Dinner With Jose, Elizabeth, And About 30 Others
We had lots of interesting food the names of which I cannot pronounce. The brownish-red sauce, liberally poured over all the entrees, was spicy and tangy and good. Interestingly, the men sat to eat first, and all the women wandered around in service. Most of them watched me to see if I liked the food. After the guys finished eating and retired to other places, then the women dined. I stayed at the table, probably a social impropriety, and asked the women about their cultural roles and if they were happy. They all had multiple children. Only a few had drivers licenses. None worked outside the homes. And, no, the men did not help with the dishes or the housework. The ladies seemed to be fine with such arrangements- it was their lifestyle, their culture. I asked what would happen if one of their Hispanic boys were to marry an Anglo wife. They all laughed and said he had better learn to do dishes. These were first generation immigrants, and as I observed I was sure their childrens lives would be very different.
All of the men work service jobs, mostly construction. I asked if any planned to one day gather their families and return to Mexico? The answer was a resounding no- primitive living and no jobs was not appealing. My impression, getting to know these folk, was that they are good people. They work hard, live decent lives, enjoy family and friends, and simply want to pursue the dream of a better life. Here is my personal opinion: I do not want my government putting a gun to their heads and marching them back to Mexico. We have room for them, and I think we have ample jobs. Maybe they could work a bit harder to assimilate- but, inevitably it will happen. Their kids are fluently bilingual, and quite Americanized. The kids love my church- Sunday School classes, children's choir, my corny children's sermons, little old ladies pinching their cheeks. And because the kids love our church, the parents are interested in attending. There are language and cultural barriers for sure. But if the gospel and the love of Christ cannot transcend such things, then what good is the church?
On Feb. 10 we will have our children's Valentine Party, after church services. That morning, during the Sunday School hour, I will have an interpreted Bible Study session with the parents and friends. It appears there will be quite a few present. I would like to use the greatest tool at my disposal, plain and old-fashioned love, to draw them into our church fellowship. That would be exciting!
