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| The Mission at San Miguel |
After a few days of touring Colorado Springs, it was time for us to get back on the road. 530 miles and five more hours of movie watching and Nintendo playing and we were in Albuquerque. Just before Albuquerque, we stopped in Santa Fe for an impromptu tour of the city. A quick google search pointed us towards the oldest church and house in the US. I am a sucker for any travel destination with a superlative in the name, and use them as a kind of measuring stick for all other locations. Santa Fe had a great relaxed feeling, but a definite feeling of history. First, we walked across down a narrow alley and came face to face with the oldest house in the US. Portions of the house were constructed in 1610, although the house is adobe, so the walls must be replaced constantly.
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| The oldest house in the United States |
Directly across the street, was the oldest church in the US, the Mission at San Miguel. The church was built in 1610, a full decade before the Mayflower sailed to the US. The church itself was relatively plain, although the deerskin paintings were impressive.
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| Deerskin paintings dating from the 1600s |
Before leaving we asked the clergyman behind the desk to share with us some the history of the church. We had one hand on the door when he asked the boys if they had rung the bell, a huge bronze bell cloaked in mystery and miracles that sat at the back of the church. “Ring the bell at San Miguel and spirits will return you to Santa Fe,” he told the boys in a sing song voice. He invited them to ring the bell, and sensing their excitement, he leaned forward and said, “Be sure to ring it loud.”
That was all they needed to take turns trying to hit the bell with a tiny hammer with the most gusto. I’m not usually one to believe in the mysterious stories that go along with various artifacts, although I enjoy the lore. But, the ringing of that bell through the rafters of that ancient church did bring about a sense of spirituality that was hard to ignore.
We spent another hour or two wandering around the city. We sampled some delicious candy from a local candy shop, and although I was brave and tried a unique chocolate concoction but we all passed on the candy covered scorpions. We were packing up to leave the city when Ryan began pleading for us to go back to the church. He had seen a small engraved box in the gift shop and he wanted to take it home. “I just want to remember that place,” he insisted.
It was very close to 5 o’clock when we arrived back at the church, so the front doors were already locked. Not wanting to drive with a disappointed boy, we scurried around the back and called through the side door. The clergyman had already turned out the lights and locked the doors for the night, but when Ryan explained why he wanted to come back him, he obliged. He picked up the little box and took it to the counter with his $20 bill in his hand. Nowhere on the box could we find a price tag, so I said that I would happily pay $20 for the box and his kindness. Instead, he looked at Ryan and said, “I give you this as a gift, but I ask that when you see it you remember to pray for our mission.” Ryan was genuinely touched by the gift. He keeps that plain little box by his bed these days. I don’t know if he prays for that church when he sees it, but I do. I hope the ringing of the bell will return us to Santa Fe again someday. There is much to be explored still.
