El Quinceañero

birthday kisses
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The big 15! In South America and many Latin countries the 15^th birthday is the biggest, especially for the chicas…as it is the year they become mujeres.

While in El Porvenir (the barrio for our project) the week before last I was stolen away by the girls in our group to be asked if I could help put together a quinceañero for the lovely Zaida. Once I got over the shock that she was only 14 I of course agreed. The fact that the other girls had thought to celebrate her birthday was gorgeous. Between the bunch of us it was decided that they would use some of their money and powers to get snacks and drinks, and that this one time I would use my power of wallet to buy a cake. Parties after this would have to be one a month for all the birthdays and the cake money would come out of their group savings.

Zaida and Brian..the bday waltz
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I have had a wee attachment to Zaida since she first came to the group and personally wanted to do this for her. She is a member of the group that always shows up and participates, though rarely says a word…but there is something you can see in some kids, and what I see in her I really want to draw out by the end of my time here. So Saturday I would arrive at 6pm, cake in hand to find the girls and get going.

I had not gone to the barrio alone yet, as I am more in the capacity of support team member thus far, so I was really looking forward to the chance to make it known that I was here to be with them, not always just in-toe with the team to pass out markers and take pics during workshops and such. Though I am here as a youth facilitator, the project is just getting underway with laying the groundwork, diagnosing problem areas, writing proposals for funding, etc. My facilitation work with the youth it seems will not begin until the new year. Patience, and do what you can while you can!

Zaida and Cecy
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I told my team about our party plans and asked them to come….they seemed unsure, it was a Saturday without work…..which doesn’t happen that often, but said they would try.

Saturday afternoon Zuly and I went off in search of the cake. I am so glad she came…it is amazing the things you don’t think of when you are not in your own world. I would have ended up with an over-priced and over-decorated horror if not for her! But together we came away with a lovely fudge cake, a very heavy fudge cake….which I bravely carried around as we went in search of candles. Sometimes I miss the reality of going into one store and knowing that you can find everything there…..I never thought I would admit it, but when it is hot and you do not have a lot of time you just want to go the Dominion and grab everything you need and go. Uh I’m a little ashamed. Alas, we discovered the store with candles, hopped in a mototaxi for the sake of my arms and Zuly´s date with the hairdresser. I was deposited on the corner of the Plaza to bravely walk down the kid-filled street with my cake….I tell you it was a bit dangerous….I had quite a tribe trailing behind me by the time I reached my place. ….Canadian with fudge cake mobbed by gang of 5 year olds.

ninos y ninas
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I made it without injury. Grabbed my knife and lighter and flagged myself a mototaxi. I of course got a taxista who didn’t know the barrio…but memory prevailed and I managed to guide him through the mud and sludge to my destination! It is amazing how fast the news of cake travels through young ears. The taxis can’t actually enter the barrio by one side as they are installing water pipes (for the city not the barrio….go figure) so I had to walk up the little hill, by the time I reached The Tree I was met by a gaggle of very excited kids screaming that Zaida’s cake had arrived. I have to admit, I felt really good walking in there alone, I want to be a part of this community, and for the first time I was invited into one of the houses! Yay!...its the little things for me. Kali, the leader of the youth group was busily salting a baby-bathtub of popcorn and Kemi arrived with the salt-beef bucket of refresco and off we went to the community centre.

Me and Brian
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I sent Brian (our resident 12 year old artist) off to get materials to make a poster and sent some other group members to round up glasses and serviettes. All was ready…I was feeling all very good when team-mate Cecy showed up to find me there alone with the kids and making myself understood! A great moment. My Spanish still falters quite a bit, but my confidence is building and this all helped me a lot. The rest of the youth group staggered in after bath time and so did Jesús and Zuly (yay) we managed to track down a stereo and some cds, the only thing missing was the birthday girl, so off Kali went to collect her.

Happy Birthday marathon
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Sometimes you see joy and humility in a face that could break your heart. I saw it that night. Our birthday girl stood frozen at the door until I finally went forward and grabbed her in a hug and pulled her in. Not many words escape her lips at the best of times, but at this moment there was nothing but a smile that puts my most ridiculous one to shame. The kids started a line for hugs and kisses and we 4 stood back quite chuffed at the fact that our group was becoming solid…not just a bunch of kids that we gathered together.

the cake
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The unending salsa was played and Jesús reached for her hand to start the dancing. Each member of the group had their turn dancing with her….though this was a little hard as Zaida´s family is Evangelistic so she is not actually permitted to dance, but she gave it what she had and giggled the whole time. Just before we went mad we convinced the kids to change the song and had a proper dance…..with our growing audience at the door we put on quite a show.

Then it was time for the famous cake….and another unending song…..we were close to catching sed cake on fire by the time we finally stopped happy birthday, should have bought taller candles! My next feat was to share one cake between about 40 kids….and can I boast a little when I say I did it! And Zaida even managed to get two big pieces as well. But not a solitary scrap was left…I even lost my napkin with its icing to a passing cherub.

...still singing
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That was it. Hugs and kisses. The group started cleaning without being asked and we headed off into the sunset and mud, pleased as punch…. to celebrate adult style with a nice beer on the boulevard.