Our neighborhood, Delta 3, did prayer last week. Each neighborhood prepares an entrance over the road made with banana and palm trees. Then, around sunset, the neighborhood who is finishing their prayer shift marches to the next neighborhood, praying, singing, and doing traditional dancing along the way.
They carry statues of the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) dressed in traditional Timorese dress with tais draped over their shoulders. When the people and statues arrive at the next neighborhood, the prayer begins.
Our prayer began around 7 pm because an afternoon rain. When the previous neighborhood arrived we began. It was only us and ALL the Timorese of the neighborhood. One of the people who live close to use was in charge. They started with a prayer asking God to help them be like the Holy Family, saying that they are the model family for the world, for East Timor, and for Delta 3. Then there was a drama about the Holy Family in full costumes.
After the drama, all of us turned and walked to the area set up for the all-night prayer vigil, singing and praying along the way. The procession was led by young women playing drums and dancing in the traditional style. When the crowd of maybe 100 reached the venue it was set up nicely with space for kids to sit in the front and the adults got chairs behind the kids. More singing and praying and then we prayed a rosary together with young people acting out the Joyful Mysteries. It was obvious that a lot of work had gone into it - all the lines were memorized as they acted out the stories of Jesus' life in full costume, even the little boy who played Jesus when He was found in the temple.
After the rosary and more singing, we prayed in different Timorese languages. I was asked to pray in English, appropriately for the faith of the youth of East Timor. The prayer was beautiful! Praying together in different languages always makes me so happy to be part of the universal Church. It's a great feeling!
After the languages prayer was completed, Brendan and I went home because it was already late and we hadn't eaten dinner yet. But groups from our neighborhood continued to pray all night and all the following day until we passed on the opportunity to the Fatuhada neighborhood.
Another great thing happening this month is the nightly prayer organized by the youth. Each night they pray and sing at one house for about 45 minutes. The next night they will move on to the next house on the street. Last night we joined them at one of our neighbor's houses and Sunday everyone should be coming to our house for the prayer.
All this has come at a great time! To be around Timorese is to be renewed in your faith and refreshed enough to continue the work. During the pray I wondered if a month-long community prayer like this would be possible in my neighborhood at home, but I doubt it... In our society it's hard enough to even get a block party scheduled. I doubt that an all-nighter for prayer could work. There are a few things people are willing to stay up all night for, and from my experience prayer isn't one of the top ones for the general masses.
But, to be fair, Brendan and I do know many people who would stay up all night to pray for something important and that is such a treasure. We plan on returning to Des Moines when we finish our service and staying close with these family and friends forever : ) You don't run into people like that everyday, so when you do, you must recognize their value and fully appreciate them.
So thank you for being one of our family and friends who would pray all night if it was needed. We appreciate you and your rock-solid priorities, and we can't wait to see you again (in only 6 months)!
Love Always,
Rachel and Brendan
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