Creo en Ti

Today, we dyed in Mexico...Henry and i dyed our hair red and Sheryl added  streak to hers. Of course, Henry's hair is so dark it doesn't show until he's in the sunlight...and then it looks purple.

A girl we had met at La Uni wanted to go to the hospital today to give out sandwiches and pray for people... but we didn't check if that was allowed, so we got kicked out (but not before Henry shared the gospel with a guy and invited him to our church (please pray for that guy's father-in-law; he has a tumor in his eye)). So, after getting kicked out, we went an dyed our hair red (long story, don't ask why). Tonight for Alex's group we had a goodbye party for Jessica, who's heading back to Iowa tomorrow (Megan decided to stay an extra 3 weeks).

It's finally raining in Mexico tonight (Andres told Jessica the country was crying because she was leaving). It's been so long that the streets are really slick, but maybe the rain will keep the narcos indoors tonight too.

Even though the reports of violence continue to pour in every morning; i have yet to encounter anything to make me feel unsafe. It's almost surreal... it feels like a B-grade monster movie where everything is very normal during the day, but everyone locks down the houses at night and the *zombies/vampires/whatever* roam free in the darkness. Mexico has formed a new police force, which is something of an average between police and military. They're recruiting really heavily with signs and commercials and incentives. I see them all over the place; usually in the back of a police truck with some sort of high-powered rifle, patroling around Monterrey.

People here both impress and surprise me with their reactions to the "inseguridad." I'm impressed because the Mexicans aren't putting life on hold because it's dangerous; they work, play, party...live like normal, just go to bed earlier. The downside of this attitude that surprises me is how complacent people are. Maybe it's the American in me that thinks "revolution!" and wants the people of Mexico to take a stand against these narcos, but it seems like people are just accepting it. Granted, we see bumper stickers that say "no mas sangre" (no more blood) and "Mexico, creo en ti" (i believe in you)... but that's it and even those are scarce.

Ultimately though, i'm not expecting the change in Mexico to come from the Government cracking down or the People rising up. If change is going to come to Mexico, i believe it will come throug the church. We have the Light that won't fade and let darkness come...we have the Truth that even narcos need...we have the Way that changes lives and doesn't allow complacency. The church has the message of reconciliation that changes everything; death to life, judgment to mercy, isolation to intimacy, lies to truth... and the church here is passionate about sharing that message.

(saw Cars 2 with the 'familia.' The message? It's ok to be an obnoxious American when you are abroad; it's not rude, it's just being yourself. heh, that said, i really enjoyed it.)