Hello again, Mom!  I'm aching from hiking from an unholy height to an unholy place.  Went to an ancient pyramid that was the temple of some ancient, nasty tempered god.  Beautiful.  Far more than I expected.  Picked up a couple of goodies and Xmas gifts.  Food is yummy and my tummy is amazingly ok.  Tim and Annette warned me that decrease in air pressure (we are 9,000 ft. above sea level) can cause all gases to expand in one's system, and I am experiencing the truth of that, but so far, Montezuma has left me alone. 

 

  
What a week! I am so exhausted. Tim and Annette have been keeping me busy: pyramids (3 of them), museums,  really nifty towns and lots of great food. And still no upset tummy!!!! Praise God and pass the penicillin!

Today we went to Teotihuacan (don't try to pronounce it, I can't.)  It's an ancient ruined city with, among other things, 2 giant pyramids, one to the moon and one to the sun. As it happens to be an equinox (March 20), all kinds of folks were there, dressed in virginal white to get the "super-charged" energy that was sparking all over the place... if these 20th century pagans are to be believed. We witnessed Bizarre spiritual chants and invocations, plus strange group worship involving chanting and something that looked like fast Tai Chi. Weird, and vaguely disturbing (mostly because so many people are choosing this ancient, bloody site to seek some sort of spiritual energy and blessing. I guess it's no sadder than neo-Druids gathering around the Beltane fire on hilltops and stone circles in Britain... except the "druids" have more exotic clothing.)

Dancers doing a little pre-hispanic pagan jig to some God

How do you redeem a culture full of bloody paganism? Columba and Mungo and Aidan and Patrick did it in the British  Isles 1500 years ago. This culture here in Mexico has many, many things of which to be proud, but without a relationship with God (the one God, the only true God) it is doomed. God can redeem a culture, a people, and a society, but the individuals of that society must turn to the King of Kings for the redemption of their individual souls.

 

Yesterday, on the other hand, these manic and maniac Gulicks treated me to a massage. Wonderful! An oasis day in a desert of activity. Except desert implies dry and lifeless and this week has been anything but dry and lifeless. Annette and I have talked and talked and talked. Surprising that we still have voices. I've learned so much about the culture and history of Mexico. Did I tell you that the scenery is beautiful? I can see myself coming back. I think I'll choose the wetter, greener season. My Florida eyes are not used to so much yellow and brown and orange. My hiking boots are covered, layered, coated, draped in dust! 
 

I have enjoyed meeting friends of Tim and Annette's, people whom I have read about in their newsletters. Kinda neat. Everyone has been so kind and and gracious to this gringo. I know so much more how to pray for the work they are doing here.

Annette and Susan in downtown Toluca

Best of all has been seeing my friends again. I have missed them a great deal, but they are here where they are supposed to be... doing great work. I'll be back, if they'll have me. 
 

S u s a n kelpy@worldnet.att.net