The Lady Mule with a big heart

On Tuesday morning, we headed towards San Angelo. That stretch of land was very flat, and we watched a storm moving across the mountains and plains for about 45 miles. As we drew near, the wind whipped up really fast and furiously, so Joshua decided to leave the interstate and travel along a state highway that had a little better tree coverage along the sides of the road.

It was 6:30pm when we pulled off the main interstate onto the highway, and we knew we were in small town country when we pulled into a little town and the only thing open was a gas station. Josh asked where we could find a hotel for the night, and the attendants laughed and informed us that there were no hotels for at least another hour down the road.

We passed several towns, virtually asleep even though the sun was still gleaming on the horizon. Around 9:00pm, tired and hungry, we made the decision that we couldn't make it to San Angelo, which was only another hour away. We pulled over into a parking lot and prepared the van to sleep in, since we didn't want to waste any funds on a small hotel room that would probably have as uncomfortable a bed as our back seat.

Josh was famished, so we went to the only restaurant open in the town - a little shack called "La Mula." When we stepped inside, we found a little Mexican diner with friendly service and peppy Mariachi music in the background. After ordering a plate to share, I started translating the music in my mind..."Jesus saved me"..."I'm free in Christ"... I exctiedly turned to Josh and said, "This is Christian Mariachi, Josh!" When the waitress returned, we asked her who owned the restaurant. She explained that her Uncle was the owner, his wife worked there too, and his sister, who was the waitress's mother, was the cook, and her daughters waited the tables. It was a family business. I shared that I loved the music, and how exciting it was to hear a testimony of the faith. She asked how we knew Spanish, and Josh explained that we had just spent three months in Mexico as missionaries, and were planning on returning in 6 or less months.

I asked her where the cheapest hotel was, and she excitedly stumbled..."Ummm, let me ask my mom and aunt, they'll know." The next thing we knew, the waitress returned and said, "My aunt is calling the hotel right now, she's buying a room for you. And please, come back tomorrow so we can give you breakfast. My family and my church love missionaries, and we're so glad that you are here!" Josh and I, bewildered at this awesome act of hospitality, gathered our things, thanked the waitress, and went to the hotel room. It was cozy and the bed was fluffy and soft. We slept wonderfully that night!

The next morning, we returned to the restaurant, and met the girls' mother, Lutz, who was the cook. Although she wanted to feed us more than we could handle at such an early hour, we convinced her to cook what she desired to give us and put it in a bag for the road. She we enjoyed a hearty breakfast with a bagged lunch for later, while she talked with us for some time about her life. She and her brother are from Mexico, but he came to Texas and found work (most small towns in Texas exist through the work that oil fields provide). Later, they decided to open this restaurant.


She said that her whole family are Christians, and that their church supports missionaries a lot, but they never expected missionaries to pass through their little town! She said the only way she knew how to serve us was to provide food and shelter. We thanked her generously, and then we prayed together.

So if you're ever travelling I-10 and want to get a less-hectic route, pull off the interstate and on Highway 67 and enjoy small town sights. Follow the map below to Big Lake, to experience authentic Mexican food, kind service, and small town hospitality at La Mula Restaurant: