So, birthdays are a really big thing here... I mean they are most places, but here, oh my, never was I a part of such a sweet celebration. When I was growing up, my mother would have a special dinner for each of us (there were 8 of us) on our birthday, and invite the whole family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) It was a big deal. And my aunts would do the same thing for my cousins. Needless to say, we all got together a lot!! Now, as we are older and my sisters and brothers have families of their own, we celebrate birthdays together once a month on Birthday Sunday. Everyone who has a birthday that month is honored with a special dinner and cakes, singing... it is a lot of fun for everyone, not just the honorees. But here in the Philippines, they go a step or 10 further, and I got my first taste of one last night. Usually, families and friends do a "dawn serenade" for someone's birthday... wake up at 4am and go to the person's house and sing happy birthday and have cake. Believe it or not, the Oikos Family does a little more... in the middle of the night... in costumes...
While we were shopping in Guiuan yesterday, I picked up some cupcakes for Criselda's birthday. She turned 21 today, 10/26. Criselda, or Cris for short, is one of my house mates in the Nazareth Home. She does sweet things like cooking breakfast for all of us, doing my laundry, and is always cheerful and helpful, so I wanted to do something nice for her.
Well, last night we returned from Guiuan around 7:30 and had dinner, night prayer and went to bed. At midnight, I was awakened by some of the scholars. Apparently there is a custom here in Oikos where people wake up at midnight on the day of someone's birthday, decorate and put on costumes and then wake up the birthday person and have a party. Crazy, I thought, until I participated in it...
When I left my bedroom, many of the scholars, mothers and Sister Minerva were in the hallway. The kids were all dressed up in plaid!! Plaid shirts, shorts, hats, scarves... it was really funny! The front room of the house was decorated and on the table were the cupcakes I bought with candles in them, juice, cups, flowers and other decorations. Each of us is given a candle to hold and all of the other lights are turned off. All of the sudden, the kids start singing a song about celebrating your birthday because you are special and out comes Cris, blindfolded with one of the scholars leading her. They sit her down and sing happy birthday. Then Cris' blindfold is taken off and she walks around blowing out each of the candles we are holding. The people wearing costumes then do something similar to a runway show while walking to music and a winner is chosen whose costume and walk was the best. That person got the first picture with Cris, then we all took a picture with her... at one thirty in the morning... not really looking my best, but that's ok... it wasn't about me!! Afterwards, each of us says a little something to Cris, about her friendship and love, about how much she means to us and wishes for a happy birthday. And when we are done, Cris says something back to us. Then the scholars presented a beautiful power point presentation filled with pictures of Cris, of all of us with her and messages from people who couldn't attend. Afterwards, we ate the cupcakes and had juice and went back to bed.
You know, there is not a lot of money here for celebrations. The sisters are blessed to receive funds for education, medicines and medical care, food and many other things associated with the work that they do from generous people throughout the world. But for birthdays, there really isn't extra money for those. It doesn't stop them, however, from making birthdays extra special, fun and meaningful to everyone. They really are like a huge family, who supports one another, shares in the sorrows and in the victories and takes the time to make special occasions extra special using their talents, ingenuity and humor.
Today Cris' day will be filled with little surprises and then she will celebrate with the other October Birthday honorees on Friday with a big party. But last night, I'm sure Cris felt the love and the friendship of everyone there, and she knows we all praise God for the gift He has given us in her.
Happy Birthday, Criselda!! Please say a prayer for Criselda today, or whenever you happen to read this. Salamat!! (Thank you!!) xxoo
