Trading meetings for fiestas
Since two communities—English- and Spanish-speaking—have begun to find a path together in my church, one thing has become abundantly clear: I am going to be going to a lot more parties.
Our Spanish-speaking community has parties for everything, and everything is a party. The entire month of December was devoted to parties, beginning with a celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12 and ending on Christmas Eve with a party that included a piñata and lasted until two in the morning. (By which time, trust me, I had been at home in bed for many hours.)
Even on Ash Wednesday—a solemn occasion in both cultures—the English-speaking community slipped in and out for a quiet, contemplative service at 5 p.m. The Spanish speakers gathered later for a dispensation of the ashes—along with a huge buffet of food and 8 p.m. mochas.
