Party All the Time

Grandmother of bride receiving gifts
Click on picture to enlarge

You know there are a lot of parties here. Every baby has a party within a week of birth, a naming day on the seventh day. The other big party we have seen a lot of are weddings. Then there are also dowrey parties, which are like bridal showers, except the groom's family are the only ones who bring gifts.  Parties are very time intensive and work intensive. I often wonder how they have so much time for parties! But everyone pitches in to help with the food preparation and they really enjoy the time together.

Interestingly, I gather from talking to church members that going to church is like going to a party. Worship really gives the attendees joy. If we ask how Sunday was in our greetings, we might hear the reply, "There was worship and I felt happy."

Church certainly has as much dancing, clapping and singing as a party. For our family it is still a language and cultural exercise (although we are understanding more and more!) But for the majority of people in church the worship is filled with complete joy and it takes up a long time too :)

El Padre sitting with uncles as they
receive more gifts at a dowrey party