Sunday, Monday

We did attend church in Del Rio, where Janice and Bill introduced me to a wonderful couple. The husband is a very outgoing personality, his wife is quiet but has a sharp wit and a great sense of humor. Theirs is a love story that began over 50 years ago. He was born and grew up in a border town, US side. She was born and grew up in a border town, Mexican side. As was the custom in many small Mexican towns, on Saturday nights there is a social gathering on the the town square. The old marrieds sit on park benches and gossip while keeping an eye on things, the children run around and play games, and the young eligible singles do the promanade. This consists of strolling around the park in single file, the girls going in one direction, the young men in the other direction. He was there with some of his friends from across the border. He thought she was beautiful, but his friends warned him that she never would consider an American. He was undaunted, and made a bet with several of his friends that he could obtain her interest. He told me that she refused to look at him, turning her head aside as they passed in the promenade. He said that he took that as a good sign, because at least she noticed him! Before the evening was out, she had consented to allow him to escort her to the refreshment stand. They dated and waited while he was in the service for over five years, and have now been married for 52 years. They shared their story with much laughter and teasing comments to each other. I loved this story!
The man also has a powerful healing prayer ministry. He says it is effective because he has total faith in God's miraculous healing. He is one of only three documented survivors of Lou Gehrigs disease. He told me that the hospital in here in Texas that documented his lack of any symptoms of the disease has a note posted in the file at his insistence. It says, "This man says he was healed by a man named Jesus Christ."
A change of plans happened late last night. A woman that is part of Janice & Bill's church in Cooper died during the afternoon. After praying about it, Janice and Bill decided to go straight home to be of help and comfort to her family, instead of to San Antonio with me, as was our plan. I decided that adding another 600 miles to my trip was probably not wise, although I love the fellowship with that couple so much it would have been a joy. So I have had a little more time in Sonora than I thought, but I have enjoyed going to a museum of the pioneer women who have lived, loved, and raised families here in this desert land. Jiffy and I also went to a wildlife park nearby and climbed up the rocky trails through sage brush, Spanish dagger and prickly pear cactus, and Mesquite trees. We didn't see any wild life, but did see a lot of deer tracks. It was around one o'clock, though, so possibly everything was taking a siesta.