Life in Colima

The church kindly woke us up again this morning at 7:00 in its uniquely cacophonous way (you can either look up that word in your dictionary for free or purchase the definition from me for $0.75). I wonder if the bells ring a tad later on a Saturday.

Crossing the street here can be an impressive experience. There are pedestrian crosswalks with boldly painted stripes which in many countries are judged an adequate indication of pedestrian right of way. Here the crosswalks are also manned with a traffic cop with a sharp eye on pedestrians and equipped with a serious whistle. When one approaches the crosswalk, he makes the whistle screech while stepping out with arms waving to block all cars and ensure your safe crossing. It does make a pedestrian feel enormously important.

Of course this provision cannot be made on all corners. In many places traffic lights are installed instead to help with safe crossings. They advise the pedestrian when he may walk normally - and when to run for his life, as can be noted in the video below ...

Today we met over lunch with the Coordinator, Kelly, and his wife, Tracey. They are from B.C. and have lived in Mexico about six years, drawn by the response they get to the ministry here as contrasted with the north. We discussed the way things are locally and how things are going. There are about fifty-two publishers in the English congregation here which makes it the biggest one we've encountered in English Mexico.

This evening, after supper in an Italian restaurant on a balcony overlooking the park, we enjoyed another free concert from a trio in the Belgian Bandstand. These fellows were in their fifties at least and were they ever good! The vocalist had a pleasantly clear ring to his voice somewhat like Roy Orbison only better in my humble opinion. For two and a half hours they performed Spanish songs I've never heard before but all of it was great music wonderfully performed. Again there were crowds and much dancing in the park.