Semana Santa

I've got another HUGE post in the works about adventures in Spain and France with Dan, but about 2 weeks ago was Semana Santa here in Spain and I guess you could say it's a pretty big deal here in Sevilla, so I had to post something about it.

The Semana Santa celebration here in Spain is probably one of the most popular in the world, if not the biggest and most popular.  Some people love it, while others just can't stand it and have to get out of the country for the week.  Emma and I are probably in the middle... We got out of the country for a little bit and then came back to see some of the celebration.

 If you were a foreigner (like us..) and you have never seen Semana Santa, you have to see it at least once.  There is nothing like it that I've ever seen... but on the other hand, if you live in the city center like us and you want to go somewhere really fast.. it ain't gonna be happenin...  What normally takes 5 minutes ends up taking 30 minutes because of the crowds.  We see both sides of the story. 

Of course the thing everyone notices are the "Nazareños."  or as us foreigners would say.. the KKK.  If you think about it, it's kinda interesting...  You take a white blanket or robe and throw a pointy hat on top and you have 1 important symbol that represents 2 completely different things....  Religion or Racism.

Due to tradition and a belief system, both cultures see 2 totally different things.  When I look at the guys in purple, or green, or white... regardless of the color and thanks to American history...  the first silly thought that comes to mind is "racists."  When someone from Spain or another Catholic country outside the U.S. sees this symbol they might see a uniting "brotherhood" or right of passage passed down through hundreds of years.

Either way, this year there weren't many KKK/Nazarenos hanging out in processions and accompanying the "pasos" (the floats with the virgin Mary or Jesus carried by people) this year for Semana Santa.  This Semana Santa was dubbed one of the worst in recent years because it rained practically allllllllllll week long...  Rain = no semana santa.  Out of 6 or 7 days of what could have been 50 or more processions, we saw 1...... and we didn't even know it was there until we turned the street corner...   So here it is.  enjoy.

What a week...

It has been a week to remember.

Both incredibly historical occurences and small day-to-day life happenings have made the week very interesting to say the least...

-The South, including my old town, was devestated by one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the last 50 years.
-Osama bin Laden, one of the most infamous terrorist leaders in history, was killed by US forces.
-A monumental royal wedding took place in England (although I didn't care too much for it I still found it worth noting..)

On the brighter daily-life side:

-I played in the street for money for the first time and we were threatened by a homeless man with a knife (sorry mom if you are reading this for the first time, but we are ok..)
-I played electric guitar for the first time in almost 8 months at church with friends.
-Another famous week-long festival has started here in Sevilla:  Feria de Abril (lots of photos will be taken)
-We went to our first baby shower as a married couple!
-We celebrated our 4 year "dating" anniversary!!!

God has used many of these, if not all, to strengthen our faith in him.  Whether it be through heartbreak over losses, joy through the beauty of new life, or the exciting growth of our own relationship and community with other believers, God has and will always provide as well as receive the glory.  Last night at church, we sang "How He Loves Us" by John Mark McMillan.  The beginning of the song says, "He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy."  It hit Emma and I pretty close to home.  We were reminded that the extreme power of a storm can destroy an entire community but at the same time God's love is an all-consuming, overwhelming love that pursues us without end.  It will change you completely.  It will wreck you, but bring ultimate peace.  There is hope in the aftermath of it all.

Tomorrow starts our work week and we will continue on as usual.  We look forward to our first maternity photo shoot with our friends Andy and Jamie who are expecting a baby boy any day now.  We hope to learn how to dance "Sevillanas" with our friends Jordan and Sarah to prepare for Feria.  We look forward to talking with more friends and hearing updates from back home.  Finally, we look forward to spending quality time with Emma's dad as he comes to visit this weekend! 

A picture from a recent trip to Matalascañas. It's nice only living 1 hour away from the beach!