A Different Perspective

Now, that is a commitment to dancing!!!
This is an overview of the area. There were groups all over participating in the traditional dancing.
It was really great to travel this past week to a different part of the country and gain a different perspective. I loved learning about the culture and the people in a different part of the country. I will try to put more pictures on later. Here are some highlightes:
1. A Village and an Ancient Church: We rode up a mountain to see the ruins of an ancient church that was built in the 800s by another minority group that use to be really prevelant in this country. As we walked around the village where the church was located, we were invited in for tea by some locals in the area.
2. A Traditional Lunch: We were invited to a wonderful traditional lunch at a locals house. We ate, drank tea, and got to know some of the ladies of the house.
3. A Center for Battered Women: We visited with some women who run a center for women that provides counseling, medical, lawyer, and job finding services. I was soberly reminded that domestic violence is very normal. As I set and heard the plea for the women in this area, my heart was very heavy. May they find true freedom in the Father.
4. Traditional Dresses: One of my favorite parts was getting traditional dresses made. I will try to send all of you a picture, but I want you to picture an outfit that is between a princess and gypsy dress. Mine was purple, green, and pink on bottom, and all purple on top!! When else do you get to wear an all purple dress! It was so much fun…kind of like playing dress up for a couple of days.
5. The Festival: We had the dresses made for the festival that we went to. It was quite another experience. There were no other foreigners, and since we were dressed in the traditional outfits, EVERYONE stared at us! We were quite the scene, but we got to meet a lot of nice people in the process. As I grabbed the pinkies of the girls around me and danced the traditional dance as a drum played a beat in the middle of our circle, I thought, "Am I really here? Am I really doing this?" I will never forget this day.