Semana Santa

Growing up in the United States, I was used to a culture that has largely secularized Easter. Outside the church (and sadly in some cases, even within), it has become a season for the Easter bunny and egg hunts, or another excuse to take time off of church and school. Even the name “Easter” (or sometimes even, “Spring Break”) rather than “Resurrection Day” obscures the true purpose of the holiday, the celebration of the saving death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But here in Antigua, things couldn’t be more different.

Semana Santa (Spanish for “Holy Week”) is not just another holiday on Antigua’s calendar. It’s a massive, city-wide spectacle with daily processions in the streets. The city’s population swells with visitors. Streets are decked out with art made from sawdust, and purple banners hang from nearly every building.

Coming from the secularized version of the holiday, it would be easy to get excited about a culture that seems to centralize the biblical story of Christ’s passion week. But sadly, though they avoid the pitfalls of an irreligious Easter, in that process many Guatemalans fall into errors of their own.

A procession outside the Cathedral of San José

During the processions, volunteers known as cucuruchos carry large, heavy wooden floats throughout the streets as an act of penance. Some take it even further, walking barefoot or carrying a large cross. By these practices, they hope to atone for past sins and find favor with God.

But the real message of Resurrection Day is that, because of Christ’s completed work on the cross, we don’t need to do anything to earn forgiveness for our sins. That price has already been paid! And in His resurrection, Christ triumphed over sin and death for us so that we can be saved, not by our own works, but by placing our faith in Him.

As Christians, this is the message that we are commissioned to share with a lost dying world. As this Holy Week comes to an end, I pray that the joy and freedom we have found in Christ would motivate us to bring this Good News to a lost and dying world, whether in Antigua, Philly, or anywhere across the globe.

My Week in Review

Thank you to all of you who prayed for the youth event at Melvin’s house last Tuesday! 11 students showed up for a night of great food and fun game, followed by a message from Acts 8 and then a movie. The following morning, we woke up to a wonderful breakfast before it was time to go. It was nice to get to know some of the students, and the Lord was gracious to help me overcome the language barrier as I begin to form relationships.

On Thursday evening, we had a Passover dinner at the church led by Pastor Luis, meant to show the cultural background of the celebration and how the Lord used it during the Last Supper. About 80 people were in attendance, and the Bible Institute students and I were privileged with the chance to serve the food.

On Friday, the students and I went into town to see one of the Semana Santa processions. Unfortunately, we only got to see a little bit, as part of the procession broke down, causing a long delay. The following day, I made it into town to see the end of another procession.

For Domingo de Resurrección (Resurrection Sunday), the church had a service early in the morning, followed by a baptism. Our church family then celebrated with a breakfast.

The church baptism

Prayer Requests

· Continue to pray for the people of Antigua, that those trapped in guilt and shame from their sins would find freedom in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

· As I begin my Spanish classes this week, please pray that the Lord would allow me to learn the language quickly so that I can more effectively minister to the people of Antigua.

· This Wednesday, April 8^th, I’ll be sharing morning devotions with the students at the Bible Institute, so please pray for the Lord to use me and my words to bless them.

· As I continue to observe and serve in the Children’s Ministry, please pray for opportunities to be a blessing to the children and families of Calvary Antigua.

· Continue to pray for the Lord’s direction and wisdom so that I can know how best to serve in Antigua.