Smiles for Christ will be host Latin Fest April 18 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the McInteer Rotunda. Twelve countries will be represented, including Belize, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
Smiles for Christ is an on-campus non profit organization that raises funds anually for Apanje, a school for disabled adults and children in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Latin Fest is their biggest fundraiser of the year when members of Smiles for Christ create booths representing their country.
“Latin Fest is not just about raising funds,” sophomore Flor Flores, a member of Smiles for Christ, said. “It’s more about sharing each other’s cultures, smiles and blessings of God. It is about showing how God is international and that he can be understood in every language and country. It is focused on the Hispanic population on campus and helping people better understand our culture.”
Flores said they have chosen Spring Sing weekend to host this event so more people can learn about the various cultures.
“All 12 booths will be set up in the Rotunda,” Flores said. “Each booth will represent a different country. They will have pictures, food tastings and music. There will also be some performances, including singing acts and folkloric, traditional dances.”
Tickets are $5 if purchased at the student center booth on Thursday or Friday until 3:00 p.m., or $7 at the door.
“To make the event a true cultural experience, we will give out ‘passports’ as tickets to the event,” junior Stephany Ayestas, president of Smiles for Christ, said. “When attendees visit a booth, they will get a punch for their passport. This will make the visitor feel as though they have traveled to each country.”
Ayestas said the organization has been pleased to see how many American students have shown their interest in their event.
“We put a lot into our booths,” Ayestas said. “We want to show the pride we have in our hearts for the country that we are from. We almost think of it as a friendly competition as to who can best represent their home country. We are all very far from our families, being at Harding. Latin Fest makes us feel close to our homes. This year our theme is ‘sabor Latina!’ or ‘Latin flavor.’ “
According to Ayestas, the money raised from the event will go toward Apanje, and the goal for Smiles for Christ is to sell 450 passports.
