We traveled to the border this past weekend for the funeral of my sister in law Mary's only brother, Larry Hernandez. Our cousins from Guerrero, Martita and Maricela, and their mother, my Aunt Marta attended the rosary and family gathering after the rosary. They informed me that the schools and church are still closed in Guerrero, after a month of violence such as machine guns going off at night. The government has sent in sailors from the Mexican Navy to try and keep the peace in this tiny border town. My cousin's 8th grade girl is going to move to Nuevo Laredo to try and finish out the school year in Nuevo Laredo. They say they have gotten so tired of the violence, but have learned to simply hit the floor when they hear the sounds of gunfire. What a horrible contrast to the peace that once permeated this little patch of hardscrabble country along the Rio Salado where my mother's ancestors settled to ranch and bring up their children.
