MY FATHER'S FOLDER: Mysterious Ways

A Journey Into The Unknown

The following accounts are from my father's 
journal of some of his experiences in Mexico as a missionary. 
As a kid, I remember him coming home from one of his treks to a remote village and sitting at his desk recounting those adventures in a journal of sorts.  I never was to interested in what he was writing, however, now it is conjuring up many memories.
Periodically he would write about some of those adventures for the Mexican Indian Mission news letter.  We have many of those old news letters and it has been fun to read about life so long ago of which I lived through.

 

Mysterious Ways Article from the MIM newsletter

He wrote the above article.

Tlapacholoyan is one of those villages in cold high altitude.  I recall hiking up the mountain to this village several times.
I was not much of a hiker but I did enjoy looking at all the orchids hidden up in the cliffs.
Don Amando and his wife Pasquala owned the local store and when we arrived in this village, we stopped at the store which was also their home.   We would be served lemon grass tea or coffee and a meal.
Don Amando and his wife were the first believers in that village and as a consequence  suffered many adversities.

Don Amando with his wife Pasquala and adopted daughter

They desperately wanted children and clung to their faith, hoping that God would give them children, as God gave Abraham and Sarah, Isaac.  They continued to pray and God gave them their own Isaac.
Three years later they welcomed a baby daughter they named Sarah, however, joy turned to sadness as Heaven welcomed her.
As all the Christian workers in the area were gone to the annual convention, my mother had stayed home with us children.
She was asked if she would come up to be with them during the burial and wake and conduct the funeral.
I faintly recall accompanying my mother and viewing the tiny body on the table, along with candles and the flowers, sitting quietly on a hard wooden bench.
This was a new experience for my mother.
Meanwhile, Isaac was loved all the more.
Sadly, Isaac was found to have a cancerous tumor in his leg which resulted in amputation.
I recall him trudging all over the place with his crutches.  He was a very active boy.
My mother taught him to play the organ and later the accordion.

Accordion Lessons

His physical condition continued to deteriorate and the Lord took him home at age 15.
The local villagers, now blamed the death on their faith.
They continued to follow the Lord with out the enthusiasm they had once experienced, however, the Lord continued to bless as Amando was the wealthiest man in the village.
He had more coffee groves than anyone else and he was prospering.

Coffee Beans

  He was elected judge and president and other various capacities of his village.
Dona Pasquala put her energies into learning medicine and nursing so she could help the sick.
With their enthusiasm renewed they began to build a church.  However, again trials struck.
Don Amando was found to have cancer in the jaw.  Early detection and chemo, and prayers went up for him and God chose to heal him.
I had always wondered at why he had a burned look to his face without knowing this account.
Sadly Don Amando passed away in 1989.