Dia de los Muertos

November 1st...The Day of the Dead. Sounds grusome, but it is an annual Catholic holiday that is followed by All Saint's Day on November 2nd. To celebrate, the people go to the cemeteries, decorate the graves and spend the day. Meals are eaten over the gravesites with food being left for the departed. Kites were traditionally used with noisemakers to attract the attention of God to pray their family out of Purgatory. I don't know how much the kites are used for that today, but it is traditional to fly them during these two days.

Sumpango, a small village just outside of Guatemala City, is famous for their large kites that they fly each November 1st. The size of the village triples during this time.

Here is a typical scene at a local cemetery. There are particular flowers that are grown specifically for this day.

Kites are even flown at the cemetery.

These are just some of the ways we see the darkness of Satan's realm. The evangelical church does not celebrate with these traditions, but due to the large Catholic population in Guatemala, most people are off from work, making it a "national" holiday. Pray with us that the Evangelical church in Latin America will be light and salt in an unbelieving world.