Hope Shifts

At dinner last night, Pastor Fermin Jr. gave us a brief history of Tijuana that I have never heard and yet completely gives context for the city's current state and also what we think God is doing. Here goes...

Tijuana was founded by indigenous people who worhipped 2 gods: the god of sex and the god of liquor. When the California Gold Rush happened, the area began to boom with prospectors from all over, creating a society founded on dreams of a better life. Because many of the indigenous people were poor and were just hoping to find gold, they were hungry and desperate. As the legend is told, a lady, Tia (Aunt) Juana would sit in the city and pass out food to hungry travelers from the south. (editor's note: a city named for help for the poor: a hope to reclaim today or a prophetic voice of the need that will always be present?)

Al Capone came to Tijuana during the prohiition in CA to open clubs and brothels. As we learned, this created a society that had clearly marked areas for the rich and an area for the poor. California, being the richest state in the US just north of Tijuana, still spends money and time reinforcing that stereotype. The division remains today.

Another side note that came out later...one of the most powerful figures down in Tijuana and all of Mexico is the power of the woman/mom. Part of that was created by the Spaniards who came to this place to develop new lands and often would impregnate women and then leave. The single mom has almost become a stereotype that cannot be shaken down here. Dads are absent, either in physical or emotional ways.

So, the question is "what does this mean for us?" I have thought of a couple things so far but this will be a running thought all week down here:
1. We understand the context of our situation so that we don't repeat the history of sin that worships sex and liquor and so that we do not try to force a square into a round hole. My friend Troy said, "Church looks different in Corinth than in Ephesus."
2. We see that the US and Spain have told the Mexicans that their dignity (what they are worth) is little and that they are to fall prey to the wishes of the stronger voice. We do not want to repeat that.
3. God can move through darkness and God has given us visions of how that may happen. In order to get there, we must understand the reasons why the darkness abounds. God protect us.