The HAIRCUT

After our all bank event on Friday, I woke up on Saturday to prepare for another big event. The Haircut. I was asked to be the Godmother of the hair cutting ceremony of the son of one of our loan recipients. It is a strong tradition in the countryside to save the first haircut for the selected 'Godmother,' although do take note the Madrina (Godmother) does not need to have experience cutting hair or even have to be good at it. We went with Hugo and his parents and the kiddos to join my co-padres in their simple adobe house for a guinea pig lunch followed by the hair cutting ceremony. The cuy was actually quite good; I might have enjoyed it more than usual knowing it might be the last time I eat guinea pig for awhile.

The ceremony was simple. I brought scissors and cut a little piece of Christian's hair. Then I put a "tip" on the plate where the cut hair was placed. I passed around the scissors and the "tip" plate so that all the invitees could cut Christian's hair and also put a little bit of money on the plate. Once everyone had a turn with the scissors, I finished the haircut. It wasn't my best work, but it will grow. There was then music, dancing and drinking. Jovita, Christan's mom, gave us 3 whole cuyes to take home and eat for dinner.

It was an honor to be with Jovita's family yesterday and be a part of something so special. It was a wonderful reminder of how in the humblest of homes there can be gratitude and love so wide and full.