Semana Santa Preview

Greetings! A short entry today before we jump into Holy Week and, this Saturday, the visit of my family – brother Ryan and his wife Michelle and my sister Suzanne, with her boyfriend Cory.

We actually began Holy Week preparations in earnest last Sunday, when our young people began rehearsals for acting the Way of the Cross through the streets on Good Friday. The surprising part for me was that, after originally volunteering for the part of Simon the Cyrenean, I was pulled into playing Jesus by the vacuum that existed – none of the several guys we considered were willing to do it. So, despite doubts about my ability to project my voice loudly and clearly in Spanish, I am scheduled to be carry the cross to my crucifixion in what will surely be a unique experience. In many ways I feel honored to play the part, even with the doubts that I am the best one available here for the role. We´ve had rehearsals all week, directed by Ginno and Sr. Katty, and we´re getting better all the time. Some new faces, apart from the existing groups, are participating and it is fun to get to know them.

As a prelude to Holy Week, Courtney and I joined a small group from the parish in participating in the yearly diocesan youth pilgrimage/ stations of the cross up a mountain just outside of town that has a church part way up. We joined about 1500 people, many of them from local high schools, in the two hour journey of walking, singing, praying, and watching the various groups of youth that were immersed in the experience to various degrees. Without the cloud cover we had last year, the sun beat down strongly upon us and therefore mass inside the open air but roofed church at the top was a welcome and celebratory break. I´ll soon be posting photos of the trip and of Chimbote taken from the church.

Our last regular English classes of this term are Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week, though we´ll have a closing party Easter Monday. Also this week, we have Way of the Cross rehearsals Monday and Tuesday evenings and youth of the parish will gather to watch The Passion of the Christ on Wednesday before the Mass of the Last Supper on Thursday and then acting out the way of the cross on Friday. Besides acting, I´m also coordinating the costumes that a woman from the parish generously loans us each year for Christmas and Advent. Courtney, Julie and Jane are also joining in as actors (crowd, women of Jerusalem) in the Way of the Cross, which makes it a fun group project. Corina and Julie especially are great at yelling ´Kill him!´ and ´Crucify him!´ (I´m assuming that they are just really getting into their roles and it´s nothing personal ).

In national news, the jury verdict and sentencing of Fujimori is going on now (president/dictator during the 1990`s who is accused of numerous human rights violations that occurred during his tenure in the process of battling the terrorist Sendero Luminoso, Shining Path). Although you will find a variety of opinions concerning Fujimori, the majority of folks we know agree that he is guilty. He spent eight years in exile in Japan before being recaptured last year while visiting Chile.

In house news, we finally did get a new refrigerator, so we have enjoyed things like ice, cold drinks, storing food until the next day, buying milk, etc. I wish you all a blessed Holy Week.