After the Crowds

April 13, 2009

And so the excitement of Semana Santa has passed. I spent the week out at camp with preparations in the first few days for the crowds that would arrive on Wednesday. Then during the retreat I participated in what I could and connected with people, but I spent much of my time watching Lisbet while Evelin cleaned at camp. It was amazing to watch Lisbet's progress as she even let Cindy hold her during the one worship service without crying. Right now she is sick, having caught whatever her cousin has, and so that makes life a little more miserable for her (and us).

It had not rained for weeks and the temperatures have been over 100F most days. But it seems inevitable that during Semana Santa it will rain. This time the rain came on Monday evening and then all day Tuesday. Those who had set their tents up on Sunday were going to arrive at camp on Wednesday to find some big puddles inside of them. I tried to help by rearranging the rain flies or tucking plastics under the tent but the chore was really too big. People are more concerned with having a place to wipe their feet than they are with not letting that same plastic carry the water under their tent and create lakes. When it comes down to it, there is a lack of knowledge on the matter too. On Tuesday I went around and tried to help various people with their tents, giving pointers on how to make them more "waterproof." Thankfully for everyone, there was no more rain the rest of the week so the mud was the biggest challenge for the majority of the campers.

Friday night the preaching was interrupted by a silence as the electric went out and so did the sound system and all of the lights. Lisbet started crying but as soon as people began to sing worship songs to fill in the silence, she was content again. They got the sound system connected to a car battery and the preaching continued. The electric remained out though until late Saturday afternoon -- a few minutes before I returned to the city. The theme of the retreat was "Hearing the Voice of God" and was good. With watching Lisbet I got less out of the sermons than I normally would.

Friday night held some other excitement for me as I crawled into my tent shortly before midnight, I suddenly realized that I was being bitten -- by fire ants. Sure enough they were crawling into my tent and swarming right in front of it. To be sure, nearly everyday at camp I step in ants and endure their bites but I had no desire to sleep with them so I made sure my sleeping bag was okay and took it over to the Williamson's large tent where a few of the staff children had been sleeping. There I found a place to sleep for the night free of ants though the next morning there were outside that tent.

So for the moment that is all I will write about Semana Santa. Hopefully I can post some pictures soon and reflect on other parts of the week but right now dinner beckons me (that is after I heat it up or make it).