April 21, 2011

Greetings from Catacamas! It's a Holiday week here in Honduras. It's called Holy Week in many other places, but the Hondurans know it as "Semana Santa." Most schools and offices are closed this week and people take advantage of the free days by escaping the hot April sun swimming in the local rivers. The Por Los Niños kids are no exception. 

We loaded up all three vehicles this morning and went 30 minutes south of town to a little river where the kids spent the day splashing around and having some wonderful time as one over-sized family. It's always special when all 4 houses get the chance to pass hours together playing, eating, and laughing. The house parents all prepared enough food for their own crew, but kids sat wrapped in towels and sharing bites of the various goodies. 

Semana Santa is a week rich in traditions for the Hondurans. When we returned to the houses - tired and a little more brown from a day in the sun - the older children and House Parents went to work preparing traditional foods. Corn fritters, a corn gelatin, mangos soaked and cured in honey, and a cinnamon flavored flan-like custard decked the tables of the homes. These traditional dishes take a little longer to prepare, but eating during this week is like having a turkey at Thanksgiving back in the United States. 

For some of the youngest children, it is their first time getting to enjoy these rich foods. Their eyes are full of wonder as they sneak glimpses at the strange new foods and take in the rich smells. For Hondurans, Semana Santa is an even larger festivity than Easter (or Pasqua) itself. There will be no easter baskets or bonnets here at the village - only the subtle sweetness of roasted corn and the joy of time spent with the family.