The Lord has risen….the Lord has risen Indeed. In my SHARING today I will tell you about a couple of my holy week experiences. First I want to SHARE with you about my Palm Sunday experience, with playing at church and Rev. Perdita’s preaching during the announcements. I will also SHARE a little about our expedition to Parismina with Ninfa and a few friends. On Maundy Thursday we had our holy week reading and a communion service that I will also tell you a little about, as well as Easter Sunday.
Well on Palm Sunday I SHARED my time and talents at the “organ”, which I fumbled through the Hosanna (that mess ain’t easy.) Before I contributed my part Rev Perdita SHARED the announcements. She thanked me on behalf of the church for sharing everything I had with them. Then she asked “What are we going to do when you are gone?” After she had a few more announcements and a little preaching about said announcements Pastor Fernando SHARED with us the story of the palms. He told us that the people greeted Jesus as a King. Some waved palms and some striped and threw their clothes into the street for the donkey to walk on upon the entrance to Jerusalem. So the people SHARED their love for the King of Kings in this way.
On Wednesday Ninfa, Fernando, Alma, Morgan, me, Jordy, Kerry, and a list of other people SHARED a van that only fit 14, but somehow we had 20, on a two hour ride to the boat stop. Once there we SHARED a boat the short distance to the small village of Parismina. This village is SHARED by about 150 residents. The kids had a blast on the black sanded beach. The adults mainly enjoyed watching the kids have fun while sporadically enjoying the sun. After a small soccer game, and burying each other in the sand, and chasing the waves and sand crabs, we SHARED a small meal of rice with Chicken. Then after completing the task of a little more sunbathing and soaking up a few hours of fun, everyone changed back into their traveling clothes. We then concluded our trip to God’s wonderful beach with the SHARING of another small meal. This small meal consisted of bread and grape juice as a symbol of the body and blood which was the sacrifice Jesus made for us. This reminded everyone why we had this week off of school and work. Then we hopped back on the panga, to get to the bus/van, to get back to Limon.
On Maundy Thursday I got to church 15 minutes before 5:00pm so that I could practice a little bit before the holy week reading. When I arrived, to my surprise, were already SHARING the word. So I took my respected place at the “organ” (Keyboard set to Organ sound) and jumped right to work. After the holy week reading all the children left and everyone that was stayed were all SHARING in the fact that the were ALL dressed in white. A memo that was not SHARED with me…lol. We then had a small communion service that was mostly music so I tried to play, and participate. After SHARING the elements we were asked to SHARE a bible verse with the person beside us in our small circle. I was to give a verse to Rev Perdita. The verse that came to mind was:
Ephesians 6 : 19-20 (19)Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel (20) for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.
She loved the verse and hugged my neck thanking me for being here and lifting up everyone around me.
After the service we talked about how at the end of the week instead of having the same feelings as they had on Palm Sunday, all the people now SHARED their desire to have him Crucified. We also talked about that when we SHARED communion on the beach it was the first time that most of those kids have taken it because here they have to be confirmed before they are allowed to partake. I was/am very surprised. Who am I to deny someone who has been baptized into the body of the right to the elements, regardless if they don’t quite understand it? I think when they are old enough to decide for themselves, they can determine if they want to remember him this way. Then again that may just be a culture thing. So…after conversing I SHARED a cab with Elsa and her four children back to their barrio of Corales 1. The smallest of the four children is Angelina (5 months) and two weeks ago Elsa SHARED with me an invitation to be Angelina’s God Father, to which I excitedly accepted.
When time came for Easter sunrise…I was up, and dressed, and ready to go at 5:00am. The cab driver I had hired the night before was supposed to come at 5:15am because the service was to start at 5:30am. I waited until 5:30 before I tried calling him, but there was no answer. There were no cabs out in the street or passing by the local corner grocery…so I SHARED with myself a few more hours of sleep. Upon waking and redressing I SHARED a cab with Morgan to our two separate churches. Because it was Easter I took my trumpet on this Sunday. I have played my trumpet at Faith Moravian two or three times, but this was the first at Fuente de Vida. Everyone was excited to hear as I played along with hymns. When I tried to veer away from the melody and attempt to play some harmony everyone seemed to lose their place in the music. It was like trying to separate two colors of play dough that have been smashed up into one big ball. So I decided to stick with the melody. Then I SHARED in a small Easter meal of Rice and Beans, Chicken, a vinegar Slaw, and Beats which I respectfully shared with someone more willing to ingest such a vegetable.
Over all it has been an amazing two weeks here in the mission field. This week we are returning to our normal schedule from our holy week remembrance. From here on we only have three more weeks of class and then mini-courses in May along with reroofing Fuente de Vida with members of Raleigh Moravian Church that will arrive on May 11th. So realizing that we only have a small amount of time left makes me reflect on all the time and experiences I have SHARED with the people here, and that the people here have SHARED with me. Although when I leave at the end of this mission it will not be the last time I SHARE with my new friends here. But it will be the beginning of my SHARING with the rest of the world, of the things that were SHARED with me here in this beautiful place.
