Getting lasso'd, Belizian Style

It's hard to believe that we are looking square in the face the harsh reality that we have to leave these beautiful people and country in 6 short days.  I've got so much to post here, I guess I'll start with this one...

We were invited to a celebration in Yo Creek on the 21st to see a dear friend off to her next chapter in life at Steinbach college in Canada.  We are so proud to know this young lady, she will be greatly missed in her village and country, but to whom much is given, much is required...this is a separate blog post in itself, I'll focus on the wedding from here on out.

While we were in Yo Creek, we were invited to go to a wedding later that day in the neighboring Orange Walk town.  In typical fashion, I have no idea where I'm going, I'm just following "that guy" until we get to our destination.  We pull up and there are some familiar faces.  The person getting married is the son of a good friend of mine that I connected with in 2009.  The next year, I connected with his son (the groom) by talking motorcycles.  He actually let me ride his motorcycle in 2010, it was great.  We've cultivated the relationship over the years through our love of The Lord Jesus Christ and our love of the 2 wheel zoom, zoom.

Custom Vase for Bride and Groom

We've learned over the years that you don't want to turn down invitations for anything here in Belize.  Keep in mind, we have taken in Christmas, new years eve and a couple graduations.  Now we get to go to a wedding!

Where the post smooching pictures take place

Beautiful setup

Yup, we were early

So, we get there about a half hour early, they were planning an outdoor wedding (it's the rainy season) and there are clouds mounting.  The place is just beautiful.  They have taken and cut coconut tree leaves to give the area a secluded feeling and every detail was just beautiful and coming together.

Angel, Alma, Jair, Amy and I
(The fire ants were about to attack Amy's feet)

So, here we are chillin and taking it all in as a family.  This is the dear family that graciously opened their home up to us in 2009 and we just hit it off.  We had neighbors 2 houses down wondering what was so funny from the laughter that came from their house, but that's yet another blog post in itself.  I did take the opportunity to tell Jair that I was going to be there for his wedding (he didn't seem as embarrassed at the thought as he was when I first told him that in 2012).

"Dearly beloved..."

The whole darn thing was in Spanish so I didn't get to pick up on all the culture differences between the weddings I've been to in the states and here, but I managed to ask a few questions.  If you look at the picture above before any guests arrive, you'll notice 4 chairs set aside in the middle.  Two are for the bride and groom, the other 2 are for the witnesses.  The witnesses happen to be our good friends Rose and Javiar.  They sit with the bride and groom the entire ceremony.

Prior to the lasso

So they exchange vows like we are used to, but note that the witnesses are there the entire time.  Javiar is in the white shirt on the left and Rose is in the red dress just to the right of the bride.

Post lasso, prior to smooch

So after much ado that (again) I don't understand because I don't speak the native tongue they are lasso'd.  I spoke to a pastor in Copper Bank a couple days ago, and I'm using the term correctly.  In Spanish, they are being brought together like you do with a lasso.  He told me he was translating an English pastor who was performing the ceremony who didn't understand the tradition.  The English pastor said "rope" so it was translated as "noose" instead of lasso.  Of course the crowd thought it was pretty funny that it was translated that way.

Rice (no beans)

Alma got hammered with dots and rice

So it was straight to the reception tent directly behind the ceremony.  They immediately started taking pictures and frankly I was looking at the clock.  We had a 2 hour drive ahead of us and it was getting late.  We didn't want to offend but we knew we needed to go.

Beautiful cake awaits the happy couple

So, we spoke to Nick, father of the groom explaining that we need to run.  Pictures had started so we figured it was a good time to scoot.  I wanted to say congratulations to Alejandro and his lovely bride but they were in the middle of pictures.  So as we are standing there, they insist on taking a picture with us!

2 happy couples

After that, he insisted that Nick show us the motorcycles.  Again, we were looking at a 2 hour drive north, not really wanting to be in the dark but not wanting to offend either.  I kinda like motorcycles anyway y'know.

After we left he brought it out

In the book of Ecclesiates, chapter 4, Solomon (the wisest man to walk the planet) says "9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.  In this passage God (the creator of marriage) lets us know that when two can get more done and be a stronger ministry team than one.  Although, later, the apostle Paul says that if one can stay single you are able to concentrate on your ministry entirely.  Most of us, feel that deep desire to be attached to someone because, as The Bible says, it does make things easier to deal with when we fall.  Notice that the end of the verse it speaks of the threefold cord "not being quickly broken".  That threefold is 1 Husband, 2 Wife, 3 The Lord Jesus Christ.  When you have all three in the design of marriage it is not easily broken.  My hat's off to this young couple, may their days be filled with joy and prosperity.