...Daunting Religious

Okay, I feel as though I should explain this title right off the bat. I thought having not written in awhile, I should take a moment to share another personal quirk of mine that seems to be taunting me throughout my days here. In all likelihood, its something that most people would take a moments pause to, but seems to wind up staring me in the face everywhere I go. Let me explain...and feel free to laugh, because in reality,once pointed out, its hilarious. Well, at least I think it is.

 The Dominican Republic is a very religious culture, a very Catholic culture (at least by appearances, while some of the underlying morals and values may seem contradicting. But that´s a whole other blog entry). As part of this culture, Catholicism is evident everywhere. Everyday entering downtown Jarabacoa, we pass a large painting of Jesus with his arms outstretched, pictures of religious are very prominent in public, and even more so, within every household.

The first time I entered a house here in Jarabocoa, I was greeted with this large poster of Jesus.

Ok, fine, like I said, most would think absolutely nothing this. But this poster was the main focus of the room where Kristen and I were sitting, and I felt the need to confess what was bothering me about this particular picture and what has bugged me for years about other pictures, paintings, and statues of Jesus, saints and other religious. I don´t why I randomly felt compelled to share this secret pet peeve of mine, but I turned to Kristen and did just that.
I suddenly blurted out "I know there´s symbolic meaning behind it, but how come in this picture of Jesus, and in so many images of saints, they are holding up two fingers? Why does it have to be those two--the two fingers I don´t have?! Why do they always do that? It´s like Jesus and all the religious are taunting me, silently saying `Look what I have...ha ha`!!!"
After staring at me for a moment, Kristen busted out laughing. And I did too. We had a good laugh and I got that thought off my chest.


But several days later, Kristen and I went with some of the workers of home visits. The first home we walked into:

 We were beside ourselves trying to keep in together for the several minutes were visiting the family. And then we went on to the next home, there was the picture again. And I kid you not, as we went into a good ten- twelve homes that afternoon, in EVERY one of the houses, there was that picture, often times poster sized, the dominant focus of the room, staring me in the face, Jesus following me with his eyes. Its become a running joke between me and Kristen, as we seem to see the picture everywhere we go.
Hope this has brought a little bit of laughter to your day (after being the confused white girl both here and in Mexico, I´m used to laughter at my expense). It certainly keeps me laughing!

...God is always watching!