July 8, 2014

Last night I had the opportunity to attend an anniversary party of a one of the families that we meet with on a regular basis. They were celebrating their 7th Anniversary. The starting time was 5:00 PM and we showed up around 5:40. A few guests were there, but I would say that we were early. Everyone was dressed in their best, and bringing gifts to the couple. Of course we felt a little conspicuous since we arrived with cake, but no gift. This is a family that made a special chocolate drink to celebrate our anniversary the day before. All the gifts were in gift bags that were taped closed.
Spanish love songs were being played on a radio at a very loud volume in the living room, on a radio that was about 2 feet by 3 feet, and a volume knob that is about 3 inches in diameter. All of these details are just to say that it is “the bigger and louder the better” when it comes to sound systems in this country.
This couple is a semi-wealthy couple for the very poor part of town in which they live. Their house is one of the few with a solid foundation, cinderblock and painted walls, and a steel and tin roof. They have an indoor kitchen and three finished rooms. Their “wealth” is evidenced as well by a refrigerator, TV, a large number of plastic chairs that line the walls, and the tablet that he got her for their anniversary.
Most of her family arrived about 6:20, which confirmed why we never start anywhere near to on time in our weekly Bible study.
We have found this couple to be generous, helpful, friendly, and others-centered. Their party was no exception. All during the party, they were the ones who were serving. They brought out plastic cups of Coca-cola, using the lid to a pot as a tray. They brought mounds of vigoron, boiled yucca, seasoned pork and cabbage salad, to us on small plastic plates. Later they sliced into the cakes we brought and served up cake on napkins. It was simple, and good.
At about 7:15 the lights flickered, went out for a few minutes and then came back on. The Nicaraguans knew better than us, though. In our part of town the lights usually come back on and stay on, for them, this means that they have a few minutes before the lights go out for the night. Everyone scattered, the goodbyes were quick and the party was over. Nicaragua, at night, when the lights go out is really dark. Then we drove home to our lights and fans.