July 26th, 2003
Saturday afternoon provided the Tierra Nueva Dos delegates with a taste
of a true Minnesota summer experience - picnicking and swimming at a
lake. The setting was beautiful Baker Park, located about 20 miles
from Minneapolis. It was a welcome time for the delegates and
organizers to sit back and relax after a very busy week.
| Both North and South Sister Parish delegations combine cultural and relationship building activities along with committee business meetings. Not all members of a given delegation are involved in their local Sister Parish Committee. When choosing a delegation, attempts are made to include a broad spectrum of the visiting community. |
I arrived to find the SJA-designated spot, festive with balloons, under
a canopy of old oaks. Already, it felt 10 degrees cooler than the
parking lot and twenty degrees cooler than the cities. After settling
my things, I headed down to the beach to meet the delegates. I was
greeted with a wet hug from Joel Papa, the organizer of the day's
festivities, and within minutes found myself submerged, fully dressed,
in the lake. The group of swimming delegates looked on approvingly and
I realized I should have worn my suit after all.
It was a great idea however. It was a very hot and humid day and the
water felt wonderful. As the delegation members romped in the water,
they were joined by a steady trickle of other delegates and St.
Joaners. "Que fresco!" they all declared when hitting the cool water.
A wayward Frisbee provided unlimited enjoyment and so did dunking
unsuspecting group members.
We asked the delegates if they ever go to beaches at home. "About
twice a year," Nelzon told us. "The beaches are far away - on the
coast." Bernardo explained the water is much colder than the water at
Baker Park. And the sand is black.
Back at the tables, there was plenty of time to visit with the 30 or more picnickers who had gathered. I asked Juan what his favorite event was so far. He clearly couldn't decide but responded definitely that it was spending time with "mis amigas" - my friends. We talked about our jobs and the delegates shared photos of their families. We learned the delegates thought root beer tasted like Pepto Bismol and that marshmallows are called "angelitos" - little angels - in Guatemala. The conversations flowed despite the language barriers and laughter was abundant. Before long, our stomachs were rumbling, revealing that it must be time to barbecue!
And barbecue we did - chicken, hamburgers and hotdogs - to go with a dazzling array of salads and breads and fruits. But that was not all. A group of dedicated workers, including little Sienna, were busy making tortillas - a Guatemalan staple. I had never eaten freshly-made tortillas, hot off the grill - in Minnesota???? They were wonderful - plump and slightly moist. And some, called "papusos," were made with black beans in the center. Topped with "crema" from El Salvador, it was a truly a cross-cultural feast.
The Minnesota contribution to this feast was the great-outdoor desert
called the smore. The delegates had never eaten toasted marshmallows
before and the prospect of this, plus chocolate and graham crackers,
seemed a little strange. But they dived into the experience with gusto
and came away pleased. And after the root beer fiasco, we wanted to
prove that we did have a few good ideas up our sleeves.
After a few sprinkles of rain, the temperature cooled down to provide
the perfect summer night. With the leisurely dinner completed, the
group decided to cap the evening off with a good old water balloon
toss. There was no end to the laughter and suspense as each pair took
their ever-fateful steps backward. By the fourth round, no balloons
were left intact, and several of the picnickers were facing the drying-
out process (again).
A brilliant red sunset revealed it was time to pack up. The picnic had started under a veil of humidity but had ended with the coolest of breezes. The delegates and organizers looked lively and refreshed - ready for a mourning of Sunday services and the going-away party that would signal that the TNII visit had ended for this year.
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