Holy Week

Experiencing Holy Week in Nicaragua was definitely a different experience than in the US.  Part of the reason is because I am not connected in with a church here in Nicaragua like I am at home.  My experiences had more to do with the inconveniences of markets or stores being closed and buses not running than with the spiritual aspects of Easter.  But Nicaraguans take Holy Week very seriously.  On Friday, Keri and I decided to venture out to Masaya, a community about 45 minutes away.  We had to hire a cab since the buses weren't running.  We were expecting the artisan market to be open but it was closed up tight.  We drove down to the lakefront and enjoyed the view, even though the shops down there were closed too.

We did come across a Good Friday processional which was neat to watch.  As we walked up the street toward the church we had the sense that people were gathering for something.  There were a lot of temporary food stands, and people sitting on the sidewalk in lawn chairs.  We looked around in the church for a little bit, including at some sand art on the street, then realized that there was probably a processional that was going to take place to the church.  As we walked away from the church we became more and more aware that we were walking against the crowd, and felt like the processional was going to start.  We found some spots on the sidewalk (unfortunately on the sunny side of the street, but we used an umbrella to keep the sun off, as were a lot of other people), and soon the procession started.  First there were three candles on poles, then a car with a loud speaker and a lady talking, singing and praying.  Finally came the float, depicting Jesus carrying the cross.  The streets were jammed with people joining in the procession, and some of the children were dressed up in purple.  We even saw a few people in blindfolds being led by other people to the church.  It was a neat thing to see.

For Saturday and Easter Sunday we decided to venture into Managua to connect with a couple working with Mennonite Central Committee and also check out a guesthouse where the students will likely stay the first two nights they are in Nicaragua.  We experienced our first microbus ride, about 20 people jammed into a VW-type van.  It was uncomfortable and hot but the Nicaraguans seem to be used to it.  It's affordable transportation (about $1.10 US) so they are always packed.  We survived and after asking for some directions found "Quinta Shalom," the guesthouse where we would be spending the night.  It is owned by a former Rosedale Mennonite missionary who is married to a Nicaraguan and has lived in Managua for years.  We were the only two people in a place that can hold 50+, so we got to do some exploring and see if it would work for our student orientation after they arrive.  It should work very well.

Lloyd and Goldie Kuhns picked us up at the guesthouse, drove us around Managua a little bit before it got dark, then we went out to eat at a nice authentic Nicaragua restaurant.  Lloyd and Goldie are serving a 3-year term with Mennonite Central Committee in Nicaragua, and we were told by several people before we left that we needed to look them up.  We spend the evening talking, making connections with past experiences and mutual acquaintances ("the Mennonite game"), and also talked about possibilities for connecting the students with some of the work that MCC is doing in Nicaragua.  It was great to feel some connections to home with other people here.

For Easter Sunday (today), the Anabaptist church had sunrise service as their only service of the day.  Since the sun rises early (about 5:30) and sets early (about 6:30), the service was held at 5:30am.  The church was about a 3 block walk from the guesthouse, and was a congregation of about 60 people.  It was all in Spanish but I understood parts of it.  We were done with the service and fellowship afterward by 7:30am, and decided to pack up and head back to Jinotepe for several reasons.  Our trip home included our first experience riding the other form of public transportation - a "chicken" bus, an old schoolbus that chugs down the road picking up and dropping off as many people as possible.  There are no restrictions about standing in the aisles, in fact, the aisles are usually jammed with people.  Another lesson on the differences in understandings about personal space. It was 20 corbodas for the ride from Managua to Jinotepe (less than $1).

Here's a picture of the float in Masaya.

Tomorrow I am anticipating the arrival of Dalena, our country coordinator.  We will likely spend most of the week visiting host families and confirming student placements into homes in Jinotepe, Dolores, and Diriamba.  

Thanks for reading!