Pastor/Pilot Dagoberto Cirilo has been helping the Huichol people in the mountains north of Guadalajara, Mexico since 1992. For years he's been inviting us to visit the villages to which he flies. Finally things worked out for us to go!
Traveling without our van and all our stuff is quite a challenge. But our unofficially adopted missionary nurse daughter Corrie Sample was visiting us in California for a few weeks, and she was happy to come along and help us.
U.S. Airways charges for checked luggage. So we squeezed our things into 6 carry-ons, all of which Corrie could easily handle at the same time!
We left from Sacramento Wednesday morning September 29, 2010 and flew to Phoenix. We had 30 minutes to transfer to our next flight to Guadalajara.
Airport staff were on hand to help us to our next flight. One pushed me as fast as he safely could. Others helped carry our bags.
Corrie and Diana raced ahead on an electric cart. We had to go more than 1/2 a mile, from one end of Terminal A to the other. But our flight had arrived 10 minutes late, we'd been the last ones off the plane, and we arrived at our gate shortly after the doors were closed. Kind folks at a Service Desk booked us for the next morning's flight, let me ust their phone to call Dagoberto in Guadalajara and gave us a voucher for the Marriott Courtyard hotel. The airport helpers took us to the shuttle area and stayed with us until a handicap van arrived to take us to the hotel. Such great service!
Our room was spacious, had a full kitchen and would have cost $169 plus tax if the airline hadn't paid for it. We had allowed some extra days, so it was nice to have a break between flights and to be able to rest all afternoon.
And yes, there was even wireless Internet! So I was able to update my Facebook status, catch up on emails and even talked with Daniel in Bolivia for free using Skype!
Being a bookworm, Corrie enjoyed reading much of the afternoon.
While there, Corrie contacted her friend Amalia with whom she'd worked in Peru in 2006, and we had a very nice vist together in our hotel room.
Early the next morning we enjoyed the free full buffet breakfast at the hotel, then the shuttle took us back to the airport, where friendly personnel helped us to our gate.
We arrived plenty early, so I took advantage of the free wi-fi while waiting for our flight.
Corrie felt sad because her iTouch would not connect to the internet . . . she seemed to have this "Hurry up, I want a turn" look on her face ;-) But she had good reason - she'd taken her Nursing Board exam four days earlier and hoped the results would be available. When I let her use the computer, we heard a gasp of delight - she was listed as Corrie Sample, RN, BSN!
Finally it was time to board the plane for Guadalajara. Since the flight was overbooked, we were placed in First Class - a first for us!
It took quite a crew to get me into the plane. I felt quite wobbly and unstable in he skinny aisle chair. I would have preferred they just carry me.
Lifting me into the First Class seat - just around the corner from where they'd taken all the time to get me into the aisle chair.
Comfortably seated, ready for take-off to Guadalajara! I had a nice nap after seeing landmarks such as the U.S./Mexico border, Gulf of Baja California and Copper Canyon area.
It was kinda fun having a cozy nap on the plush soft seats with my lovely bride of 29+ years! :)
Corrie wasn't sleeping on this flight . . . no way! She has a great book to read!
The elevator didn't work, but that was no problem. The airport guys took me for a fun ride down the escalator!
And we have arrived in Guadalajara at last! It was midafternoon on Thursday the 30th of September. The weather and temperature were perfect while much of south Mexico was flooded by massive storms, one after another.
Pastor/pilot Dagoberto Cirilo picked us up from the airport in his vehicle and took us to his home.
After a delicious meal prepared by Dago's wife Etna, he and Corrie tried to get me to the upstairs bedroom in my wheelchair. That didn't work, so they carried me the rest of the way up.
That evening my former Linda Vista computer student Daniel Contreras & family stopped by for a visit. He's now a computer whiz - knows a lot more than when I began teaching back in 1988 after I became paralyzed. He's also great at working with the church young people and runs a Christian radio station.
Friday morning Corrie and Dago carried me back down the stairs and shoved me into the car for a wild ride in Mexican traffic back to the airport.
Then they loaded me into the Cessna 206, six-seater mission plane, financed by Amistad International and the Inter-American Division.
