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2008-12-16 issue:

WEB EXCLUSIVE: A modern Christmas story

Virginia Mennonite Conference sponsors the 'La Posada' play

by Susannah Lepley

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A reflection by Susannah Lepley:

On Dec. 5 and 6, NewBridges Immigrant Resource Center, a ministry of the Harrisonburg (Va.) District of the Virginia Mennonite Conference, sponsored the "La Posada" play that was performed at Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg.

Traditionally, "La Posada" is a Christmas tradition throughout Latin America which reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for hospitality and room in the inn at Bethlehem. The 16 days before Christmas the children of the town carry statues of Mary and Joseph to different houses and ask if there is any room for these sainted figures. Each night they are turned away.


Construction workers and bag ladies are present at the birth during the "La Posada" play in Harrisonburg, Va. From left: Annie Brunk, Itzel Sanchez, Jordan Hernanez, Charlie Peralta and Pam Mandigo. A Nuevas Raices photo.

On Christmas Eve, however, the answer is different. The children carrying the statues go to the church where there is not only room, but a big celebration to which the whole town is welcome to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Everyone brings food to share as they are able. 

The NewBridges Posada was a modern, tri-lingual take on the more traditional story. We wanted to celebrate the diversity of our community. Instead of traveling through the town of Bethlehem, a pregnant Maria and José travel to the United States. Along the way they meet many people some that both hinder their journey and others who help them to their destination. There are robbers who take their money along with a good Samaritan who gives them passage and a place to live when they arrive. There are construction workers who give José a job, a flock of children playing tag and an immigration official who knows little about immigration law but gives them entry into the United States anyway. There is a bag lady who rambles, but has the most sense about who Maria’s child truly is.

Interspersed with the vignettes was music by local groups including a children’s choir, a retired men’s barbershop quartet and a Russian Christian church choir. 

The production and rehearsals did not go as planned. Sometimes people showed up one and a half hours late for rehearsal. Maria and José were overcommitted and had to be replaced in the final week. A Spanish language youth group picked up the parts and learned their lines in 24 hours. The Russian choir’s music was amazing but they all left at intermission leaving a big hole in the audience. The children often disrupted rehearsals by fighting and running around. People missed their cues and lines. The audience didn’t understand every word, as it was primarily in Spanish and English with a little Russian.

Despite the lack of polish there were sacred moments. There was a scene during which Maria is goes into labor and talks about the people she left behind and the need for her mother to help and teach her. José says he will help her.

“!Tu no eres mi madre” (You are not my mother) is her response.

Another sacred moment happened right before the performance started when everyone was running around making sure that everything was in order. I saw Charlie and Itzel, who did a wonderful portrayal of Maria and José, sitting in a quiet place with their heads bowed together, holding hands and praying before they went on stage. 

I have found through my work at NewBridges that immigrants are primarily a people of faith. It is a faith that survives travels through the desert, that survives death at the hands of dictators. Religious refugees from the former Soviet Union celebrate their faith and freedom to practice it by attending church three to five times per week. Latino churches have all-night prayer meetings and services three times a week.

The version of La Posada that NewBridges produced was written by the actors and Heidi Vogel, the director of the drama department at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg. It was meant to be a reflection of the lives of immigrants in our community.