help of Annette and the other girls on the team, we got through it okay, even if the helmets did smell a little... that's just what you get when you rush paper maché!

[I really should stop now to make a special note of Annette. She directed the whole thing and really threw herself into it 150%! Great job, girl, couldn't have done it without you!]

The drama portrays the death of Jesus Christ in a way that literally takes your breath away. I know that there is no way that anyone would ever be able to comprehend the rejection and suffering that Jesus bore, but this skit brought it more into focus than ever before.

We walked the length of the beach and performed the skit 7 or 8 times. At the end of the skit one of the Mexican leaders would stand up and share the gospel message, then lead all those who so desired in a prayer of salvation. After each time we took 20-30 minutes to pray with those who had accepted Jesus as Lord and to share with those who were interested, or with whomever the Spirit lead us to talk!

It was amazing watching God touch lives... grown men breaking down in tears, elderly women coming to us and asking for prayer, and more precious still were all of the children who came up asking us why we were beating the man carrying the cross.

There was one woman in particular whose hands were crippled who came asking us for prayer. One of the brothers (Jose) prayed for her and then we left. The next day when we were walking along the beach, the same lady came running up to the Jose and thanked him for his prayer. God had healed her hands. For man, this might be impossible, but for God all things are possible! Praise be to God!

By His Wounds: Brian Littrel
(ISAIAH 53:5)
He was pierced for our transgressions
He was crushed for our sins
The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him
And by His wounds
By his wounds we are healed

We are healed by Your sacrifice
And the life that you gave
We are healed for you paid the price
By Your grace we are saved, we are saved

What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus