HAPPY EASTER

Holy Thursday

When I walked out my door at 8am I was already confronted with the fact it was Holy Thursday. I rounded the corner to head on my run & there were the two "robbers." Apparently, a bunch of people meet at the Parish bright and early and go store to store, ask if they can rob it and if they say yes they "rob" the store & bring it to the parish like a donation. The people crucified with Jesus had to do something wrong.

Thursday night I went to my 1st Holy Thursday mass. I knew they washed some people's feet, but on the way there Jess told me they wash everyone's & I was suddenly terrified. (I have a thing about my feet, I don't like people looking at them, let alone touching them.) I said I'll just say no thank you & she said she tried that last year and it didn't work. So the whole time in mass before the washing I was thinking of all the different ways I could avoid it. Then they only did a few as symbols so I could breathe again.

After mass the play started again with the Last Supper, praying in the garden, turning Jesus in, etc. As I stood alone and attempted to dodge the running actors, I enjoyed the experience, but I really enjoyed this one lilac tree that one of the spot lights was on and it just looked beautiful.

Good Friday

The number of stands were growing throughout the week, but Good Friday topped it all. They were everywhere!

We watched the procession of drummers, trumpet players, soldiers whipping the robbers go by from our roof a couple times. I found out later they started at 8 am and marched all Thursday up and down the hills too. (no wonder many of them had pretty sever blisters at the end of the day)

Melissa & I left for the sentencing and searched for a good spot, with all the umbrellas (for the sun) and kids on shoulders, we were not successful. But we tried.

It moved kind-of slowly, which I think is because a lot of people treat it like a time to socialize, not purely watch the 'spectacular.'

I was lucky toward the end when Melissa decided to go home Isaac's niece and her friend found me and took me under their wing. Lupita told me not to worry and she would make sure I enjoyed my first experience. She definitely did. We took the short-cuts so we could see more the procession pass by more often (this was Jesus walking with the cross by the way). We ran, we walked with the people. She tried to get me to go in with the townspeople walking behind, but still blocked off from regular pedestrians. I had to put this head wrap on because they don't let regularly dressed people in and I didn't do it. Then since she knew people we became the human rope part so we were right next to Jesus, holding hands, running, walking, getting pushed around, etc. We saw Simon carrying the cross for a little while and we were right there when Veronica wiped his face. As I winced a couple times when the soldiers whipping the robbers got quite close to me Lupita told me how once they got to the market the beating got a lot harder. She said, "you don't want to see that do you?" I said "no" and she said that was fine and I was shielded from that as well.

We reached the church right before the procession (running was involved). Lupita was not shy and pushed her way through groups of people I never would have, nice and aggressive to get a great view. Which we did have, for the crucification.

Then she said I needed pictures so I could remember so we went back to where the actors were and she had me take several pictures, which I'm sure I looked extremely awkward in.

And to think I thought I would be done with the day at 2. I arrived home at 5 hungry and tired.

Easter Sunday

So apparently there is a tradition here to throw water at each other on Easter, but they are trying to put a stop to this tradition. And honestly, I agree with this attempt because it's wasteful and they tried campaigns informing people, which one of my friends told me about and how her family stopped after that. But apparently they were not satisfied with the results of the campaign so they decided to try a different idea.

Turn off all the water.

Literally.

Saturday everyone kept telling us their water was turned off. They don't receive any warning they just do it. I have no idea how, but somehow our house is lucky enough to have water, even when they turn it off.

I just wish they would think a little more and realize this is not the best strategy. Obviously the people making these decisions are not impacted by it.

I was surprised when entering the church how few people were outside on the grounds and in the mass, but I got a seat, which was a highlight.

So I celebrated in a very different way. Planting corn. Apparently it always falls right on Easter for the best time to plant so we had a whole ceremony which I thought was beautiful and many of the women came all decked out in their indigenous clothing. As we planted there were these three guys I really don't know what it's called but like picking the ground to prepare the dirt. I really wanted to do it, but I figured they'd tell me no so sadly I didn't say anything. Then Josue told them I wanted to so they had to tell me which side to use: bad sign #1 and I tried. I definitely wasn't good and didn't understand the technique. They didn't let me finish the row. And then this other lady stepped up and she showed me how it's done! I was cheering her on, on the inside. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by food and music. I took up my staple cleaning dishes role for awhile, but not as long as usual this time.

At night I went to see the final part of the play, which was beautiful. There weren't a lot of people there, which I think might be because it sprinkled a little. But it was beautiful. Especially when Jesus (Gonzalas) gave a little speech at the end.

All in all a wonderful Easter. I hope you had a wonderful easter too.

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i need to apologize on behalf of the mexican mail. i sent out a BUNCH of letters in january and several since then that have not arrived at their destinations in the US. none of them. so i would like to take back all my complaints before about US mail because it all eventually got there. and apologize to all of you who are wondering where your letters are. maybe they'll arrive by june. i´m getting better about sending letters with people as they head back to the states, but i´m regreting the ones i mailed from mexico.

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I was particularly excited to go back to work today to see my kiddos. We were missing 10, but it was still wonderful to see the one's who did show up. Tomorrow I hope for more. I just feel like life is easier when they're there to share their love with me. Yes, I know that's selfish. I just love them.