Christ with Me in the Barrio and Beyond
Reflections on a Mexican American Woman’s Spiritual Journey
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Clothed in Christ
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
—Colossians 3:12 (NIV)
When I was a child, I saw the nuns at Christ the King as mysterious beings. They lived at a convent on Morales Street behind the church. Some of my classmates had mentioned that the nuns didn’t have legs. These floating armadas—about thirty of them—appeared to glide across the street and into the church parking lot as they headed to Mass. Walking in pairs with somber expressions, the ghostly figures were dressed in long flowing black frocks, called habits, with matching head coverings, or veils, and white bands across their foreheads. I would watch them intently to see, before they entered the sanctuary, if any slight wind might move their hems to reveal if they, indeed, had legs. After observing them over several occasions, I concluded that they didn’t have any.
As an adult, I had the privilege of working with several of these same nuns at an organization where they operated a bookstore. I was able to witness their beauty and grace—along with their humanity. They were kind, gentle, and humble women whom I grew to love and deeply respect. A couple of them were even jokesters and pleasures to be around. I found them different from my previous experiences of rarely seeing them smile when I was a child. And, on the contrary, they were not the ghosts that I had once envisioned. Since their outfits were now a bit shorter, I was able to see that they certainly had legs after all! When I told them of my childhood conclusion about them, they found it hilarious.
Throughout the years, I have formed great friendships with many nuns, or sisters as they are now called, and it is so delightful and refreshingto see the loveliness of Christ in them. I am truly blessed to have deep and long-standing relationships with such dear women and fellow laborers in serving our Lord.
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About the Book
An inspirational story of hope and healing, Christ with Me in the Barrio and Beyond shares author Janie Peña Menchaca’s spiritual journey, beginning with her childhood adventures in San Antonio’s West Side barrio during the 1950s and 1960s. Her capers in her quest to “find” God are vividly displayed.
Janie’s happy childhood and teenage years ended abruptly when she was kicked out of her home at the age of eighteen and ostracized by her family. Months later, she found herself pregnant and unwed, eventually leading to a marriage that shouldn’t have been.
In 1974, while living in Seattle, Washington, and thinking of ending her life, she experienced a personal and dramatic encounter with Jesus Christ. Her life now changed, she eventually filed for divorce and fled from a violent and abusive marriage.
The Lord, in his fathomless love and mercy, restored to Janie the years eaten away by the enemy, even reuniting her with her high school sweetheart who she thought had been killed while serving in Vietnam. After fifty years since meeting in high school, they were married in 2017.
The confluence of Janie’s rich Mexican American heritage, her Catholic experiences, and her struggles, sorrows, and challenges that connected the dots as an adult to knowing her beloved Savior, merge to become a delicately woven message of love, faith and hope.
About the Author
Janie Peña Menchaca, a native of San Antonio, Texas, received her bachelor’s degree in organizational administration from St. Mary’s University. A first-time author, Menchaca, in her spare time, enjoys exercising, gardening, and traveling with her husband, Abel. She loves hosting dinners for friends and loved ones. She is an avid reader and thinks she’s an expert at sudoku.