Mission San Francisco de la Espada

Today, present day is September 11TH,2007. I am posting these lines into my blog as an assignment for class. This past Friday I along with other classmates visited Mission San Francisco de la Espada. Mission Espada is located in the far southside of San Antonio. It is one of several other missions established in the surrounding areas. Mission Espada was established in the 1700's, in around 1731. It stands along the banks of the San Antonio River. At first glance, as I first approached the mission; I felt a serene sense of tranquility. The area is an almost empty continent of wilderness, except for a few homes and a headstart daycare center that now exist in this almost rural area. Mission Espada was a a small town where the Spaniards main purpose was to convert as many Native Americans as possible, into the Christian faith.The Spaniards believed that the only real faith was the Christian faith. In order to convert the Native Americans, the Spaniards in a sense adopted the Natives but in the process robbed them of their culture, heritage, and self identity.The mission consisted of everythying needed to survive in life but not as the indians knew life to be. The grounds still hold alot of what was constructed in the town. The Church still stands and services are still conducted there on a regular basis.People from all over the world travel to San Antonio to attend the services.The church bell was used back then to call the people of the town together for services. To this day it is still rang for the same purpose. The church door has sort of a mystery to it. It is told that the mason who began construction of the door left it unfinished due to the fact that he fled from the town. It is believed that he fled because he killed a man over a women. That is the reason for the Church door not being as wide as a church door should be. That there is truth to this I do not know but that is how the story goes. Another great legend that was left to our new world was indeed the Acequia. The Acequia is a water system that was used back in the mission days.It was the main water supply of the Spaniards and the Native Americans. To this day it is still the main source in which the area farmers get their water supply to irrigate their land. After about 80 years of existence the mission's population slowly began to decline.The Native Americans and the Spaniards who once resided on this beautiful land were now slowly dieing from disease and were also fleeing to new grounds. The Mission San Francisco de la Espada was abandoned and left for forgotten after 80 years of life, but left behind a legacy of heritage, culture and roots. Mission Espada might have ceased,but contiues to live through the people of the area lands.