Playa del Carmen, day 7: church, tacos, and beach

Growing up, Becca drove to a boarder town from Texas every summer to serve the local community and worshiped in Spanish. So we found a local church to join for the morning. She was hoping for a cross-cultural experience, and we got one. The church was small, but welcoming, and the pastor delivered a message that was both timely and challenging. We were able to connect with some of the locals after the service, and it was a great way to start our last full day in Playa del Carmen.

The message was about Saul and David in the cave, and how sometimes God allows us to be in situations that are not for us to take advantage of, but for us to grow through. It was a powerful reminder that our character is revealed in how we respond to challenges, and that God is always at work in our lives, even when we don’t understand it.

I did not verify, but I’m fairly certain that the woman in the second row was the same as the crystal dagger woman from Ek Balam. I hope she finds what she’s looking for in Jesus, because the crystal dagger and spirits inhabiting Ek Balam will not satisfy.

After church, we walked all the way back into familiar territory. We went to the place where I had ordered 30 tacos on Tuesday. I ordered a burrita (feminine burrito?)–a grilled burrito with cheese, chicken, avocado, fresh onion, tomato, and who knows what other magic. It was the most delicious thing I’ve tasted in a long long time–definitely the best Mexican cuisine I’ve ever had.

Our anniversary wasn’t a primary focus on this trip, but 17 years of marriage with many ups and downs, growth and tension, has led us to a wonderful and beautiful place. I’m so grateful for my wife.

We got some ice-cream and shoes for the Jack and Noah before walking back to Casa del Sol to relieve Carolyn & Phil from kid duty.

There was a minor conflict about beach expectations for the afternoon–but we sent the 3 older kids to play at the beach then to the pool. In the meantime, I slipped on the stairs and (still upright) slid down 6-8 stairs–my elbow and foot will be bruised for a bit, but it could have been a lot worse.

We’re beginning to wrap up the trip–souvenirs purchased, memories crystalized, and tomorrow we begin the trip home. I’m excited to take these notes and turn them into full blog posts, it’s been an amazing adventure into Mexico!