Oaxaca and the Guelaguetza

Every summer I am in Oaxaca, Mexico as part of my travels with Adventures in Life Ministry. This year we will be helping a small church improve their temporary place of worship. As many Oaxacan churches are in the economically depressed rural areas, a permanent facility is almost out of the question for many of these small Protestant faith communities. So they borrow a building from someone, and then make whatever changes they can to have a useful worship space. Our offerings are not much, and never enough, but helpful none the less. On a side note, my time here coincides with the annual Guelaguetza, or Festival de Lunes del Cerro. It is a time for locals and visitors alike to participate in, enjoy, and celebrate the Oaxacan culture. This of course includes the colors, dances, artwork, and famous food from this indigenous area of Mexico. The festival is well known throughout the world, although less so in the United States. One of joys of being here now is listening to the variety of spoken languages. When you join all of the different local languages [from 16 distinct people groups in Oaxaca] to those of the visitors, this place is incredibly diverse for a couple of weeks every year. Here is a link that will give you all the 411. It is a great slice of the Mexican culture unfortunately missed by many.