A multi-lingual church service

Here is a photo my nephew took of some of the Kuna ladies here in El Valle - they had spent
quite a bit of time dressing up our Kiernan, Elissa and Mona (from Germany) - the 3 girls in the back.  This is the clothing they wear all the time.  They often have a gold ring in their nose and a line drawn down their nose.

Sunday morning, August 11, 2013

We got up early this morning - it's Sunday, after all - and church was to begin at 8 a.m.  Evidently, it is much like the latin cultures - or so we were told - and they tend to begin late...so we didn't leave the house until 8:05.  The church is just a few minutes away, though if I were to have to find it again, I could not.  We wound in and around the residential areas until we were there, passing Kuna women, children and men walking underneath umbrellas and riding bicycles as they headed to church.  We were also told that it begins this early, so the Kuna can get down to the market and get their booths open for the busy weekend traffic.

Somehow, the people at the church hadn't received the memo that they were to start late, because as we arrived, the music was wafting out of the doors and windows.  I was surprised that the song was a familiar one and that they were singing it in English.  As we walked in, we were greeted - but this was not like any church we'd ever been to.  Rows of chairs on all four sides faced each other towards the center where there was a table with a yellow tablecloth that said - at least on 'our' side - "Yo Soy El Camino".  It was set for communion - three large oval wooden handmade trays - 1 with the 'bread' and 2 others with small plastic juice cups of the 'wine'. The crowd of 80-90 or so continued to sing out as many continued to come in the front door.  After we seated ourselves on the far side, I noticed that one side of the church was all men and another side was primarily women - the 2 opposing sides were mixed.  Not sure if it was planned that way or not.

For the time being, a local man - young man, really - was standing up in the "mens" section and leading the music, just by singing.  No piano, no guitar - just voices.  The song got faster and faster each time they sang it - smiles ringed the room.  We got our songbooks - folders with copies of various songs in them, and saw that they were in English, Spanish and sometimes Kuna as well.  We would sing the entire song in one language, then another and then the third, if they had it.   As they called out the page numbers, I noticed the order of service was written up on a white board.  There would be about 15 or more songs sung throughout the service.

After several songs (like 7 or 8), an English speaking man from a church in Florida stood and spoke a bit with a translator about Jesus loves us right where we are.  Next, the translator spoke a bit - and my nephew translated. And we sang more songs.  Then another man - who was visiting from another tribe, the Enbera', spoke and the first translator translated it into Spanish.  And we sang some more.

We were told it was time for the offering and quite a few people stood and walked to the corner behind us - I thought they were going to Sunday School or something - but as I turned around to see, I saw a woven, 12" tall basket that they were putting their offering into.  Bob handed me our offering and I joined them.  Daddy always taught us that no matter where we are worshipping, that the offering is part of that worship....and it stuck with me.  What was cool about this, is that some of the people don't make any money - so they bring fruits and vegetables to give as their offerings.

After a few more songs, it was time for Communion.  Three of the men from the visiting church in FL, served the elements - all at once.  And as the cups were brought before you, you picked it up, drank it and set it down on the tray.  Some of the men crossed the room with their cup and shared it with their wives.  Very different, very special.

While we were having communion, a family walked in that was just arriving.  We were told later that they walk 3 hours to be there at church.  Precious - very precious.

And we sang again.

We sang these songs again in all three languages - and then after that, we all sang one song all together - English speakers singing in English, Spanish speakers singing in Spanish and Kuna speakers singing in Kuna.

And I wept.  I think it was a little piece of heaven right here on earth.