The Baby Dedication

It was such a relief to receive a few days of rain. It brought the temperatures down to a tolerable level and moisture to the parched crops and land. So why was I praying on Sunday for God to stop the rain? I had just arrived at Luisa's small mud home to drop a load of women from the church for her baby daughter's dedication to the Lord. It was a downpour and there were many carloads of women waiting at the church.

"Please God, I am embarrassed to ask this when we have prayed so much for rain, and this is such a small matter. But...please, could you stop the rain for a couple of hours so we can go on with this baby dedication?" I left the women and headed back to the church. It was a distance to Luisa's house and the heavy rain made it too far to walk. Every space in the car was taken as the women pressed against each other. The women began singing at the top of their lungs when we passed through the open market. They were especially jovial for the recent rains, cooler weather and the ensuing celebration. My translator laughingly commented that their singing was better than the car radio. I agreed but pointed out that we could not turn them down. We both laughed but no one heard us.

When the last carload arrived at Luisa's house, I notice that the rain had stopped. Women crowded in Luisa's home singing around the baby. Noemia prayed a blessing over her little one and then stepped outside; symbolically bringing her from darkness to light. (In opposition of what the traditional witchdoctors ritualistically perform.) The women danced and sang with all their vigor, perhaps much like David when he danced before the Lord. They blessed Luisa with small gifts: soap, coins, or whatever they could give. They finished their celebration with the traditional maheu and bisquitos.

The women were quiet and spent as I drove the the last carload back to the church. It had begun to rain again. To our surprise a rainbow graced the sky as we drove back through the market. I couldn't help but wonder if someone else was singing...at the top of His lungs.