Day of Prayer and Fuengirola Fiesta

A leak in the bathroom shower tray revealed itself by producing a small hole in the ceiling and a pool of water on the floor by the window. A plumber came and diagnosed the problem on Monday, then went away to obtain a spare part, but didn't return, or ndicate when he would.

Ten of us came together at the Hammonds' house in La Cala this morning for the autumn Day of Prayer, which I led with a series of short addresses on the ministry of angels in the Bible. The reason for this was that the original date for the occasion was the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, but later the date was changed, but not the theme.

Today is the fiesta of our Lady of the Rosary, the patroness of the municpality's parish church and a public holiday. No sign of the return of the plumber. There's a fun fair in the recinto ferial, which has taken several days to construct. It started last night, and continues for a week. The noise emanating from the site continued until four in the morning. The fair ground can't be seen from the chaplaincy house, as it's behind a hill, but sound echoed off tall apartment buildings. I'd hate to be living closer.

Our quiet day finished mid afternoon with a Eucharist, and on my return journey I drove through the town centre, to see if I could find out about the day's Flamenco Mass as I'd seen no advertisement for it anywhere. There were many women out and about clad in beautiful flamenco dresses. All were walking away from the square in front of the Ajuntamiento, which told me all I needed to know. 

I was disappointed to find that the Mass and procession were already over. For the participants in the Day of Prayer, the municipal fiesta is no longer a matter of interest, more of endurance, so the clash of dates was a matter of indifference, and I am after all, not a tourist but a sojourner here to serve their needs. 

Now it's averagely several degrees cooler along the coast, it's possible to hold an open air service in the middle of the day, rather than in the cool of evening. After the event, people all dressed up were heading for the fun fair, mothers and daughters and occasionally grandmas in their party clothes. A delightful sight. I was too tired to join them at the fair. Holding an audience and delivering five brief addresses I found more taxing than the days of quiet preparation required to create them.