April 2, 2008

by Jackie Fallis

Central Tarahumara believers in Mexico celebrated Passover and Easter with learning and food.

Saturday evening believers and missionaries went over the origins of the first Passover. Missionary Tony Finch wrote, "This is important because within the greater Central Tarahumara culture the week preceding Easter is probably their most concentrated time of pagan revelry and confusion."

He wrote that they covered, "Such things as 'what is the meaning of Passover?' 'What does it have to do with Christ?' 'Why is all of the celebration going on?'" That evening ended with coffee and bunuelos (fried donut-like treats).

Sunday morning they held a sunrise service. Tony wrote, "Seeing as how most Central Tarahumaras are up way before sunrise anyway it wasn't too hard of a thing to request of them. We gathered up at one of the elder's houses and sat amongst the rocks to sing and worship the Lord and to look into His Word."

Later that same day they gathered again for another meeting. "More singing, more preaching and teaching, more singing and preaching and then some more singing and preaching to help finish it off. You get the idea," Tony wrote. Afterwards they enjoyed goat stew with beans and fresh, thick, homemade tortillas.

Please pray that the Central Tarahumara believers are able to shift their Passover and Easter mentality to a biblical viewpoint.