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West Indian Easter sunrise service
Chinese honor their ancestors
Puppy in search of a good home
 

Fireworks at the crack of dawn on the Afro-Antillean Museum of Panama grounds.

The ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service is an annual event of the Society of Friends

of the Afro-Antillean Museum of Panama (SAMAAP by its Spanish initials), which is celebrating its 26th birthday this year. The museum itself, which has exhibits about the West Indian community that first established itself here in the middle of the 19th century, is in the old wooden church building seen in the background of this photo.

The SAMAAP Easter Sunrise Service

photos and captions by Eric Jackson

Reverend Luis Veagra of the Balboa Union Church

gave the invocation, meditation in English and the

benediction. His erudite meditation began with a

story about an Orthodox priest who stood up to a

Soviet commissar, and called upon those gathered

to do courageous things in the name of Jesus. "My

friends, we can not celebrate Easter in isolation from

the cries of suffering in our world," Veagra warned.

      Reverend Alejandro Douglas of the Mision Cristiana de Panama is a top-notch

      orator in a charismatic tradition, who gave the Spanish-language meditation.

        He spoke of how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the way to rise

      above seemingly impossible obstacles that sap one's hope and try one's faith.

SAMAAP's Ines Sealy and Carlos Smith presided over the ceremonies.

The Coro Juvenil de SAMAAP sang...

... and while the offering was being collected

Cinthia Goliz did a dance presentation.

In honor of the late Grace E. Walters the ladies showed off their Easter hats...

...of which this one was judged the finest.