By Raul Tadeo

The Hispanic members of the Salem Mennonite Church of Wooster love LuLu Miller, the oldest member of the bilingual congregation.

LuLu has learned to accept the “besos”(kisses on the forehead and cheeks) and “abrazos” (hugs) that the Hispanics use to greet her with every Sunday morning when she arrives at church. On Sunday, May 22, she reached the age of 95, having been born May 22, 1921.

The Hispanics appreciate LuLu so much that they decided to celebrate her birthday by singing a “serenata” (birthday song), “Las mananitas,” for her during the worship hour. A few of the Hispanics were expected to go forward to sing, but when others realized LuLu was going to be serenaded, many more came forward to sing. Someone said, “Only in the Salem church would one expect that event to happen.”