Mission to Mexico (M+/F, F+/F, M+/t, M+/M, NC)
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Chapter 1
Bill had given up pounding on the cell door, demanding to call the American
Consulate. His hand had started to hurt. They had taken his watch and he had no
idea how long it had been since they separated him from Ann and Stacy and thrown
him head first into the cell. The only light was a low wattage bulb hanging from
the ceiling. There was no windows or ventilation. The lack of fresh air
intensified the smell of the bucket that served as a toilet. It had not been
emptied since the last occupant left. The only sound was the buzzing of flies
around the pail of human offal.
If anything happened to Ann and Stacy, he would never forgive himself. It had
been his idea to take the summer off and go on a mission to the church in the
Mexican state of Chiapas. His wife, Ann, had not been enthusiastic when he
mentioned it. Ann pointed out that he had only been Pastor of Brentwood First
Christian for a little over a year. And that it was a large congregation of over
3,000. She reminded him that that he had made a commitment to lead several days
of picketing at a downtown Nashville abortion clinic that summer. She herself
had commitments for a summer student workshop on abstinence, chastity and
celibacy in youth.
Ann told him that his remaining in Nashville was important. Only recently, the
metro government had proposed spousal benefits for domestic partners. Bill
organized and led the other ministers whose protests blocked passage of the
proposal. Two of the national television networks had broadcast a snippet of
Bill's speech. He was making national news and becoming an important religious
leader.
Bill had overruled Ann by telling her that he had been 'called by God' to go to
Mexico and help the mission church that Brentwood First Christian had
established over ten years ago. Bill had pointed out that he needed to see first
hand the evangelical Christians of Chiapas. Bill told Ann there were others who
could picket abortion clinics and meet with legislators to encourage them to
strengthen legal restrictions against abortion.
Bill had also argued out that Stacy was studying Spanish in the church
affiliated school she was attending. A few months in a completely
Spanish-speaking environment would give Stacy better command of the language.
Bill had also argued that Stacy was entering a difficult stage and she was
spending too much time on "boys" and not enough on the lord's work. Finally, Ann
had changed her mind and agreed that the three of them would spend the summer as
missionaries in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Bill concluded that Ann had agreed
because of Stacy. Bill thought that was the argument that won Ann over to
spending ten weeks in Mexico.
Bill sat on the filthy bed and hoped Ann and Stacy were together. He had not
liked the way the Federal police had looked at his wife and daughter. Although
34, Ann had kept her figure almost the same as the day they were married in the
chapel of Bob Jones University. Ann was a physical education major who had
recently produced and starred in a line of exercise videos. Stacy was barely 14
but her figure had transformed from that of a girl to a young woman over the
last year. Bill had seen the leers and heard several of the police discuss their
physical attributes in the crude slang of rural Mexico. He had heard stories
about how women were treated in Mexican prisons. Surely, prayed Bill, the
Federal Police would respect the wife and child of a man of God.
Bill had been working on his sermon with Esteban Reyes, the local pastor, when
the police stormed in the church. Bill was planning to read the sermon in
English and Esteban translate it into Spanish for the congregation. The police
had been shouting "Zapatistas" which Bill recognized as the name of a local
rebel group who were rebelling against the central government in Mexico City.
Pastor Reyes had tried to escape but the police had the church surrounded and
they quickly took Bill and him into custody.
When Bill reached the police van, Ann and Stacy were already inside. Both were
crying and looked terrified.
Bill knelt down in his prison cell and started praying for the safety of his
family, Esteban Reyes, and the congregation.
