Canaval - What a Way to Start Lent

Carnaval- As Halloween is at times infamous in the United States, so Canaval is in Equador. It is the Marti Gras of South America and here in Ecuador it has a wet twist. Let me explain. 

While the official government holiday for Canaval is the day before Ash Wednesday, that is not enough time to fit in all the wet shanagans many Ecuadorians revel in for the four days prior to the beginning of Lent. Water balloons, buckets of water, and squirt guns if you are lucky. The ornery side of "celebrating" includes silly string, cans that squirt a foamy cream, water balloons filled with a mixture of eggs, water and flour, and, the locals tell us, the worst includes paint and motor oil. Fortunately, among the missionary circles, the worst treatment I heard of was passengers throwing water balloons and squirting foam from passing public transit buses.
      
At Nate Saint Memorial School we had good, clean fun at our Carnaval celebration: water relays, water balloons, steal the flag (waterballoon style), a time to soak the teachers and finally,  an all out water fight. It all ended with a down pour that sent the kids home chilled and ready for a hot shower. 

Here are a few memories....
       

Angelyn leads her relay team.

Jayson guarding the balloons for his big brothers' team.

Parents staying dry.

Teachers getting soaked. I was so thankful I didn't start teaching until the next week.

 The aquanauts..... first through eight grade plus staff.

 

And the celebration ended with showers... if you weren't already wet, Mother Nature got you good on the way home.

How hard does it rain in Ecuador?... well, you get the picture.