Dinner at Branccacio

We had the opportunity to participate with the youth group of Shalom in a fund raising dinner.  We made 7 cheese balls for each table and a cheesecake for dessert.  The youth did a fantastic job, with presentation and service as well as entertainment between courses.  They had songs and skits, and even a painting auction.  We walked in and the church had been transformed into a cafe, with tablecloths and candles on each table.  There was a mouth watering appetizer buffet with everything from caprese with tomatoes and mozzarella to caviar spread on toast.  After the appetizers, the first course was lasagna, followed by a meat and potato dish, and then some beautifully arranged fruit trays.   We also had an assortment of cakes for dessert, and coffee.  We had a good time fellowshipping at the table with the pastor and his wife. 

Carnevale from our Balcony

We saw the final parade, closing out carnevale from our balcony.  It was rather chilly so we decided not to stand with the crowds, but just watch from our house.  (Photos: King, Genie, Politicians & Sharks, Disco boy, Car)

      

Volunteering

Once a week, I have the opportunity to volunteer as a helper for a group of disabled youth with a lady from our church.  She and another girl are the organizers of the group.  They have different activities and also work on craft projects each week at the meetings.  They are a great group and very patient with my ongoing learning of the Italian language.  We went bowling just before Christmas, and everyone had a good time and enjoyed ice cream afterwards.  There is a pizza party planned for later this month and previous activities, have included: a Christmas party and even a trip learning how to make pottery.  

Carnevale

Carnevale is held in Termini from February 15-24, with parades and festivities throughout the town.   Actually, Termini's carnevale festivities are the oldest in Sicily.  We watched the parade coordinators set up the staging area Sunday morning just after church.  We walked up the street late in the afternoon before the parade began so that we had a good spot to watch.  The local kids have confetti, silly string, shaving cream, and plastic squeaky mallets to cause mischief.  Basically carnevale is a time of revelry, so that you have something to repent of prior to Lent.  The parade was full of bands, dance troupes, and elaborate floats, with people throwing confetti and candy onto the  crowds.  Several of the floats were statements about political issues.   After the parade ended. we stopped for cotton candy.

(Pictures include: staging area, toy vendor, comic band, king of carnevale, silly string and mallets, Pinocchio float, boy with violet hair, old car with grandparents of carnevale.)