Friday 1/20/17 - Baptism Preparations It has been pouring rain all day. When I went up to my office at 7:15 a.m., I had to fight my way past chickens who were seeking refuge in the stairwell. For breakfast, we had scrambled eggs and coffee. Antonio headed to Otavalo to buy large quantities of vegetables and several hundred pounds of potatoes for tomorrow's party, which were delivered in a large truck. Soon another truck arrived with two party tents. They set up one next to our casita under which the band will play (it even has a chandelier!), and they set up the other in front of the outdoor kitchen where people can sit and eat. For lunch, we had soup, beans, beef, rice, and lemonade. Later in the day, village women joined Abuelita and Rosa in the outdoor kitchen to peel vegetables and prepare 7 chickens. Their laughter and camaraderie made us smile. They at least had a roaring fire to keep them warm. The weather is extremely cold and raw. Everything is wet. We have gotten at least an inch of rain today. I checked the forecast online and it is expected to rain until 10 p.m. on Saturday. The baptism is at 5 p.m. We feel really bad about this; the family has invested much time, effort, and money in this celebration, and we hope that there is a good turnout for the party despite the weather. People usually love to dance to live bands at these fiestas, but the "dance floor" area of the patio is not covered, so is not very good in the rain. It is so weird that it has been raining nearly every day for the past two weeks, and it isn't even rainy season! For dinner, we had soup with popcorn, chop suey, and juice. After dinner, we went out to the outdoor kitchen, where friends and family gathered for soup as they continued with preparations. We saw old friends including Sisa's adorable friend Natalie, who was here with her mom Rosita. The family was up until 1 a.m. preparing.

Setting up the tent for tomorrow's baptism The women preparing food for tomorrow's baptism See all photos from this day