DARKENED HEARTS

This is an article that Dad wrote for the Mexican Indian Mission newsletter during the 1950's or early 60's 

RELIGIOUS CONFUSION ~by Loren Ediger

1971-1972

"Immediately in front of me was a whole gallery of paintings and diverse 
objects in a profusion of colors.  The center piece was a felt cloth measuring
12" X 8" inches and painted on it was the VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE, the brown version Virgin Mary that the Mexican Catholics venerate.
In the upper left hand corner was a miniature altar with a glowing colored light illuminating the Christ Child in His mother's arms.  Below that was a bronze crucifix.  To the right was a well secured aluminum plate with bold letters, 'We are faithful Mexicans because we honor the Virgin'.  Under that was a picture of Santa Claus with the words, "Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.'  Dangling over the glass windshield was a rabbit's foot.
All this I saw as I took a front seat on a bus to one of the villages.  The bus driver had fastened all these items above his windshield.  Second class buses many times are kept in poor condition.  Overloading causes many accidents.  Thus in desperation, a bus driver appropriates just about anything religious that he thinks will assure him protection and help.  He represents the insecurity of many in Mexico who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.
 Recently, we were invited to a home in a village just a few miles out of Puebla City.  This young man had accepted the Lord through the witness of one of our former HOME FOR GIRLS girls and he wanted us to visit his parents.  Darkened hearts from a fanatical village made it difficult to know how to approach them.
The house showed much signs of superstition. Pictures of saints and idols dominated the bare one-room house.  The mother expressed what we had heard before:  "We don't know any better.  We do not know how to read and we will probably continue to follow the same religion that our ancestors taught us."

Typical one-room house

What were they taught?  What were they led to believe? --That some magic touch, through mysterious rites, would solve their many problems and somehow, sometime bring peace to their hearts and minds.
It was the father's saint's day, or birthday.  He was born on Candalario day so his name was Candelario. CANDELARIO DAY - CLICK HERE 
 Andres, one of our Christian young men went with me.  He played some accordion music in Candelario's honor after which we read the 91st Psalm(Psalm 91) and mad the way of salvation clear through John 3. (John3) He was deeply impressed with this show of love for him.  We trust that this will not be the only contact we have with this family and that there will be definite decisions for Christ.

1958 ish

The bus driver as well as the farm family and many others will continue to live a life of helplessness and uncertainty as long as they do not hear the true way and allow the Spirit of God work in their lives.
Christ can and does end religious confusion"