Panamania

--> March 2013               Last week was Piedras Gordas’ Patronales (celebration of Piedras Gordas’ patron saint San Juan de Díos [John the Baptist]).   In Piedras Gordas the Patronales is celebrated by nine days of evening church services.   Each service has a different theme.   One evening the service was dedicated to protecting the environment.   Although I’m not Catholic or particularly religious, I was asked to speak during the service about protecting the resources we have been given and explain to community members about the various opportunities to partake in environmental conservation activities.   On the second to last night of Patronales there is an evening procession that goes through each sector (neighborhood) in town.   Each sector is responsible for giving a presentation and creating an “idol” for procession’s arrival to their sector.   After their presentatio...