I had to sit in the back for all the flights because the front was too difficult to get into.
Diana was in the middle row, with the wheelchair sitting in the place of the seat next to her.
Corrie was delighted to get the co-pilot's seat :) In his younger years, Dagoberto flew in the Mexican Air Force, so he has plenty of training and experience.
Bill Baxter (right) was the first mission pilot to the Huichol Indians, beginning in 1953. Pastor Pedro Rascon also worked among the Huichol people.
The first mission plane to land at Tuxpan de Bolaños in 1953.
Some Huichols bringing their sick to the mission plane.
Treating the sick in front of the main Holy House in the village of Tuxpan de Bolaños.
Nurses from Montemorelos, Mexico provide care to a patient.
Some medical cases seen and helped by Dagoberto and the mission plane . . .
Patient to be flown out to hospital.
This baby had been bitten by a snake . . . the rest in the plane have other ailments needing attention.
Back to our trip . . . we flew out of Guadalajara up into the Sierra Huichol (the mountains where the Huichol Indians live).
Corrie: "This is fun! I like flying :)"
Dagoberto: "OK Corrie, you can take over and fly the plane . . . oh, and now that you are the one flying, let me teach you how to fly."
Some of the scenery as we flew through the mountains.
The airstrip at Puente Camotlan is a narrow road. Dago floats over the curvy part . . .
. . . then touches down on the straight part. At least it's plenty long!
This big cranefly somehow made it through the spinning propeller . . .
. . . only to whack into the windshield before bouncing off. I captured these frames from the video of our landing taken by Corrie.
Dagoberto maintains his base of operations at Puente Camotlan. He keeps a vehicle there and drove us to the local Adventist church where there is a guest room and a kitchen.
Getting me in and out of the plane and various vehicles happened quite often during the next few days :) It felt so good to get out and go places!
While driving through town, we stopped to visit Luis. He hardly ever leaves his home because he is embarrased to be seen in a wheelchair.
I shared my own story with Luis and his parents, showing them that in order to make life worth living, Luis must do everything he can to be as independent as possible.
Get rid of the word 'impossible' . . . try as hard as you can to do as much for yourself. Don't accept help from others in things that you can do for yourself, even if you have to struggle to do them. This steep ramp was a struggle for me, but with much effort I made it to the top - twice!
And then we find out that Luis can even stand up and has some feeling in his legs! With a little more work and effort on his part, he could be walking in a couple of years! Hopefully my visit will provide him with encouragement and motivation to put in the necessary work.
The family kitchen setup.
After vising Luis, we stopped at shops in town to pick up groceries. Dago also stopped at homes here and there, inviting people to attend the evening meeting.
The beautiful hilltop Seventh-day Adventist Church in Puente de Camotlan, designed by Dagoberto and his daughter. Volunteers from the U.S. helped build it. A long U-shaped building around the front has rooms for various purposes.
The kitchen was well stocked, and Dagoberto went into town and purchased whatever we needed.
Corrie made her bed in one of the children's Sabbath School rooms.
One of the resident moths . . . we thought the pattern and coloring was quite pretty.
A colorful grasshopper :)
This critter is commonly eaten by the locals . . . we were told it was quite tasty and encouraged to try it :)
Corrie was the only one brave enough to pop one in her mouth - and she actually liked it :) She made sure all legs were off first though!
Some colorful plants near the church. (Oh, in case you were wondering, the previous "bug" was really just Mexican candy!)
Friday night I shared my testimony; how I became paralyzed, and how God has helped me maintain an attitude that refuses to use the word "impossible." Luis and his parents came too - a first for his dad!
A young boy held the mike for me. The folks there were very responsive!
The people really enjoyed the pictures and stories.
Sabbath morning we flew to the village of San Miguel to worship with a group of Adventist Huichols.
Once again, we saw many cliffs and ridges along the way just begging to be climbed by Corrie :)
Circling the village of San Miguel to get into position for final approach.
And we're landed . . . now waiting for Dagoberto to find a truck to borrow so we can get to where the believers are meeting.
We were thankful this rut is at the end of the airstrip and not in the middle!
