Sometimes mothers can be a bit annoying, especially when they tell embarrassing stories about things we did when we were little.
LET'S BEGIN
I: —This is so fun, even though it's raining harder... Melany, let's go back to the game circle for the next game.
MELANY: —Yeah, let's go.
(We entered the game circle).
PASTOR: —It looks like it's raining a lot, should we call it a day here or keep going?
EVERYONE: —Keep going, pastor! Because we don't know when they'll send you to this missionary district again.
PASTOR: —Very well, brothers and sisters, thank you... Alright, let's start the next game: the handkerchief game.
I: —Oh, in all the times I've played, I've never heard of the handkerchief game. I think I've only been to about 7 social games... Melany, do you know how to play it? (whispers).
MELANY: —No idea... Although a lot of adult brothers and sisters are sitting down, and a lot of young people are joining in instead.
PASTOR: —Make the circle bigger, more brothers and sisters are coming... Come on, everyone, join in, the more the merrier!
PASTOR: —Very well, expand the circle and let's play. First, I'm going to tell you how many people need to group up; if you don't get the exact number, you're out.
I: —Oh, well, let's try to stay together.
MELANY: —Sure.
PASTOR: —Very well, let's begin.
PASTOR: —Youth, get into groups of... 2!
I: —Come on, Melany, come here.
MELANY: —Yeah.
(There were so many people that some fell down and didn't manage to get a partner).
PASTOR: —Those who fell, help them up, but unfortunately you are out. Come on, brothers and sisters, be faster... Group of 8! (in a charismatic, cheerful voice).
I: —Group of 8, whoa, let's go!
MELANY: —Look, there's Kaori, Rubi, my cousin, and Briana.
I: —BRIANA?
MELANY: —Yeah, didn't you see her?
THOUGHT: (I thought we were never going to see each other again after she stopped coming).
I: —Yeah, obviously I saw her, I just thought she had left. But with them, we don't reach 8, we're missing 2.
MELANY: —Let's go fast.
(To claim people to be part of your group, you had to hold hands and form a circle. We gathered into a group).
I: —Come on, pull those other 2 over there.
THOUGHT: (Oh no, how awkward, I held BRIANA's hand).
ALL THE GIRLS: —Yes, os... Diego!
(We managed to be eight).
PASTOR: —Let's see how many you are... Whoa, this one has 10... In this one, wow, 9.
THE BOYS: —No, pastor, we are 8. (They push one out).
PASTOR: —Ha ha, well, I guess you stay.
THE BOYS: —We're sorry, Diego.
DIEGO: —It's fine, guys, whatever. I'm going to the store anyway, don't worry about it. (He says it while laughing).
PASTOR: —Finally, group of 15. Start in 3...
I: —We are 8, we're missing 6.
KAORI: —No, Angel, we're missing 7.
PASTOR: —2...
I: —Oh, well, I got confused. (I laugh).
PASTOR: —1...
THE GIRLS: —Yes, let's go, Angel!
PASTOR: —NOW!
I: —Come on, let's go.
(After searching, the pastor said):
PASTOR: —Very well, we're left with 2 groups of 15, but over there, there are 10. Come here, those 10, and let's make 2 groups of 20.
(After dividing the 10 into both groups, there were 2 groups of 20 left. The rest sat down out of tiredness).
PASTOR: —Very well, the game goes like this... Both groups will try to take the handkerchief. If the person holding the handkerchief is touched by a member of the other team, they lose and the other group wins... The handkerchief will be in the middle of both sides, and each of the 20 players will be given a number. When I call out a number, those two numbers from both groups will run out. If the one with the handkerchief reaches their group, the point goes to them; if they get touched, the point goes to the other team.
PASTOR: —Let's begin.
PASTOR: —Angel 1, Kaori 2, Melany 3, Sofia 4 (Melany's cousin), Rubi 5, Briana 6, Cielo 7... And so on.
PASTOR: —Number 7 out!
(Instantly she lost, since she touched the handkerchief and ran with her back turned, getting touched by the rival group).
GROUP 1 (Me and the others): —No, what did you do, Cielo?
PASTOR: —Don't worry, that was just a practice run.
GROUP 1: —Thank goodness.
I: —Come here. (We form a circle and talk). The strategy is going to be this: they turn their backs, and we touch them.
GROUP 1: —Yes.
PASTOR: —Now for real. Let's see, I want number 1 to come out.
