So I'm starting to settle into a bit of a routine. It's very different being here alone rather than as part of a team. With my team in March there was such a sense of "mission" and it was non-stop from first thing in the morning until well into the evening. No time for napping! Now, lest you think I'm napping non-stop, this is not the case. First of all, it's too hot for naps. There's not a "second." All to say, I find myself feeling a bit unproductive because I can't simply check tasks off the list. The work I'm doing is on-going and happening over a period of weeks. For example, today I met with 10 staff members, passed out the Bible study workbooks and watched our first video. There were some loud "uh huh"s as we watched and some finishing of Bible verses and a few were taking notes. Also, at the end of the video as Jennifer Kennedy Dean asked the questions "What can wash away my sin?" "What can make me whole again?", one woman started singing "Nothing but the Blood" so that's how we ended - with all of us joining in; it was awesome! Which brings me to the issue of church and music.
It is exceedingly humbling for a girl who considers herself musical with a good sense of rhythm to go to church and be the only white girl. In comparison to the rest of the congregants, I have no musical talent whatsoever and no rhythm either. In this Methodist church, approximately 250 people, accompanied by percussion and led by one or two choir members, rock out to familiar hymns and choruses in amazing harmonies and syncopated rhythms. Where's the pipe organ and the 4/4 beat?! Or even the praise & worship band who thumps out the clearly articulated down beat? This pumoi (white person) doesn't stand a chance. But I think God just enjoys the attempt and the attitude of the heart, so I did my best! I need to practice being on the beat and off it at the same time - quite difficult really.
Only 3 offerings were taken this service (there could have been many more!) so that was good seeing as I had only 2 coins along with me; I forgot to break some larger bills. The service was also short - only 2 hours! After the reading of the Word (which is "powah"!), the minister preached on the wedding feast at Cana and turned it into a commentary on the state of some social ills affecting the country: some people drink too much wine and this lures people into prostitution. Human trafficking made its way in there, too. I think the point he was ultimately trying to make is that we need to let Jesus be our "wine" (He who gives joy to the hearts of people as the Psalmist says). It was actually a new angle on that story for me. I'm going to give it some more thought.
Next time I need to sit with the kids. The CRC kids go to two churches. We can walk to Leader while the other is farther away. I ended up sitting behind the CRC children but since open curiosity is a given in this culture, they all turned around and stared and waved (as did everyone else in church - minus the waving). Most of the kids were wearing their good Sunday clothes which means fitted tops and long skirts for the girls and African tunic-type tops for the boys over slacks. Most of the older women wear matching head scarfs. The clothes are SO beautiful - colorful and custom-made. In this church with its aqua walls, colorful murals of Bible stories and flags/banners, it's a sight for the eyes! Amazing. You get to really take it in during offerings because everyone processes forward and since we're singing, everyone is actually dancing. I just wanted to sit in the middle of it and take it all in or else take loads of pictures, but it may be that pictures from my trip in March will have to suffice. It is somehow easier to be "touristic" when others are doing it too. Plus it's a bit rude here - best to ask first (although I did manage to snap one shot while everyone was bent over during prayers - except me and the one woman you can see in the photo who is looking around!)
Oh - the other piece of dressing up for church involves making sure one's clothes are really ironed (this is important for school uniforms as well). Saturday afternoon when I went over to the CRC some of the girls were doing their ironing. The irons are actually iron (the kind one collects as antiques) which they heat over coals (I assume). One of the younger girls had apparently ironed over a composition book so it was quietly smoldering in the middle of the common lounge floor (upon which she was also doing her ironing). I guess she carried this blazing hot thing from the fire outside into the dorm? But back to the burning book: No one seemed too concerned. In fact, a few other girls picked it up and started blowing on it to make it burn faster. I pity the poor child whose school notes were contained therein. I suggested they go put water on it but whether or not that happened is unclear. They took it somewhere. And all looked very presentable on Sunday morning.
I'm hungry and Fudia has made french fries for dinner, so I'll sign off now. I went for a long walk a couple of days ago all around Bo and will take a later posting to try to describe the various sights. Until then, good night and Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. day!
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