We found this group of Adventist believers tucked away in this lovely grove of bananas, guavas, avocados and other fruit trees. Dagoberto led out in the service, and the man in the foreground translated into the Huichol dialect. We found the people to be very bright and intelligent. Some walked up to 4 hours to get there! Christians are tolerated in this town, but still suffer persecution.
Nearly every adult had their own Bible, carefully wrapped in a protective cloth.
Dagoberto went around and helped them find specific verses. Many could not read very well, but wanted to have their Bibles open to the right spot anyway.
We enjoyed observing and listening. Then I shared a little about my life in a wheelchair, about the Heavenly home being prepared for the faithful, etc. I also asked about their lives, and learned a lot about their customs. We discussed the importance about retaining the positive aspects of their cultural heritage, adapting other customs and rejecting such things as festivals where corn beer flows freely and corn, deer, the sun, moon, etc. are worshipped as gods.
Corrie played a song on her flute for them.
This was the ceiling of our outdoor church :)
Thanking God for the firstfruits of their corn crop . . . traditionally they would pray to the corn itself, but now they pray to the Creator of the corn and thank Him for providing food for them and their families.
Notice the bright colors the women are wearing . . . they said the colors have no specific meaning, but they just like bright and happy colors :)
Group photo with the bags of ears of corn on the little chair next to me.
Getting me situated in the truck for the ride back to the airstrip.
Looking out at the airstrip from the hill above it. The weather was perfect during our entire time in those mountains!
Some common sights in the villages . . .
This is a REAL Burrito! :)
A couple of cute girls :)
We flew back to Puente Sabbath afternoon for lunch and siesta. The church is the hexagonal structure with a red roof near the center of the picture. The courtyard buildings are where our rooms and the kitchen are located.
Preparing Sabbath lunch :) Platanos fritos (fried bananas) are on the menu, yum!!! See that smirk on Corrie's face? She probably has a platano in her mouth!
Diana & Corrie enjoying lunch of frijoles (beans), tortillas, platanos and cucumbers - enhanced with chile/lemon Tajin seasoning!
Fried bananas make weird things happen to the tongue . . .
Ahhh!
So there :P
Wanna see my tongue????
Sabbath evening, the people gathered in the courtyard for vespers. Dagoberto lead out and did most of the talking, sharing and teaching about practical Christianity.
After the meeting, many of the people stayed and talked for awhile.
This girl wanted her photo taken with us.
Sunday morning our first stop was at the village of Amoltita, where the grass on the airstrip was nearly knee high!
The villagers came out to the plane . . .
and Dagoberto explained how the village got its name. This plant is called 'Amol' and it similar to Indian Soaproot.
When the root is cut, it can be used as soap (it does actually create suds). It is also used to paralyze fish, allowing them to be caught easier.
Dagoberto also found a child with malnutrition . . . the mother was scared of flying and did not want to take the child out to recieve medical care. Dagoberto encouraged her and told her that he planned to return the next week to take her and the child to the nearest hospital, if she would agree to come. The people appreciate his loving, caring ways, and over time he builds their trust so they can be helped.
Preparing to take off from Amoltita.
Out over another canyon.
As we approached Guadalupe Ocotan, Dago saw cows grazing on the airstrip.
So he buzzed over their heads time after time.
Circling around for another pass . . .
Coming in low . . .
C'mon cows, git off the airstrip!
Corrie and I enjoyed circling around trying to chase the cows. Diana watched most of the time, but braced herself, ducked and prayed as we came in low.
Those cows didn't even raise their heads! They totally ignored us and continued grazing peacefully. :( Even though they were at the end, it is a short strip and landing could be risky.
The owner should have removed his cows, but nobody even moved toward the airstrip. Finally we gave up and continued on our way. Dago is a safe pilot and will not take unnecessary risks.
Corrie was in a good position to take photos and videos with our Canon SX210 camera - one we really like a lot - small in size yet has 14X zoom!
The scenery was really awesome.
We saw many cornfields on mountainsides so steep a person could easily fall out of their field and get injured or killed.
Fun places to climb :) Corrie was ready to hop out of the plane and explore these interesting rocks!
Can you see the face in the rocks above? He is facing towards the sky and his mouth is open.
