TRADITIONAL FUN
Girls who turn 15 prepare for a traditionally celebrated quinceanos party (fifteenth birthday party). Caty now had a legal birth date from the judge and joined in the planning.
The teens talked and dreamed about this event all year. Privileges included choosing a formal gown, buying fancy shoes and accessories. No one knew how much Caty understood about this fiesta. However, her eagerness to be involved in the preparations indicated she knew to jump into action for whatever came her way.
Standing in front of the dressing room mirror, Caty took both of her hands, pressed them to the bodice, and moved them down the calf-length red chiffon dress.
“Do you like the dress?” She looked from me to the clerk grinning. “Okay,” I said, “this one is for you.”
A tug of war developed as I tried to get the dress off. “Caty, you get to take the dress home. The lady will put it in a bag for you.” Only then did she release her grip. Minutes later, with her head up high and bag in hand, we went to the car.
At our next stop, Caty tried on a pair of high heels. We got the shoes on her, but she refused to take a step.
“Caty, it’s okay. You can hold my arm.” Her body did not move. “Do the shoes hurt your feet?” She didn’t respond. We coaxed, but she stared at the floor without moving.
I imagined this happening during the ceremony and decided to look at some low heels. However, even with those, she would need to practice walking. I told the girls my thoughts, and they agreed to help her do this between now and the party.
The big day began when fireworks erupted at 5:00 am, followed by the birthday song. Half asleep, the girls dragged themselves to the basketball court to receive hugs and birthday wishes. This traditional start ignited the excitement and sent everyone scurrying to do their part in preparing for the evening gala.
Caty watched every movement with a glow in her eyes.
The older girls volunteered to help the fifteen-year-olds prepare for their magical night. Miriam chose Caty and carefully curled and styled her hair. With every hair sprayed in place, some of the other girls applied the makeup. Caty basked in the attention and barely moved during the entire time. When finished, she looked like a model in a Glamour magazine.
“Caty, look in the mirror and see your lovely hair-do.”
Teeheeing, she shyly gazed into the hand mirror. Her red gown and soft curls around her face accented the princess look. However, I still had concerns with the shoes and her lack of agility when she walked.
According to tradition, the girls wore old shoes when introduced and escorted onto the floor. The housemother sat with the new shoes, ready to display the move from the former and put on the new. This action symbolizes the teen going into womanhood.
Caty plopped on the chair while her tongue worked its way around her bottom lip and waited for her new shoes. Tia Cyndi took Caty’s stiff leg, trying to bend her knee and capture the foot. Unaware of the assistance needed, Caty scanned the crowd with her chest puffed out. With low heels on, the princess moved with less than grace beside the housefather, her hand resting on his arm. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The ceremony continued with a video of each girl as they shared testimonies with glimpses of their future plans. I hadn’t been involved in the recordings and wondered how Caty responded. The screen showed a typical Caty. She looked down and waved her hand in greeting without saying a word. Everyone applauded with understanding, and our girl giggled.
Each gal received a virtue ring from the house parents as a reminder to save themselves for a future husband in honor and obedience to the Lord. After the pastor’s challenging talk and prayers, a delicious feast awaited them. An elegantly decorated cake followed while the guests sang the Happy Birthday song in Spanish and English. Caty’s face said it all as it reflected excitement and joy.
In the Guatemalan tradition, the activities ended with the eruptions into the dark sky—more fireworks.