Jail time in Mexico

So, my roommate, whose a super guy and super fast is currently posting a blog on this very story now. I haven't read his yet, but I'm sure it's good and funny. The interesting thing about blogging is anything blog worthy you gotta get up fast.

Anyway, here's what happened.

I ran into my room to answer my phone and as soon as I heard the voice on the other end I knew something was definitely wrong. She was crying, and in between each little breath she was trying to communicate something to me. My heart was racing (like when Nate and I got a call from the girls saying they thought someone was in their apartment; they had locked themselves in their rooms each with a broomstick and lamp post, nervously awaiting as we ran the 3 blocks to their place--it turned out to be nothing--but my heart was racing like that this time around) and I soon learned that Skye was in the back of a Mexican police car.

Here's what went down. Skye has been praying for people in the Zocalo of Mexico City and has consistently gone there to meet with, have Bible studies, and show them love through giving them food, buying a meal, or throwing a birthday party. She has sought out people who no one else will give a chance. She also has dreds, which she got about 5 months ago from some of the people she is ministering to: they make their living by giving henna tattoos, dreds, and braids to tourists. They don't have licenses to work in the zocalo but they cannot obtain them either. And it so happens that today the police came for a whole bunch of them, many of whom are Skye's friends.

Skye was with one she had shared Christ with before and the cops came around them both and told Skye she needed to empty her pockets and bag and get in the car. She initially said she wouldn't get in, but then they made her. That's when she called me. The cops accused her of smoking marijuana, even though she just showed up to be with her friends. She insisted she hadn't been and they searched her fingernails for any traces of the plant and then threw her in the car.

When I spoke with her I tried to calm her down and reminded her it would fine soon enough. I calmly spoke, quoted some Scripture, and tried to care for her as best as I knew how. Once she was in a calmer mood I told her how great of a story this will make. She chuckled in Skye form. Shortly thereafter, we got the details of the station they were heading to and then made immediate plans to come pick her up. She arrived before we left and they put her in a cell with her friend and we finally got ahold of the police station. One of my roommates was able to talk with the cop and tell him she's a missionary with us and they pulled her out of the cell.

As she sat in the station a lot of different cops said she should just leave, but she was worried someone would come after her. One eventually sat down and talked to her. She told him what she's doing here and shared the gospel with him. He wanted to take her dancing. She graciously alluded it. And he asked again why she hadn't left and then proceeded to tell her it's a civil station and they cannot hold foreigners. So she walked out the front door and Nate and I were almost there, so we picked her up and got the whole story a few more times and then decided to go to the movies.

As we were walking through the mall she said she was experiencing some major culture shock. Moments ago she was sitting in a Mexican jail cell sharing the gospel with a poilce officer and now she was walking through a mall to go to the movies. We kind of chuckled at life and what God brings our way as missionaries, and how He shows up and meets us every time in the moment.

She said it was one of her goals for the semester--to get thrown in jail. Well, she got what she wanted. After we spoke the first time when she was in back of the cop car heading to jail, the tears having stopped, and some color coming back into her face, she knew very well this would be a story she can tell for a lifetime. And when we parted ways after spidey 3, she left with a smile saying how great a story this will be for the rest of her life.

I can picture her even now, grandkids all around, talking with their wild grandma who was a missionary in Mexico and got thrown in jail. There will be many ooohs and ahhhhs. Wait to go Skye. You're my hero.