We flew over a deserted Huichol village by the name of Agua Fria. It had, at one time, been occupied entirely by Adventist Huichols.
They refused to grow marijuana after becoming Adventists, and as a result the marijuana dealers shot two donkeys and pushed a horse off a cliff, stating that the villagers would be next if they continued to be uncooperative. They were also ostracised by other Huichols, who accused them of abandoning their traditional beliefs and culture.
We saw patches of marijuana here and there among the rugged mountains.
The Adventist Huichols of Agua Fria finally had to relocate outside the boundaries of their traditional Huichol land. After many days of hiking mountain trails, they packed their few belongings into a boat and landed in a somewhat barren area on a finger of a lake created by a dam.
They unloaded their things and started to clear the land in order to build temporary shelters.
They had to deal with poisonous snakes . . .
. . . but they also were able to do enough fishing to feed themselves and have some extra to sell.
Of course tortillas are always on their menu.
A relocated Huichol family by their shelter.
Eventually, their camp grew larger.
Just imagine this old fellow having to leave his family farm in the mountains where he'd lived all his life because of religious persecution.
We were told that this man is 118 years old! And he still goes out to the fields with his machete to work!
I don't know if they have a way to prove it, but he certainly looks old enough to be 118!
Each Sabbath the believers rest from their labors and worship together.
Makeshift table and men digging foundations for permanent housing.
Making adobe blocks with which to build.
They also built thatched-roof huts for sleeping during the warm months.
The Mission President Raul Escalante came for a visit. See the "ladder" on the left going into the hut? We didn't have time for the 4-hour round trip boat ride to visit the place ourselves. Also, getting me up the steep trail to the ridge wiould have been a challenge.
But we got to see the newly built village from the air - named Agua Fria after the place they had to abandon.
The largest building in the picture is their church.
Next we headed for Tepic to refuel. The landscape was dotted with many little dormant volcanoes. This one has had a bit of excavation done . . .
. . . while this one has been completely demolished! The gravel is used for roads and construction.
We encountered a surprising amount of turbulence while flying over these sugar cane fields. Dago explained that the sun reflecting on light and dark patches caused the air to rise at different rates, resulting in a very bumpy ride over perfectly flat terrain.
Our next stop was the town of Huajimic, located in a fertile valley with pine-forested mountains and ridges that needed to be explored.
The airstrip caretaker met us at the airstrip and took us to all the places Dago needed to visit.
Most of the streets are paved with cobblestones. Our first stop was at the locat TV/Radio broadcasting place.
Dagoberto spoke with someone about using this tower as a repeater for 3ABN Latino, a Christian TV station. The birds sure love it!
A typical Mexican Charro in the cobblestone street by the plaza in Huajimic.
The driver who took us around town and to an outlying ranch relaxes in the shade while Dago visits the rancher nearby.
We drove way out into the country to visit one ranch, then flew over the area to wave goodbye.
The airstrip was long and smooth, but tall grass along the edges whipped the wingtips and knocked out a strobe light. I noticed it dangling by electrical wires after our next landing.
Dago temporarily taped it back into place and had it repaired after we returned to Guadalajara.
Sunday evening, this family walked 2-1/2 hours from their village to come and visit with us.
It took about 3 months to finish the bag . . . which is kinda like cross-stich, except the yarn is larger and not a single bit of white is left showing.
The kids enjoyed having their pictures taken, then looking at them on the computer.
The parents enjoyed watching their kids have fun with us.
These kids are so cute :)
The VW bug that Dagoberto uses to visit outlying villages with no airstrips while he's based in Puente Camotlan. There wasn't enough time for us to go anywhere in it though :(
Monday morning we prepared to fly to our last Huichol village.
After shoving me into the plane, they piled all our stuff in as well, because we would be returning to Guadalajara in the afternoon.
A church building similar to the one in Puente was started here in Jasmines, located below the road to the right of the fork in the road.
Volunteers from the U.S. and local folks who built the structure. Strong opposition by tribal leaders made it necessary to halt construction. Dagoberto is confident that someday soon this project will be completed.
