Christmas Posadas in Juarez and El Paso

Las Posadas are a beloved Christmas tradition in the Hispanic community. “Posada” is literally an archaic Spanish word meaning “inn,” but today it is used to describe the ceremonial reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging in Bethlehem, which can be found in Luke 2:1-7.  The custom is believed to have originated in Spain but is no longer common there.  Today Las Posadas is celebrated primarily in Mexico but may be found in many other Latin American countries as well.

A posada is essentially a procession through the streets stopping at various houses (or “inns”) while singing a song of responsive verses in which Mary and Joseph ask for lodging but are repeatedly turned away.  At the final “inn”  Mary and Joseph are finally welcomed in and a celebration ensues.  YLM mission churches are blessed to have musicians from Mariachi San Pablo to accompany the traditional Posada song and sing other Christmas carols as the group walks from “inn” to “inn” looking for lodging.  Often the traditional Posada song is sung acapella and prayers or other songs are said as the group travels from “inn” to “inn”.

The procession in search of lodging is led by children dressed as Mary and Joseph.  It is also common to have an angel carrying a star.  The rest of the crowd divides into 2 sections to sing the parts of the innkeeper and the expectant couple.  Finally at the last stop, the innkeepers welcome the weary travelers in and everyone is enters the “inn”.   After a brief message about how Jesus continues His posada daily for a place to stay in each of our hearts and lives, the party commences!

There is generally a piñata or 2, and ALWAYS a feast of traditional Christmas fare: bunuelos (fried pillows of dough seasoned with cinnamon and sugar), champurrado (a chocolaty beverage thickened with masa (corn flour)), and tamales (corn dough with either a sweet or savory filling steamed in a corn husk).

Here at YLM, there is a posada at each of the Mexico mission sites as well as one here in El Paso. Typically, posadas take place in the nine-day period from December 16th until Christmas Eve; ours started earlier with one on Monday the 14^th followed by a day off on Tuesday and then 2 each day for the rest of the week.

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you from all the staff and volunteers at Ysleta Lutheran Mission.

Mary and Joseph from Cristo Rey

Looking for a room at Cristo Rey

From the inside group at Cristo Rey

View from the outside at Cristo Rey

Cristo Rey actors

Cristo Rey actors with some of Mariachi San Pablo

San Pedro y San Pablo

Starting the posada at San Pedro y San Pablo

Walking at San Pedro y San Pablo

The procession at San Pedro y San Pablo

Dancing El Sapo at San Pedro y San Pablo

San Pablo posada at the Mission

San Pablo actors

San Pablo Posada

San Pablo at YLM

YES, you can stay here, open the doors

Mission San Francisco

Mission San Francisco

Mission San Francisco

Mission San Francisco

Santisima Trinidad

starting out at Sin Paredes

Watching the show at Sin Paredes

Good crown at Sin Paredes

Kids at the Sin Paredes posada

Walking up the hill towards Sin Paredes

Enjoying the Posada at Sin Paredes

Posada at Sin Paredes

Santa pinata at Sin Paredes

Pinata at Sin Paredes

Pinata at Sin Paredes

Multitudes of angels at San Lucas

Kids singing with the Mariachi at San Lucas

Leaving San Lucas

Preparing for Maximum Impact this Christmas

Elvira and volunteers are working every day to sort donations to give to the poor this Christmas.  YLM is preparing to provide 1,500 Christmas gifts to children  and to distribute 1,470 food baskets, 836 jackets, 600 hygiene kits and 1,200 blankets.  Also, our Mariachi group will be adding their joy filled music to community gatherings in 6  sites throughout Juarez and 7 in El Paso and Las Cruces.  Later this month a servant event team from Mayer Lutheran High School in Mayer, MN, will arrive to build three houses for families in Juarez, lead a basketball camp, and make repairs to a mission church.

“Who else is going to be God’s voice in Juarez?  Not the military, police, or government officials…  As they work to bring order, we work to bring mercy and grace to all,”  commented Stephen Heimer, COO of YLM and vicar at San Pablo Lutheran Church.  ”What we do in response to the suffering and sorrow that exists in our valley will make a lasting difference in the lives we touch this Christmas and throughout the year.”

If you would like to join us on the front lines of hope this Christmas, please consider sending items or making a financial gift today.

Give a Gift to Change a Life

The 2009 Christmas Giving Catalog is now available online and in printed form.  Those of you who wish to reach out with God’s love to the poor this Christmas will find 17 ways to do so here.  With your help, YLM will be blessing 1,500 children with Christmas presents this month.  Also we plan to build three homes in Juarez and distribute 1,470 food baskets, 836 jackets, 600 hygiene kits and 1,200 blankets.  Reach out to the people of El Paso and Mexico by giving a gift today:

Choose from 17 ways to

help others this Christmas

1,200 Meals Served on Thanksgiving Weekend

“Blessed to Serve”…and that is what they did. On Wednesday, November 25, a group of 25 from Our Father Lutheran church in Centennial, CO, made their 15^th annual pilgrimage to El Paso. They joined up with Servant Event Coordinator Erin’s parents, brother, and sister from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Des Peres, MO, to serve the Lord on the border. The theme for the week was “blessed to serve.” The group cooked, transported, and served over 1200 Thanksgiving meals of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, ranchero beans, salsa, rolls, and cake at San Pablo on Thurdsay, Cristo Rey and San Lucas on Friday, and Santisima Trinidad on Saturday. Each meal followed a brief worship service honoring the real reason everyone was gathered together to enjoy a fantastic meal. They also cooked for the over 100 volunteers who come toYLM every Saturday and left behind enough food for the attendees at this Wednesday’s King’s Table luncheon at Sin Paredes to have Thanksgiving too.

To many, that would be enough to keep everyone occupied for the three work days that were put in, but not for this group. Not only did they feed 1200 hungry people, but they also painted YLM building #1, formerly leased to the El Paso County General Assistance program and now home to Mariachi San Pablo and San Pablo’s Sunday school classrooms. The building really does look sharp, and our hope is to paint the rest of the campus buildings with the same colors eventually.

Just in case that still wasn’t enough, 6-7 people also helped “winterize” a trailer in Horizon City on Friday and Saturday mornings. The family, a mom, a dad,  their 2 young sons, and another one on the way, basically live in an 8 foot by 26 foot trailer that you would tow on the back of your truck when you went camping. Leaking roofs, a plywood floor, and broken windows were all tackled by the crew. A new roof was built over the trailer (and sealed to prevent water and cold air from getting in through the top), windows were sealed with black plastic, and new tile was laid on the floor. Please pray that we will be able to build this family a new home in the coming months.

The group also went to the market in Juarez on Thanksgiving Day, and spent each evening in a Bible study that tied the lives of 2 “minor” characters in with the “blessed to serve” theme. They departed early on Sunday morning, November 29.

Their dedication was truly inspiring; we praise God for this ongoing tradition at YLM and can’t wait to do it all over again next year!

VBS at San Pablo in El Paso, TX

The teachers from San Pablo Lutheran Church who led VBS this summer.

The beautiful children of Ysleta.