Churches, Outlaws, Saloons, Branding, Cemeteries.

From The Foothills, Vol 1 No. 2 May, 2006

New Mexico is a land that at first glance might seem to be a land where one place looks a lot like the next place. It is dry everywhere. It is hot everywhere. But even in that there are differences that may not be readily apparent. Where we are in the foothills of the Sacramento Mountains, the hot days cool down to allow us to wake to cool mornings.

Churches here seem to be sort of different in that they wear names that they hope will proclaim their differences. But if the truth be told, the differences in sheep are very minor. But of course the Chief Shepherd knows intimately His sheep. One way in which even many different churches seem to be going is that many small congregations are drying up as the rural way of life doesn't seem to have much to attract youth to its ways.

Outlaws are well known in this country. I was told of two men who became outlaws in their county. They moved to this one. The Sheriff in their original county let it be known if they returned he would nab them. They worked and lived the rest of their lives here in this area and as it turned out they became producing and respected members of the community before they were returned to the New Mexico soil.

Saloons are the appropriate name for those hole in the wall watering places for thirsty cowboys. As I have listened to the stories of life in the earlier days and the constant struggle it was to just survive and the hard physical labor of working on the land, I know the those saloons were perhaps the Advil and Excedrin of that time.

Branding calves is an experience that not many will share in these days. But it is still a necessary work for those who run cattle on the land. When that red hot branding iron gets close the hair on the leather, it explodes in flame. The bawling of the calf is not far behind. Once the hair is singed, the brand is burned into the leather. When you think of how tough leather is, you can understand why such a process is required. When you have a calf in the chute, you also take the opportunity to dehorn it as horns are dangerous to both man and beast. If you have a bull calf and don't need another breeder, then a small rubber band takes care of that in a relatively painless manner.

Please continue to pray for both Bev and I as we learn about the land and the people who live on it. Sharing Jesus in these days can only come through the establishment of relationships. Those are not always an easy thing to establish when your neighbors are spread out over a large area. But times like this morning where the community came together at the local cemetery to clean and spruce it up and then share a pot luck meal are times that allow you to develop those important links that will lead to the defeat of the Robber of Souls. May God in His grace and mercy give all of us opportunities to touch and heal.

DAN & BEV BELL
P.O. Box 97, Pinon, NM. 88344
Cingular cell: 1-217-891-4879 Dan & 78 Bev
Landline: 1-505-687-3580