Pumpkin Faces and Wondrous Places

It's that time of year again.  Friends and family have been sending us fall photos from the U.S. which include brightly colored scenery and creative, carved pumpkins.  They have also sent pictures of little ones in their

different costumes and we have even received some sharings from friends living in other parts of the world.  We have chuckled over “Mario” of the Mario Brothers video game, Angry Birds, and Jake and the Never Land pirates and "ooohed" and "ahhhed" over Renaissance princesses, fairy princesses, and Little Kitty characters.

Today and tomorrow are holidays for us as Haitians, too, celebrate their particular “fall festivals”.  November 1^st is for the Catholic community All Saints Day or All Souls Day and is a day of alms giving and prayers for the dead; the belief is that such offerings from the living help to assist those in purgatory. While their focus is not on the dead, members of Protestant churches attend all night prayer vigils, sing traditional hymns and offer thanksgiving for the Lord's blessings and goodness. Festivities continue through November 2^nd which is the Day of the Dead for those who practice vodou with followers going to grave sites to light candles and pray with food and drinks.  Traditional offerings at cemeteries include coffee, candles, bread, alcohol, corn, printed paper and fresh flowers.

Remembering loved ones who have passed on is also a part of life in Asia and one of the most memorable holidays is the “Hungry Ghost Festival” which our Chinese friends celebrate as a day dedicated to their ancestors.  It is usually held in August and families travel to ancestral burial sites where they lay out a wide range of food and drinks for their deceased relatives.  It has an almost picnic-like atmosphere as people sit on blankets near the graves and talk, socialize and reminisce.  Wondering what would become of the meal offerings, we asked some of our colleagues, “What do you do with the food when you go home?  Do you leave it at the grave?” and they responded with laughter, “We are Chinese and we waste nothing!  We take the food home and eat it!”

In more recent years, we learned of the St. Joseph Festival while living in New Orleans and working with the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.  Sicilian immigrants brought the tradition to the Crescent City during the 19^th century as they sought to honor St. Joseph to whom they had prayed when drought nearly destroyed their homeland.  Tradition says the rains came and the people were saved and their elaborate offerings of food on the altars in their churches are a remembrance of answered prayer.  The variety and presentation of the various foods, breads, desserts and such are truly a sight to behold!

Haitian hand-crafted metal cross

Multitudes of practices, traditions, beliefs and superstitions abound in the world and are indeed fascinating.  Observing other practices also serves as a reminder to us as Christians to examine our own faith traditions and in doing so we are grateful for the message of the Gospel which reveals how love came down to set us free.

Jeremiah 31: 3 – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness.”