Happy Easter!

“Then the angel said to the women in reply, ‘Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.’” Matthew 28: 5-7

Happy Easter! Feliz Pascua! Feliz Dia de la Resurrección!

This past week here in Guatemala has been filled with the most elaborate festivities I have ever seen in observance of Semana Santa (Holy Week). People pilgrimage from all over Latin America to the nearby town of Antigua to celebrate Holy Week. It has been so intriguing to be immersed in this culture and observe the various traditions, even when the language barrier prevents me from understanding them in full. Most of the English-speakers I encounter on a regular basis are not Catholic, so it has been challenging to gain a comprehensive understanding of the meaning and significance of all the traditions, but I can certainly share what I have observed over the last several weeks.

Semana Santa Traditions in Antigua

A large percentage of Guatemalans are Catholic, and two of the most notable traditions of the Catholic church here in Guatemala during Lent are alfombras and processions.

The word “alfombra” literally translates to “carpet.” They are these beautiful carpet displays made in the streets, most commonly created out of dyed sawdust, colored sand, pine needles, flowers, and other plants, including fruits and vegetables. The designs vary from simple to intricate, requiring hours and precision to complete. It is mesmerizing to watch the techniques and attention to detail as they are created. 

In Antigua, there are large processions every Sunday during Lent. Roads are closed as alfombras are assembled in the morning in preparation for afternoon processions. The statues and floats that are carried during the processions in Antigua are much larger than in my town—the float that I saw several weeks ago easily required more than 50 men to carry it.  

This was by far the largest alfombra I have ever witnessed, stretching over a block long. This portion of the alfombra depicts a Guatemalan woman weaving. Beyond the arch, the alfombra included an incredible depiction of the face of Jesus.

The largest day of processions in Antigua is Good Friday.  People begin to assemble alfombras late in the evening on Thursday and work all through the night, with the first procession beginning at 3am. I went with several friends to Antigua late Thursday night and we stayed awake all through the night to walk around the city and watch the alfombras being made before the large crowds gathered in the morning. Here is a glimpse into the process:

Semana Santa Traditions in San Andres and San Antonio

Several evenings per week during Lent, members of the Catholic church here in San Andres (the town where the children’s home is located) and San Antonio (the adjacent town where I live) process through the streets with large statues of Jesus hoisted over their shoulders, singing, chanting, playing music, and burning incense—a smaller version of the processions held in Antigua. Families assemble alfombras on the streets outside of their home in preparation and as part of the procession, with some homes displaying photos of Jesus with candles and flowers on tables outside of their home as well.

On Palm Sunday in San Antonio, I arrived at church to find that most of the pews had been removed, and an alfombra had been assembled down the center aisle. At the start of the alfombra were live birds in cages, including a rooster who was not in a cage but whose legs had been tied to a stone so he could not escape. At the end of the alfombra behind the altar were statues depicting the temptation of Jesus by the devil in the desert (Matthew 4). Mass proceeded as normal (as normal as mass can be with a rooster crowing periodically throughout), with most people sitting in the pews just outside of the main entrance.

The two children sitting on the ground on the left side of the picture are looking at the birds

This morning the church was full for Easter Sunday mass as we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. A tradition I learned about from my Spanish teacher and was able to experience on Easter morning was the blessing of water in the public pila in the central square of San Antonio. The pila is a large washing station where locals come to do their laundry. On Saturday evening the water was drained and the pila was washed thoroughly. On Sunday morning it was refilled, and following mass the priest said a prayer of blessing over the water. Countless people gathered with all sorts of various containers to collect holy water. I saw many locals carrying water jugs on their heads, while others pushed wheelbarrows full of containers of water back to their homes.

Easter Celebrations at Hope for Home Ministries

This week, we had the opportunity to allow the children to participate both in local Holy Week traditions and typical North American Easter traditions. Tuesday was the main day for the procession in San Andres, so with many helping hands, we were able to take all of the children from both children’s homes for a walk in the streets to see the alfombras. Community outings are always exciting for the kids! On Friday morning we dyed eggs and Saturday afternoon had an Easter egg hunt in the courtyard. The majority of the children don’t have the cognitive capacity to understand the traditions, but they enjoy participating in them nonetheless, and it’s exciting to watch their faces light up throughout it all.

Lenten Reflections

This year I had a lot of difficulty deciding what to fast during Lent. In years past, I have commonly fasted some variation of favorite foods (usually desserts) and social media, with the intent to practice daily sacrifice and dedicate more time to prayer. More often than not, I find that my self-discipline fails and I rarely make it the entire 40 days with consistency. With Lent starting three weeks after my arrival to Guatemala, I struggled to make the decision to complete my normal fast—how do I fast the things that are providing me comfort (food) and making me feel connected to home (social media) during such a critical and challenging transition time? Looking back, that could have been an ideal fast because of how it would have required me to rely even more on God, but at the time I didn’t have that wisdom.  

The start of Lent rolled around, and I still hadn’t made a decision about my fast. On Ash Wednesday, I happened to be working at a clinic in a rural village. I went to take a shower the first evening, and I couldn’t figure out the dials in the shower to get hot water. Was there even hot water? It was my first time at this rural clinic, and I didn’t know. So I took a cold shower. And it was miserable. And I decided then—this is something I can fast for Lent. This is something that I take for granted every single day—a hot shower—that I can sacrifice. One decision daily to give up 10 minutes of comfort. And how culturally appropriate in a country where hot water (let alone clean water) is a rarity. I didn’t know what God would teach me through cold showers, but I knew I was opening a door for him to work within me.

I’ve spent a lot of time this Lent reflecting on the significance of sacrifice. Jesus repeatedly teaches about it in scripture. “Then he said to all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’” (Luke 9: 23-24) The word itself—sacrifice—elicits thoughts of hardship in my mind, not thoughts of enthusiasm and joy. And especially at this moment in my life, as I consider the sacrifices I have made to serve here in Guatemala and the sacrifices others endure as a result, that’s exactly what it is—hardship. So why would anyone choose to sacrifice? Because it is what we are called to do, and because it is worth the reward. This week we remember the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus’ gruesome suffering and death on the cross and celebrate his joyous resurrection from death to life. The resurrection that allows us to have life eternal with him. The sacrifice is worth the reward.

Happy Easter, everyone! I am praying for all of you and cannot express enough my gratitude for you all.

Much love,

Lindsey