(In that instant I ran out and almost grabbed the handkerchief, but the member of the rival group was right in front of me. So we both circled the area, and I started faking that I was going to grab the handkerchief. The other guy did the same and grabbed it; I tripped, but I took advantage of it to grab his ankle before he reached the finish line).
PASTOR: —Point for Group 1!
(My group started jumping and shouting a cheer).
GROUP 1: —Let's go, let's go, we're going to win, Team 2 is going down, up! (It was something like that).
I: —Alright, I won that point, but as you saw, I fell.
KAORI: —Yeah, it's true, we almost lost.
I: —Yeah, that was because the floor is slippery. Be careful around that area; where I stepped, there are stones.
GROUP 1: —Yes, yes.
PASTOR: —I want number 2 to come out.
I: —Go for it, Kaori.
(When she arrived, she stood face-to-face with her opponent, who was a chubby guy who was a bit slow, but she thought she would win easily. She grabbed the handkerchief, turned her back, and the chubby guy touched her... And she lost).
PASTOR: —Group 2 wins... Both groups are tied.
GROUP 1: —Oh, no.
I: —How could you do that? Don't be like that.
KAORI: —I know I did it wrong.
I: —See? That's why you shouldn't get overconfident and turn your back.
PASTOR: —I want number 3 to come out.
(Melany approached the handkerchief, but the other group caught up to her too, and they stood face-to-face).
I: —Come on, Melany!
(Out of nowhere, I saw that the boy was a bit aggressive, or maybe it was just a hunch, so I told her):
I: —Melany, take it!
(In that instant Melany grabbed it, ducked, the other guy couldn't catch her, and she reached the finish line).
PASTOR: —GROUP 1, TWO POINTS! GROUP 2, ONE POINT!
KAORI: —You should have told me that.
I: —You are impatient, you wouldn't have listened to me anyway.
KAORI: —Bah, that's not true.
I: —I know you well.
(After that, there were more turns, like Briana's, who tripped and lost; my second attempt where I slipped and crawled fast to the finish line, and one where a guy fell on top of the rival group—thankfully they were both guys and we just laughed. After that, the score ended 20 to 18, and we ended up winning. Because we won, they gave us some sandwiches).
(Then they took a recess. I went to my mother, and Melany came with me since her mom was talking to mine, though they were telling stories about us when we were younger).
MOTHER: —Oh, friend, let me tell you. One time, when they were pouring cement to fix the first floor, Angel went down and got his shoes covered in cement. He spent about 3 hours trying to get his boots off; his toenails looked painted from all the cement that got in. Oh! And another time he did something crazy: he lowered his chubby friend down with a bucket, and the rope almost broke because it was already worn out. And one time he went out to the street...
I: —Mom, quiet now... Good evening, sister.
MELANY'S MOM: —Good evening, Angel... Something happened to me with Melany once too. One time she stayed in my room and grabbed my...
MELANY: —Mom, don't tell that story... I was really little back then.
I: —Come on, let's go back to the game.
BOTH MOMS: —Someday they'll get married... (they whisper).
THOUGHT: (What did they say? How can they say that? It's weird that I actually heard them... Well, I think I have good hearing; I heard my mom and Miss Aida, the violin teacher, say that I had super hearing... Alright, Angel, focus on playing, don't think about anything else).
I: —Melany, let's go fast, they're playing the thief.
MELANY: —Ah, the thief without being a thief.
PASTOR: —Very well, for the game, hold hands and raise them up to form a little roof. I will pass underneath, and I will steal the partner of any of you, and whoever is left without a partner will be the thief.
(After several rounds, I kept changing partners; I went from Melany, Kaori, Briana, Rubi, and back to Melany. After playing several rounds, we changed games, and after playing for several hours, as it started raining harder and several kids started coughing, the pastor called everyone over, we said a prayer, and each of us went back to our houses. It ended around 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.).
THE BLACK GUINEA PIG
After that day of saying goodbye to the pastor, he didn't actually leave the next day; he was only leaving at the end of the year, and I think there were 3 months left until the end of the year. But let's go back. After that great social gathering, I came down with the flu and stayed sick that whole week. The good thing is that I didn't go to school, but I finally recovered on Saturday and had to accompany my parents.
MOTHER: —Angel, let's go to church, it's time.
FATHER: —Yes, change quickly, don't dawdle. We'll start walking ahead.
I: —Okay.
(After changing, I followed them. A moment passed, and I arrived at the church anyway; the church was 3 blocks from my house).
