Today will be a photo-less blog because although I brought my camera the batteries died so you will just have to use your imagination. It is a shame too because we went to one of my favorite places on the island... flowers bay. But I am getting ahead of myself.
Church.. that is what we did all day. No kidding! We went to a 10:00 service at SonRise Calvary Church. Here is the website for their church: http://hotel.ccroatan.com/partner.php
It is run by a family from California who bought a hotel and converted it to a church and also they have space for teams to come down to help around the island. Basically they are doing what Bob and I want to do. How interesting is that eh?
We were standing around outside chatting in the shade and the breeze was lovely. One of the sons came and told his Dad (pastor Chuck) that the power was out. Apparently RECO (roatan electic company) often shuts off the power on Sundays to work on the new generator system or fixing something. It is just unfortunate that they do that on a Sunday.
Without fans, there wasn't any movement or breeze coming in and I almost fainted at one point during the service. I wore a cute little skirt but what I didn't realize is that it has a liner (cotton on the outside with a liner) and that stuck to me like glue!! WOW !! Crazy hot. Sorry to keep writing about the heat but I have never encountered this before. I was thankful that although there were no overheads for the singing it was fortunate that we knew most of the songs. It was great to sing to the Lord.
One special moment was when the guy who lead the worship started to sing "this is the air I breathe" in Spanish. It was so touching and beautiful that I almost cried. Bob and I sang in English and most sang in Spanish. It just reiterated how BIG God is!! He knows every language, every tribe, every tongue and one day all will bow before Him.
After the service we visited with alot of people. There is a nice mix between whites and locals that attend there. They had a lunch so we stayed and had rice, coleslaw, orange and some cookies. Light but delicious fare!! And water!! I forgot to bring my water bottle so I drank tons of water.
We met a couple who are working at the Christian Radio station in Flower's Bay and since we were planning on attending a Harvest Service at 2:00 pm they gave us a ride to see the station. They said if I wanted I could volunteer at the station. I sounds fun but it is more technical then I think I can handle. We'll see.
We went over to there house for a short visit and all was well in my world when she served me some delicious coffee and brought out some swiss chocolate!!! I love both of those! Marlisse is from Switzerland and I was grateful for her willingness to share her stash with us. It was a great visit. Frederick reminded both of us so much Don Gibbs that it was incredible. Yes Don you have a look alike! (see if I had my camera I could have taken a picture!)
Our friend Elizabeth had invited us the other day to come to a harvest service at the Baptist church in Flower's Bay at 2:00 so we headed over there only to discover not a soul around and the door locked. Around 2:30 people started to meander over (oh yeah.. this is the island!!) As it turned out the service was to start at 3:00 and it eventually started at 3:30.
You know that Sesame Street song: One of these things just doesn't belong here, one of these thing just isn't the same?? Well that was Bob and I. I will do myself to describe this scene because it is rather humorous.
Okay for those of you raised in the church, think back to an Easter service. Remember the frilly dresses, the hats, the socks with the lace on the bottom, the white nylons, the floral dresses?? Well that was how everyone was dressed! I guess the expression is to the "nines". What Elizabeth neglected to say is that the Harvest Service is one of the most important services on the island. It is like thanksgiving meets Easter.
So now imagine Bob and I. Bob is wearing cotton shorts and of course a Hawaian shirt. He is wearing sunglasses. He also dons his crocks (which fortunately match his shirt!) I am wearing a little short cotton skirt and a white cotton top and sandels. I let my hair dry naturally so it is a messy kind of curly look.
We were definitely under dressed!! So there we are waiting for someone to open up the church. There is a little vestibule area that is shaded so we are all huddling underneath. Now some of the ladies that showed up were in their 70's for sure, all dressed up and hot so Bob stood up (we were sitting on a little railing) and I squished over. That lady who was somewhat large sat down beside me.. okay truth be told, she sat on me!! I stayed half under her for a few minutes until the sweat became to pool at my feet and then I slipped out and stood up! Wow that was close.. didn't think I'd make it out alive! :-)
So there we are all waiting. Nothing unusual about that. Then I said, Wow Bob is really out numbered! Where are all the men?? One lady laughed and said, Oh the men, they don't come to church. Poor Bob. As it turned out, once it started there were about 8 men there.. no maybe 10.
Fortunately once they opened the doors we were able to sit in a lovely building with lots of fans going everywhere. They had the place all decorated. In Canada we use pumpkins and squash for thanksgiving but here they had plantain hanging in bunches from the ceiling, palm branches lining the center isle, mango, grapefruit, coconuts, papaya and oranges all along the front. It was really beautiful.
So what is a harvest service you ask? Well each age group starting with the youngest slowly marched up the front and sing a song. The kids were adorable with their hair all braided with little barretts at the bottom of each braid. They were beautiful and so sweet!
This went on about 8 times .. up to the oldest group. In between there were choir numbers and little poems recited about being thankful. My all time favorite was when this adorable mentally challenged girl came up to sing... she was very shy and ackward but when she sang the whole place grew quiet. She was so gifted. Another girl sang a song in spanish (all the rest was in english because they are creole) and it was very moving. She kept singing "i don' necesidad todo menos usted de t" which means I don't need anything but You.
So although it was very long .. (we left after 3 1/2 hours) we were so glad we went because we saw a side of the culture here that we otherwise would have missed. There was one other white person there.
So my dear friends next time the service goes til 12:15 just think back to the Harvest Service in Flowers Bay and count your blessings. :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment