Taxi Preacher

Miguel

For three years now, Miguel has been our Managua taxi driver. The first year we knew just three words in his language—hola, adios, and baño. We communicated with hand signals and translators.

Last year, he listened to our description of Dallas the day of our takeoff: helado del cielo. He didn’t laugh or even correct us. It was not until the next day Marlo discovered he had described the sleet in Dallas, not as ice (hielo) but as as ice cream (helado) falling from the sky.

On a trip to Chinandega, we all both laughed as he taught us to roll our r’s for words liked carraterra (highway).  The double r’s need much more trilling of the tongue than the single r’s, he told us.

This year, on that same two-hour trip, he took his wife along. She doesn’t often leave Managua, and she could provide him company on the trip back. I showed her photos of our family (including of course our infant granddaughter). We learned that they, too, have three sons and just one granddaughter, age 12. They worship in an evangelical church. “Pentecostal”—they said.

When we bought ice cream bars for all, he chose a bottle of water instead.  “Diabetico (diabetic),” he explained.

Each trip he has been patient, friendly, and genial.

He 8s the same this morning. He tells us that, at 7 a.m., we are his second clients. His cell phone rang at 4 a.m.—some North Americans needed to catch a bus to Honduras and had forgotten to arrange a ride the day before. They are new clients, he says. After this trip, he plans to shower, shave, and get ready for worship.

We tell him about our visit last week to the basilica in El Viejo—the beauty of the cathedral and the flowers for the wedding scheduled for that evening.

“Jesus es el unico sendero al Señor” (Jesus is the only path to God),” he says, as if from a pulpit.

His tone and words befuddle me. Where on God’s good earth did that come from?

And then I guess. “Nunca Maria? (Never Mary?).

“Si!” he says.  He also crosses himself, touching forehead, chests, and shoulders and shaking his head no. He repeats with even more emphasis “Jesus es el unico sendero al Señor.”

Apparently, this genial Managua taxi driver has his hot buttons.

And we have just pushed one of them.