Freezing in the Desert
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!
