Romance struck San Lucas.

     El Día de Cariño, Valentine’s Day, fell on a Saturday this year – paper hearts and candy treats were scattered throughout the whole weekend. Everywhere I looked from Friday to Sunday, children and youth carried small, wrapped gifts to their numerous parties. Just about every school had a gift exchange, as did families and youth groups.

     As a member of the youth group La Voz de Cristo, I participated in their fiestas on Saturday and Sunday.

     Saturday evening’s activities were at the house of Abraham Hernandez’s family. There were fifty or sixty people; it was hard to count, or to even know who was there, since we were spread out in three different rooms of the house.

     The gathering had a very Guatemalan beginning: scheduled to start at 5:00, most people arrived around 5:45 and we began at 6:00. We prayed and sang songs. We held an election of officers and representatives for the next year. We listened to several reflections, including a scripture teaching by Fredy Ordóñez. He spoke about love, about how it is our mark as Christians. The care and affection we show on Valentine’s Day need to be a part of our ordinary, daily lives and not reserved for only one day.

     One of the last parts of our evening was a gift exchange. Earlier in the week, we drew names to find out for whom to buy a gift. Each young person now stepped forward to call out the name of his or her partner; after receiving the gift, that person called out the name of his or her partner. I was impressed with how many of the youth shared a sentence or two before giving the gift in order to thank God and the group for the opportunity to be together. A young man named Rafael who has been the leader of the group called my name. He handed me a small package, and I presented my own gift to Monica Vanessa, one of the Hernandez girls.

     Sitting down again, I couldn’t resist the temptation to peek at my gift. I peeled the tape off one end and opened a little bit of the wrapping paper. I was very humbled by what I saw. Rafael had given me a bar of soap. In the United States, of course, it would be a joke, the punchline being that I need a bath. Here, however, it is not a very uncommon gift. I was struck by its simplicity, by how practical it was. It was a reminder to me of how I need to focus more on the real, on the necessary, and not so much on the fluffy things of life. I don’t think the gift of white chocolates I gave to Monica Vanessa compares to this gift from Rafael.

     After a few more moments of prayer and song, the gathering had my favorite ending: supper. Candelaria, the Mom of the house and of the group, made chuchitos, which are corn meal and chicken cooked in cornhusks. Chuchitos have become my favorite food, especially when Candelaria makes them.

     Since I was at this fiesta until 8:00, I couldn’t attend the 6:30 wedding of Emi López and Rafa Tún; Emi works in the parish office, and Rafa, who just became a doctor, works in the parish clinic. I missed the wedding, but I arrived at the municipal salon just as the reception was beginning. I didn’t stay long, just long enough to see the newlyweds dance with each other and with family members, and long enough to eat a tamale. It was both fun and difficult to be there. It was fun because I knew many of the community members (and because I love tamales). It was difficult because it made me think of my fiancé, three thousand miles away. I wanted very much to be with her.

     Sunday was a fairly typical Sunday, beginning with the 7:30 a.m. Mass, followed by brunch (Sunday is Pancake Day), followed by letter writing and napping in the afternoon. At 5:30, I again went to the Hernandez house to gather with La Voz de Cristo. Two members of the group, Mercedes and Agosto, are to be married the following week, and this was la despedida de la soltera, the sendoff of the single.

     We were at the house just long enough to gather supplies, including guitars and sound equipment. The youth carried the equipment to the lakeside, where we would all gather once those who had gone to the 5:00 Mass could join us. I was impressed with the strength of a couple of the guys; a bass cabinet is very heavy, but they took turns easily hoisting it on their backs like they do with their bundles of firewood and hundred-pound sacks of coffee. At the lakeside, we set everything up and waited for everyone to arrive. (I have this North American tendency of usually being early or at least right on time, which means that here I am always waiting for things to start.)

     As we do at all La Voz de Cristo gatherings, we spent time in song and prayer. I was distracted at times from my own prayer, looking around with deep humility at this group of dedicated, young Christians pouring their hearts out to God. Actually, these distractions were good distractions; the prayer and faith of the group motivated my own.

     Romeo, a gentleman who often speaks to the group, shared his reflections on chapter 13 of Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. He challenged all of us, not only Mercedes and Agosto, to love in the fullest sense of that word. He spoke to all of the single men and women, the vast majority of the group, reminding us of the work and joy that true, self-giving love is.

     The gathering concluded, of course, with supper: grilled beef, salsa, black beans, tortillas, and coffee.

     Though it was sometimes a sad weekend with thoughts of my distant fiancé, it was also a wonderful weekend with many expressions of love, affection, and gratitude. I spent time with a group of youth who continually amaze and challenge me with their combination of serious faith and playful joy. I shared a few moments in the joy of newlyweds Emi and Rafa.

     And I learned the deep lesson that love is as simple as a bar of soap.