Red Bean Pudding

I know. It sounds gross. Missionary life is known for adventures in eating. The best missionary stories usually include monkey brain soup or tarantula soufflé. Our food adventures here in the Caribbean have been mediocre in comparison. Yet, among the food challenges that have come my way in this missionary journey is Red Bean Pudding, or Habichuelas Con Dulce. 

Here in the Dominican Republic, as we approach Holy Week, the grocery stores are displaying proudly all the necessary ingredients for this most important delicacy. It is usually only served during Holy Week, and it is greatly anticipated. My wonderful Dominican friends and ministry family have always been so excited to share with me their particular version of the Red Bean Pudding, and even the ice cream shop has a Red Bean Pudding flavor! 

I must admit, those first years of living here, I had to eat it with a smile, while trying not to breath. Yet, while I forced this exotic desert across my palate,  I would see the beautiful expression on my Dominican sister's face. My friends were so excited to share their special tradition with me! I began to enjoy so much the sharing of this cultural experience, that the weirdness of eating sugary sweet legumes with sweet potatoes and raisins began to fade. TODAY, I am craving Habichuelas con Dulce, or Red Bean Pudding. And today, I will share it once again with my girls at Bethesda! Maria is making a big batch!!! She told me to bring some tupperware. And that is the way it works around here, you make enough to take some home in tupperware! 

Food is a funny thing in our missionary journeys. It is so much more than nourishment for the body. Learning to love what they love, what they have made, their special traditions,  is learning to love the people we serve. And so it was with Jesus.  Jesus went from eating at heaven's table to sharing bread and wine with common men. In the eating and the drinking at our table, we watched Jesus love us. Picking up my spoon today, I hope that my girls can watch me love them, because I have learned to really love their Red Bean Pudding. 

Independence Day

It’s Independence Day here in Dominican Republic and today is a day of celebration for sure. In fact, one day is not enough for Dominican patriots. Dominicans, who are “party people” at heart, celebrate during the whole month of February! Still, in the midst of all the celebration of national independence,I am so grieved to see the slavery that still rears its ugly face here in the developing world.  Today, while the school is closed for the holiday, there will be children standing at street lights begging for pesos only give the money over to help purchase the drugs and alcohol consumed in the home. And on this day that celebrates freedom, there will be too many women who will be captive to the atrocious abuses that are a result of unrestrained fiestas. 

So today, I sat down  with the Holy Spirit and my cafe Santo Domingo to join Jesus in Matthew chapter 21. I find myself standing with the crowds, palm branch in my hand, shouting Hosanna, celebrating my own Independence Day when Jesus triumphantly entered my life. Still, I am looking around at this crowd and I am seriously disappointed at the emptiness in their praise. It feels like they are celebrating just for the sake of celebrating. In just a few days, they will change their shouts from “Hosanna” to “Crucify him!” 

In fact, true celebration requires a sincere connection to the reason for the party. Otherwise it is empty and what could be a celebration of freedom ends up being a false fiesta for bondage. The Dominican Republic is the only country in the world with a Bible on the flag and the verse that is inscribed is “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” In the end the truth is not an idea or political philosophy. The truth is a person, and that Person is Jesus.  Today as the festivities and music fill my world, my prayer is that Jesus will triumphantly enter this patriotic fiesta. After all, Jesus is the only true LIFE of the party!