I guess I should say, "Feliz Siete de Mayo." This past week I had the pleasure of going on a mission trip to Vincente Guerrero, Baja, Mexico. We went to an orphanage down there known as "Foundation for His Ministry" and planned on impacting the lives of hundreds of kids. What really happened, however, was that we were impacted more than we could have ever imagined. I can't even begin to explain the wonder of the trip.
Anyways, when I was down there, I discovered that the holiday we refer to as "Cinco de Mayo" is not greatly celebrated in Mexico. That was unusual, I thought, since we always relate the day with Mexico. Apparently, on May 5, 1862, a group of Mexican troops defeated the French who were attempting to infiltrate the country. Had those 4,000 Mexicans not overcome their adversaries, Napoleon III, (who commanded the French to attack) would have continued to help the American enemies. In this case, America would have been hard pressed to maintain a strong army and become what it is today. Mexico, on the other hand, had their real independence on September 15, 1810 when they defeated Spain. So really, Cinco de Mayo is not a true Mexican nor American holiday. It is an in-betweener, I suppose you could say, that America loves to celebrate because it was the event that allowed America to press onward. (Picture from pdphoto.org.)
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