September flew by in the blink of an eye. It left me with one of the most rewarding and novel experiences of this year. Although I live in Cumaná, a fishing and maritime city in eastern Venezuela, and am devoted to the Virgin of the Valley, I had never been to the maritime procession of the Virgin. So, as my grandmother used to say, it's never too late when happiness is good.

The procession began at 9 a.m., but since many boats had not been able to get gasoline, we had to wait and left at around 11 a.m. The first thing that struck me was the unity among the people, the solidarity and joy they showed in working together to make the event a success. Each person had to bring something to eat and drink. I brought tequeños, arepas with cheese, and papelón with lemon to drink. Other people brought pepitona curd, tuna salad, stewed fish, beer, juice, water, and many other things. These things would be eaten during the trip and when we arrived at our destination, which on this occasion would be the beach at Castillo de Araya.

After loading the gasoline onto the boats, we began to decorate each boat with streamers and balloons. Without further delay, food and drinks were distributed, people boarded the boats, and we set sail: in the name of God and accompanied by the Virgin placed on the boat in front. Amidst praise, music, and joy, all the boats left Cumaná for the other coast.

The trip took over an hour, and even though the midday sun was beating down on us, we were happy, dancing and singing, and staying hydrated. Our arrival at Playa El Castillo was celebrated by other people who had come from other states and were already there, waiting. Amidst the hustle and bustle, we took down our Virgin and placed her on a beautiful altar that had been made for the occasion. It was a very emotional moment because our Virgin was the last and the most beautiful.

I should mention that this activity is carried out by fishermen and their families, as the Virgin of the Valley is the patron saint of fishermen. So, in the middle of the celebration, it was very moving to see many fishermen praying to her and kissing her dress, not only as a sign of respect, but also of love and gratitude. As I said at the beginning, it was a new experience for me because you realize that faith unites us, connects us, makes us equal.

Finally, in the afternoon, we got back into our boats and set off for Cumaná. It rained on the way back, but that didn't dampen our joy, our Marian pride. Sometimes we think we are different, but when we pray, we realize that we ask for the same things: we pray for ourselves, for our loved ones, for our country, for the good of humanity. May the Virgin del Valle have heard us. Amen. 🙏🏻🌼🌷