After a yummy lunch of rice and beans, salad, fried cheese, and fried plantains, we headed off for the second half of our day of sightseeing to Managua. My favorite activity of the afternoon was the church service we attended. It is a Catholic church that makes it its mission to accept all people from all denominations. Before the service, we had a chance to look at some of the beautiful murals on the walls. They really integrated the people's religion into their daily lives in Nicaragua. I couldn't help but be amazed with all of the bright colors included in these paintings.
During the service, I had a lot of time to think about the purpose religion plays for the people of Nicaragua. Even more so than for many of us, religion serves as an explanation and reason for the daily lives of these people.
The service was incredibly uplifting. Even for those who were not able to understand the Spanish, the music alone could make anyone smile. By participating in such services, the Nicaraguans can temporarily escape from the impoverished world in which they live. They were reminded throughout the service that God loves each and every one of them. We were all kindly greeted by the Nicaraguan attendees of the service even though we were different and, for the most part, couldn't understand them. When I reboarded the old school bus to return to JHC for dinner, I had a smile on my face that I just couldn't shake. Apparently, the smiles of the Nicaraguans are contagious.