As we landed at Tuxpan de Bolaños, Dago came in low because some horses were tied to the edge of the airstrip further up, and he wanted to be going slow by the time he reached them so they wouldn't suddenly bolt, breaking their ropes and running in front of the plane. The plane clipped the top of some soft fast-growth shrubbery at the beginning of the airstrip. I could hear it brushing the bottom of the plane. After landing, there were bits of the shrub on the tires and the horizontal stabilizer (tail wing). Dago asked someone to go chop down those bushes right away.
Safely on the ground in Tuxpan, we hung out in town until the 2:00 p.m. meal in the complex on the left, which includes guest rooms, kitchen, dining room, medical and dental facilities.
Dago wheelbarrowed me up the road into town . . .
. . . stopping at houses along the way, calling out to people and briefly visiting when they were home.
We stopped to rest in the shade of the Holy House.
On top of the Holy House there were stings of egg shells, bones, hoofs, horns and clothing.
This is the same Holy House back in the 1950's when the first mission plane arrived in Tuxpan de Bolaños.
Local folks enjoy relaxing in the shade as well.
There are several other Holy Houses nearby, each dedicated to a different god. (Ummm, Corrie - how about holding the camera straight and centering things better?)
This house was dedicated to the snake god.
Sacred ceremonies are performed by a square sacred stone in front of the main Holy House.
The wise old Shaman leads out in ceremonial rituals.
In this ceremony, a buck is killed and each person rubs their hand the length the deer, from nose to tail. They ask forgiveness for killing this deer "god," then ask it to give them health, good crops, etc.
Later we flew by the sacred Huichol cave on the mountainside, where other traditional rituals are performed.
The prison sits right next to the main Sacred House.
Stocks inside the prison cell are for drunks and those who get into trouble.
While waiting for someone to arrive, Dagoberto (left) made friends with other people relaxing in the town meeting house on the main plaza.
A Huichol man in typical garb. The sides of his shirt are open. When he's doing hard work, he can pull his arms out of the sleeves and stay cool!
A Huichol man, adobe buildings and growing corn in town.
We returned to the house where the meal was to be served, and I rested inside while waiting for the food.
These three ladies were busy making tortillas on a large wood-heated griddle.
Finally the food was ready - those rice and beans were tasty!
The hungry kids arrived in their colorful embroidered Huichol clothing.
Beans, rice and fresh handmade tortillas.
Kids enjoying their hot meal. Funding for this program is provided by donors through Amistad International.
Amistad provids food, seeds, piped water and medical care, and teaches sustainable living methods to Huichol people in many villages.
The results? Healthier, happier people who retain their cultural heritage as they learn about a better land that God is preparing for each of His children around the world.
As they left, many of the young people stopped to take a look inside the plane.
Burros - a common mode of transportation.
A young Huichol couple enjoying each others' company.
Monday afternoon - our 4th and last day in the Sierra Huichol, we took off from Tuxpan headed back to Guadalajara. Our entire time there was a fascinating learning experience, and we'd love to go back sometime!
Flying over the mountains past more steep cornfields headed for the city.
Back at the Guadalajara airport, Corrie easily lifted me out of the wheelchair and into the car. She had to do it when Dagoberto was back at the parked plane getting our things - he would not tolerate a GIRL doing something like THAT! It was actually easier than doing it with two people though.
So when we got back to the house, Dagoberto still insisted on helping while getting me out of the truck.
Corrie enjoys doing attractive, creative arrangements of her hair :)
Corrie easily carried me all the way up and down the stairs - twice up and twice down.
Going up and down the stairs was much easier with this method.
Diana washes my hair like this nearly every day.
Afterwards I washed my face, then tossed the wet washcloth at the nearest easy target - Corrie's face! She immediately returned fire and it dangled from my nose. Didn't think I had a hook nose! :p
We thoroughly enjoyed our time together in the Sierra Huichol, and are grateful to the donor who paid our airfare, to Dagoberto for going out of his way to make sure we had everything we needed and taking us all those places, to his wife Etna for the delicious meals she prepared for us and to Amistad International for covering our expenses while in Mexico!
And we're grateful to our good friend Karen Kotoske, Executive Director of Amistad International, whose loving, caring heart has blessed the Huichol people since 1980, and continues meeting the needs of many impoverished people around the world.
