So, Ive been up reading through emails and blogs and trying to catch up on the life that has seemingly sped up this past month everywhere but here and was about to write some more blogs when I thought of a story you might enjoy…
I was unable to share with you the conclusion to our time in San Juan at the end of January and thought you might appreciate this.
Pastor Manuel got married the night before we left for Haiti. This was in some ways the climax and culmination of our ministry in San Juan. It was a joy to see him get married and a comfort to know that we held a part in turning his sorrow into dancing. The wedding was scheduled to start at 7 pm. We weren’t sure if Dominican time applied to weddings as well but the short answer to that question was met with a resounding YES!!!
We arrived at 7 on the dot thinking we might be late. However there was only a family of like 6 that had beaten us there. People started showing up for the next hour and a half. In fact, the groom didnt get there until about 830 himself. The photographer barely beat him there and I have no idea when the bride actually got there…The wedding started a little after 9 pm and all went well.
After eating our meal and lounging with pastor Manuel’s sons, there was an announcement for cake. A flock of children went running up there and so we waited for a few minutes. Seeing the crowd around the cake start to dwindle a bit, a few of us decided to meander on up to the front where the cake was located. Upon reaching the front, we realized there was no line we quickly realized that kids will be kids as they jostled about to be the next to get a slice of cake. I stood there observing and chuckling while waiting my turn,
Then, out of nowhere I get shoved in the back. I turn slightly to catch a glance of a teenage girl trying to weasel and swim move her way up to the front of the line…she didnt look at anybody in the process…just the cake! She continued to try to get around me and part of me wanted to make her stay behind me. In the end I just thought it was funny so I let her by as I verbally processed this out loud to Dave and Melissa who were with me.
I was just about to the front of the line when out of nowhere I get shoved again. Blind sided by a big ole lady, I try to keep my composure because the hilarity of the situation was amazing. Chuckling to myself I jokingly wondered if it was more offensive for me to hold her back or to let her through. My thought process must have taken too long because the next thing I know she was all out moshing me out of the way and trying to box me out for the rebound of some MORE CAKE!!! In amazement I peered over her stout shoulders as she literally yelled “DAMELO!!!” at the lady serving cake, For you non-spanish speakers, that means GIVE ME IT…or close enough….
You cant tell me that isnt funny stuff…
Anyway, the moral of the story is that if you had rice and beans for every meal of every day for 60 years, you might want some cake pretty bad too…
Personally, I’m thankful for feasts…but I sometimes wonder if I settle for rice and beans most days instead
