Bob's Corner

This past Sunday (Nov. 9) saw yet another first for me as a missionary: I officiated a double wedding.  Again in Teotitlan, Oaxaca, the couple who were baptized also wanted to solemnize their civil wedding with a church wedding.  Also, the pastor of the church and his wife wanted to celebrate their 25th anniversary by renewing their vows. 

By the way, the Mexican government only recognizes the civil wedding, so all officially married couples must first go to a magistrate before solemnizing their union in a church wedding.  So, even as an American, I'm allowed to officiate the "secondary" religious ceremony.

The wedding traditions in Mexico are, of course, a little different from a typical U.S. wedding (though those are hardly typical anymore either!).  Along with the traditional vows, the Mexican ceremony is rich in symbolism, using at least five other items besides the rings.  After the rings, the couple is presented with a new Bible, a foundation for the new home.  Next, the groom takes some "gold" coins (usually not real gold) and lets them fall through his fingers into the hands of his bride.  This is a rather chauvinistic symbol that he is sharing all his earthly goods with his new bride.  Then, the bride is presented with a bouquet of live flowers, a symbol of life and beauty.  Then, the couple is given a pair of special cushions on which to kneel, symbolizing prayer as another foundational element to their new home and relationship.  And finally, while the couple is kneeling, a decorative rope (lasso) is placed around them both tying them together "as long as they both shall live."

Please, don't tell them about our unity candle ceremony.  If I ever have to do a double ceremony again, I don't think I'd make it with even one more symbolic element!

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Normally, Teotitlan is stiflingly hot and dry as it sits on the leeward side of the mountain less than a hundred feet up from the desert floor.  I brought only short sleeves for teaching and a pair of shorts to sleep in at night.  But in an unusual meteorological twist, we were blessed with “el norte”, a rare wind that sometimes blows out of the north drawing down cool mountain air and light rain to the hot regions.  Though I froze at night, the overcast daytime temperatures in the lower 70's were just right for teaching.  I was sure someone was praying for me!

Then, taking advantage of the presence of the missionary, I was informed Monday night that they were planning a baptism on Wednesday evening for a newly converted couple from the Teotitlan church.  I had brought a few extra sermon notes along, because inevitably they ask you to preach at a moment’s notice.  But I was not prepared to officiate a baptism and preach a baptism message.  (I had never done it before in Spanish!)  Thankfully, I did have my laptop with me which has a copy of the Spanish Wesleyan Discipline, so I was able to copy down the ritual by hand.  On Tuesday after class I managed to whip up a new baptism message to be totally prepared. 

However, nothing could prepare us for the effects of “el norte”.  The church’s “baptistery” was none other than the parsonage's outdoor water tank (see previous Oaxaca entry).  With nighttime temperatures down in the 50’s, the shaded tank never even had a chance of warming up to baptismal temperatures.  I only had to get wet up to my chest, but I sure felt sorry for our baptizees!  But they gamely, and even joyfully, made their public confession of faith in Jesus Christ.  I don’t think they even noticed when I, through chattering teeth, once messed up the usual order and said, “…in the name of the Father, Holy Spirit, and Son.”
By the way, the Church History class went very well, too!

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