I was disappointed to find out that Ecuadorian Christians do very little to celebrate Easter. I have always love holidays, especially Christian ones. I find them exciting, and I like the traditions we have because they let me experience that day all over again, even though it happened over 2,000 years ago. For example, on Palm Sunday, the churches here do not have palm branches in church. What is that about? It’s PALM SUNDAY.
The pastor gave a message that was all in all a good message, but which I felt had a little too much opinion in place of just being God’s word. I think I’m spoiled...my dad in my opinion was an exemplary pastor when it came to these things; he was always organized and presented his opinion as just that—opinion. So that’s what I’m used to, and coming to Ecuador I’ve found that it’s not always what you get down here. I think it’s cultural. Here the pastor is not just a spiritual leader; he’s allowed to be a part of every aspect of your life. It’s actually kind of neat, but every once in a while I feel like my North American boundaries are being crossed.
So, as I was saying, Palm Sunday was one such day. The pastor commented that bringing Palm Branches to church was a pointless tradition that was completely unnecessary (opinion) and that really we should just remember the point of the holiday rather than get caught up in tradition. (My thought being, what if the tradition helps me remember the point of the holiday?) Then he went on to say, and here’s where the USA part of me got a little upset, that in some countries they even paint Easter eggs and go on Easter egg hunts and go see the Easter bunny instead of celebrating the real meaning of Easter.
Now, I can’t vouch for the Easter bunny. But I will say this. In my family, we were always taught the real meaning of Easter, and it was one of the most foundational days of our Christian faith. Without Easter there would be no salvation! It’s a real reason to celebrate. I’m not sure of the origins of the Easter egg, so I hesitate to really defend the tradition, but I know that in my life it was always used to enhance, not detract from, the holiday. In church we had an Easter egg hunt and the eggs had inside candy and a Bible verse. Not a bad way to get kids into the Bible! At home we colored Easter eggs and it was always a fun, wholesome time to be together as a family. We got Easter baskets, but only after church, because God was always number one.
Looking back on it, I think there was really no reason to get upset. (I didn’t say anything to the pastor, since even in my hurt feelings I realized that it was a silly thing to get upset about.) I think for me, my main complaint was on a cultural level. I told Jairo, I just think you should really understand something before you talk about it, either before you affirm it or bash it. It taught me a good lesson about acculturating. You can’t simply come into another culture and keep being the way you are. Well, you can, but you shouldn’t. I always say about people who come here from other countries, you figure they came because they wanted to. It was a choice. So they need to adapt. I say it because I have had to do it, and it has cost me a lot. It’s not easy to become something you’ve never been, but it’s as fulfilling as it is difficult. I love when Ecuadorians are surprised that I’m not from here! In those moments it has affirmed that all my hard work has paid off!
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