I'll take your finger then

While serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 2003 on the Yucatan peninsula, I had an interesting experience.

Seeing drunk men was a very common thing. The same men would be drunk and would either yell at us, laugh at us or talk to us. We didn't really find the interactions fruitful however. The ones who enjoyed speaking to us while drunk, rarely wanted to talk when sober.

I had a senior companion, in the little town of Uman, who thought it was funny to get drunken men to say inappropriate things. He would say to them "Wanna speak English?" and then proceed to get them to repeat the phrase "Got down, sat on a bench." And invariably they would attempt it, but because of their heavy accents it would sound like some horrible swear words in English. He got a real kick out of this behavior and would laugh about it. When I let him know that I didn't appreciate those interactions, he told me to lighten up. And to not worry about it, because they were drunk and they wouldn't remember it anyway.

I didn't like the idea of treating someone bad and told him that I'm pretty sure these men are chronic alcoholics and that their memory served them just fine. And that even if they didn't remember the exact words I was certain they would remember the feelings they had around us. Once again I was told to knock it off and to lighten up.

Fast forward a year to an area in Cancun called Bonampak. I was training a young missionary named Elder Chamberlain. I was showing him the area and helping him get to know the local people. One of those people who's name was Cisco (short from Francisco) was a man who was frequently drunk. He loved talking to the missionaries and was a decent man, but wanted nothing to do with the gospel when he was sober. The Elders who taught me about this area, told me to steer clear of him because he had killed people and had been in prison. I disregarded their advice and frequently spoke to Cisco. I would buy him lunches and spend a lot of time with him on the streets.

On one particular day, I was walking with Elder Chamberlain and I could see Cisco with another man, carrying palitos. These were long branches with forks on the end cut from the jungle. They would shave off the small twigs and leaves and bundle them up to sell in the villages. They would sell them to the women in the villages to help with hanging their laundry. This is how they would fund their purchase of "agua ardiente (fire water.)"

As we approached, Cisco called out a greeting and then began talking to some women to sell his poles. His friend (Roberto) approached us and came very close. Close enough I could smell his alcohol tainted breath. He had red watery eyes and sores on his face. I stuck out my hand to shake his in greeting. He grasped my hand and pulled it up to his face. He looked at my silver CTR ring and exclaimed how beautiful it was. I could see that Cisco was now paying more attention to us, than in selling his palos.

Roberto continued to hold my hand and look at my ring. I let him know that it was a gift from my mother and she had purchased it in Jerusalem, the holy land where Christ had lived. I then pulled my hand away and he attempted to keep holding it. I didn't like this and began to feel myself anger. He looked at me and said "Regala me lo (Give it to me as a gift.)" I told him that I wouldn't and that it was special to me. At that point he pulled out his hooked knife that was on his belt and said "Maybe I will take your finger then..."

At this moment I was looking at the angry boil covered face of Roberto, coming to the realization that I was going to have to fight this man. And then suddenly his face was gone. It was as if he had disappeared. And Cisco had appeared in his place. Cisco had approached from behind and grabbed him and thrown him over his shoulder. Roberto landed in a heap on the ground behind Cisco. I watched in disbelief as Roberto muddled around in the dust and dirt on his hands and knees, searching for his hooked knife. Cisco calmly pulled his full length machete from its sheath at his side and placed it under Roberto's chin and said "Basta (Enough.)" He then said "Didn't you hear the Elder? He said it was a gift from his Mother Roberto! It comes from the holy land and is holy. You and I are not holy. And if you say one more insulting thing to these men of God, I will cut off your head. I have done it before and I will do it again."

Roberto sat back on his backside and just stared. Cisco continued "Apologize to the Elders." Roberto didn't move or make a sound, and Cisco flicked his machete ever so slightly. Roberto winced and managed to say "Lo siento (I'm sorry.)" When this was said, Cisco sheathed his machete and Roberto gained his feet and with an angry yell took off running down the road. Cisco barked out a loud laugh and turned to us and shrugged his shoulders and said "More fire water for me then!"

Cisco never (as long as I was there) took the discussions or joined the church. However he was always kind and I knew he was looking out for us.

I walked away from that interaction with the understanding that the Lord protects his missionaries. Sometimes he uses whatever tools are at his disposal. I also understood the importance of treating everyone with respect.