Last week was Semana Santa. I was told a number of times that the Central Valley would empty out as school was not in session and everyone would be heading to the beaches for vacation. I really did not believe this at first.

Wednesday night, I went an observed a Catholic Easter parade and mass afterwards. It was here that I noticed the number in attendance from the Sunday mass to that service was quite less.

Friday evening, Nicole and I were driving to Jonathan's apartment. We have not seen each other in a while and were going to eat some dinner with a couple of friends. We noticed at around six o'clock almost every store and restaurant were closed. It was definitely a quiet and eery Friday evening. The gated sliding garage doors secured every building along the deserted road. However, when we turned down through Central Park we noticed hundreds of people in the park and gathering in front of the Catholic Church. Old men and women sat on the benches under the park lights that outlined the palm trees from overhead. Children ran up and down the street playing. The teenagers sat along the street. This went on for blocks and blocks until we finally parked the fifteen passenger van and walked to see what was going on. It was about fifteen minutes later standing near Heredia's Olympic pool that we saw the parade finally coming through. Children were dressed as angels, drums played in the background as they marched through and a hundred or so men marched uniformly to the beat. The grand finale was twenty men carrying a deathbed with a figure of Jesus on laying down with a thin white sheet covering him. The parade only lasted for a half hour. It was very sobering as much people sat in silence or took pictures of a friend or relative working by. We eventually made our way to HyperMas (a grocery store) to pick up some food and later to Jonathan's apartment for a bilingual random dinner conversation.

Saturday evening Nicole, Dan and I ventured out at 11:50pm into San Rafael.
Apparently, one year when DeLynn and Gloria were coming back from Nicaragua people burned figures of Judas in the street. Some people also went to the extreme of throwing objects at cars that passed by. This is a Costa Rican tradition. We found this quite intriguing and "have to experience" feeling came over us. We waited around the base until the time had come passing time with conversation or playing Tetris online (my new addiction and distraction from everything). As we drove around in the van we dodged a couple of couches that were placed in the street and a log in the middle of the road. At one church, there were people outside dancing and celebrating to music when the clock stroke midnight. However, we did not experience any Judases burning. The following day I saw remnants of ash piles in the streets coming down from the mountain. On the news, they televised a Judas hanging from a tree burning from the night before. I was a bit upset to miss it all and more annoyed that I missed a couple of sleeping hours.

Sunday morning, I headed to church expecting a grand celebration of Jesus' resurrection. However, it seemed as though to be the same set up as usual. Worship set and then the children left for Sunday School class as the adults were left in the Sanctuary to have theirs. Pastor Lopez spoke, I did not catch everything but he was talking about Jesus, needing Him and having a personal relationship with Jesus. He also gave an invitation. I do not know what I was expecting, but it seemed that Christmas seemed more celebrated in the Costa Rican evangelical church than Easter.

I was a bit curious about the whole deal as I noticed the Catholic Church packed for Easter and all of the celebrations the previous week. I may be making an assumption here. I believe it is a reaction from the Catholic Church. Catholicism has had such a major influence in Costa Rica (and most of the Latino countries) that I wonder if the Protestant non-major Easter celebration is a response to that. A lot of Evangelicals are converts from the Catholic Church and therefore are trying to break away from their traditions. It was just a bit disappointing from wanting to celebrate the reason I live my life. The Hero of the Story had won! However, it just did not seem all that exciting.

This easter was just a time to reflect and observe everything both from the Catholic and Protestant prospective. From the Catholic side, it was about tradition and the general feeling was sobering. From the Protestant side, life did not really change except the message that was given. No grand dinner or major celebrations.

It was a Costa Rican Easter.

(If you have any Latin knowledge of Easter celebration, please let me know!)

dear God,

here are my leftovers.
leftover energy put into pity prayers
-just keep me secure.
leftover love given to my neighbor
-a wave to what's his name.
leftover sacrifice given in your name
-a dollar for some "good" cause.
thank you for the feast of our prosperity.
i devoured it all and sit in spiritual pride.
grab a box of crackers, welch's grape juice.
quick remembrance of that death you gave.
quick song and dance of that love you've shown.
leftover scraps pushed to the floor.
a little time, a little mercy,
a little compassion for You or some other.
wasn't this the feel-good, unconscious religion
we are suppose to live? suppose to show?
i'm satisfied. aren't You?

with uncaring fake love.
-north america.