When I arrived, I went to the Bible class. When Bible class ended, I went to the main temple, but they had implemented a setup that I hadn't noticed before, probably because I used to fall asleep. It turned out that our Bible class teacher went up to the front, they rolled out a red carpet, and they called the children to sit at the front to listen to a story. I went and sat down. They told the story of David and Goliath. After watching that short lesson, we went back to our seats.
I: —Mom, can I go to the bathroom?
MOTHER: —Alright. Oh, and if you can, bring me some water from the dispenser in your classroom in this bottle, and eat your lunchbox food (whispers).
I: —Yes.
(After going outside and eating my lunch, I went back and gave the water to my mom. After that, I listened to the sermon).
It was about how the pastor (the same one we were with on that game night) changed his life, since he used to be part of a gang of criminals. But then he met an elderly man who changed his life, and he realized his life had found a purpose: to talk about God to others. He also told stories about how he used to preach to his own friends, and how during a campaign they waved at him, and instead of leaving or ignoring them, he walked up and talked to them. After it ended, we went outside and everyone said goodbye to one another, shaking hands, but I walked ahead because I thought it was over and we were going back home.
I: —Mom, I'm heading ahead since you talk too much.
MOTHER: —What are you talking about? Today is the anniversary, so we're staying because they made food.
I: —Oh, I see.
After that, I went to sit at the kids' table along with Melany. We chatted for a bit. I remember the rest of my friends would look at us from time to time, but since I'm a violinist, I was already used to people looking. But at that moment I wasn't playing the violin, so they were probably looking at me for something else. After eating, we played for a bit in the courtyard.
Even though we thought all the adults were going to stay at the church until the program started, most of them ate and left to come back in the afternoon—some to go preaching and others to rest at home. Some left as soon as they saw the food because either they didn't like it or their kids didn't like it. The point is that most people left, and several left their kids at the church since they weren't that small; they would just leave and come back later.
I remember several kids started playing, and I joined in. At one point, we went into a certain area of the church—the other side of the church. The church has two alleyway paths on both sides: the temple is in the middle, the courtyard is in the back, and classrooms are all around. Of the two alleyways, one is wider and has classrooms around it; the other one is abandoned and filled with old pieces of wood. It was then that I ventured into that area, and among the wood, I saw an animal. When I saw it, I got scared and called my brother Peter, and he in turn called his other friends.
So then there were about 10 to 15 of us in that alleyway. One of my brother's friends grabbed the thing; it turned out it was a black guinea pig. Then my brother's friend got scared and dropped it. I grabbed it and shoved it near their faces; they ran away. Then I hid it behind my back and went to find Melany, who was in the big courtyard.
I: —Melany, look what I have in my hands.
MELANY: —Let's see, what do you have?
I: —LOOK! (I bring the black guinea pig close to her face).
MELANY: —Ahhh, get that black guinea pig away from me!
Because Melany screamed really loud, the brothers and sisters who were around talking walked over, and my mom in particular screamed when she saw me:
MOTHER: —AHHH, Angel, get that guinea pig away!
I: —What's wrong with it? Just because it's black?
BROTHER ARTURO: —Angelito, step away from that guinea pig, it's bewitched.
(When I heard this, I put it down and stepped back).
I: —So, am I bewitched?
BROTHER ARTURO: —It's not that. That type of guinea pig is usually used to cleanse you of bad vibes. Haven't you ever seen a guinea pig cleansing ritual?
I: —Yeah, in some places.
BROTHER ARTURO: —Right, so shamans grab the guinea pig sometimes to do a cleansing or to read your fortune, which is fake. Then, when they cleanse you, they open it with their hands and read what it says in its organs... But it looks like this one managed to escape.
I: —So are they going to kill the guinea pig?
EVERYONE: —Of course not.
MOTHER: —The brother is going to take it to one of his friends or look for its owner, they won't kill it.
I: —Oh, okay. But still, poor thing, that animal didn't choose to be black.
MOTHER: —They don't kill it just because of the color... Though I think they might, since many people believe black means bad luck, evil spirits, and all that. Come on, let's go get some chicha instead.
After talking with my mother, it was time for the program to start. The morning devotional began, all of that, then the sermon, and then they did social games again, which I went to with my family. We had a great time.
And once again it started to rain, but this time they pulled out the green tarps and the rain fell directly on everyone. Some took off their shoes and played. When the game ended, everyone went home. Those were the two best Saturdays, even though I got sick again.