Saturday January 19, 2008
Whew… another day, another experience! I overslept breakfast as I went to bed late…so I missed pancakes- maybe more like “pancakes??!” But I had a granola bar anyway as I showered before leaving at 9:30am this morning. We drove about 15 minutes away to a small town so Pastor H. could do a “wedding.” A prisonguard was getting married and they wanted a blessing because it is much more simple, and way cheaper than a wedding. Well, once again, it was “supposed to” start around 10am… It’s a nice church with benches, (this is Not a Maasai village), and a cool breeze blowing in through some windows, and the back doors. The guests were all in the church and LeeAnn, Luka and myself were sitting on a bench near the back waiting to start…but that didn’t happen for a good hour or hour and a half as I guess more people were coming since they heard Pastor H was here…a woman wanted to get confirmed and there were 2 infant baptisms all before the wedding blessing. During the time before everything “began” a woman started some songs and all the guests sang and we clapped our hands…the choir of some adults and 8 or so children led many songs as well. Luka also played baby-sitter a couple of times with a baby girl and a little boy…(during communion a woman handed Luka her baby so she could go up and receive communion) :)
The service was good…lots of different things going on though so it was hard to find songs and sing, then find the different liturgies in the book…well, I should say, Luka was trying to find them for me, and trying to translate as well. The sermon that Pastor H. gave was from Matthew 7 I believe, and I heard 2 words and I knew exactly what he was talking about! The word kujenga (to build) and the word nyumba (house)…so of course, he was saying how important it is, especially for a marriage to be built on a solid foundation- on rock…as opposed to sand, as that guarantees the house to fall… He also told a story about a baboon… this baboon is supposed to build a house but on the day he was going to it rained, so he said tomorrow I will build the house…except the next day was sunny and dry and so the baboon said, I will build it tomorrow…
Hmmm…how many of us are like the baboon when we apply that story to our lives with anything…. I’m guilty of it!!! The couple signed the marriage certificate, there was an offering, and communion and then it was over and once again, we did the fun handshake circle outside!! Then Pastor H. had us introduce ourselves again…me, with the little Swahili I know! After that…guess what time it was?!?! Food time again!
We went back inside and sat on a bench with a plate of spiced rice across from us this time… (the wedding party- of 4- were on the opposite side). The rice was excellent- it was brown, so with some kind of spice! And we got chicken legs, and some other meat (beef) perhaps? Again, not a big texture fan of some of this meat but swallow it down anyway with my bottle of water! We actually got spoons and individual plates so it was much easier!!! After the meal, the photographer wanted a picture with the wedding party, Pastor H, luka and me and LeeAnn (the wgeni: guests)! :)
We said good-byes and shook more hands and left about 2pm I think?! We drove back to the Seminary so Pastor H. could change and then we drove about an hour on Primary Roads (yay!) to the twice a month cattle market!!
Since it was late afternoon we missed the auctioning but went to see some of the different cattle being auctioned off. From the moment we arrive and step out of the car doors it was like a celebrity just came to the Market…but Pastor Hafermann really is a celebrity- especially among the Maasai…and this was almost totally a Maasai marketplace! It’s just in open rural country-side…sort of like a Farmer’s market?!? Some fruit being sold, and lots of meat being smoked…and all sorts of Kitangas (the colorful long skirts women wear) and sandals and pots and pans and beads and 10-12 inch knives with covers (that the Maasai men also use). I can’t tell you how many times we stopped to shake hands with people. We were for surely the only 3 white people amongst hundreds of Maasai. It’s not a Huge market, but decent sized. But, I don’t mind following Pastor H, since we’re treated as special guests. Sometimes I feel important being seen with him…haha… (one time, a young man came up to him and I guess said, hey Pastor- you baptized me-remember?!) … but if there’s one thing I have learned about Pastor Hafermann- the best word I have to describe him is Carefree. He is such an important man and does SO incredibly much (Has Done so incredibly much) but just walks around casually and completely humble…as he told us in the car: “I’ll probably know a few people and will say hello- it’s just bound to happen” I should have known “ a few” meant about 70% as LeeAnn said!! Haha Also, Respect would be a second word as he receives nothing but it, and gives it unconditionally…
We continue looking and I buy a beautiful kitanga…one could use it as a long skirt or a tablecloth, or make curtains out of it even!! It was 4800 shillings (1160 to the dollar)! Then a man on a bike with coconuts in the back came by and Pastor H. bought 3 coconuts!!! The man had a large knife and cut open the top so we could drink all the juice inside first (it was very good…and supposedly very healthy for you!) Then he used his large knife again (haha) to cut it completely open and cut out the gooey inside…it’s the texture of a flattened marshmallow…but not really sweet…I sucked one side of the inner coconut goo down and Luka ate the rest! The last stop was to sit on a couple benches under an open air hut- made of just some bamboo- to have a glass bottle of Pepsi!!! Again, it was a rare delicacy!!! :)
Well, there were two young (20’s?) Maasai men sitting in there, whom of course, Paster H knew….they were sitting across from LeeAnn and myself…and as I turned to talk to PastorH. or just listen really…I could see the two men just staring!! Haha and he took a picture with his phone so my face (and hair) will be shown all over his village somewhere! Well then, when it was time to go, the one man touches my bangs that are across my forehead and right above my glasses… and then Pastor H. said- oh yes, they like your hair…. So I let them touch my head and my ponytail…they were so in awe…
We left the market about 4:30pm and brought Luka’s cousin that we picked up @ the market…then we drove about 10 minutes on the other side of the Primary road into the country a bit to see another church that Luka has built that needed repair and to drop off his cousin… in the meantime, children run over to the white women and so the extent of my Swahili goes to telling them I am studying Swahili and trying to speak it, and to ask their names! Then we go inside the church and see a couple older children learning the alphabet (English I think) on a piece of blackboard… then I dared bring out my camera and literally the Second I did 10 children just scream for joy and run over because they ADORE getting their picture taken so they can look at themselves… so I took one of many of them and then held on as they all crowded together close to laugh and giggle. I also took a picture of LeeAnn sitting on a bench with about 6 others. Then about 20 minutes later we left and drove the hour or so back to Morogoro (not without picking up someone at the market and dropping him off on the road so he could go to his village)… I slept in the car the best that I could.
We arrived a little after dinner time so I got to eat dinner here…I actually missed the little more variety we have here!!! Haha And it had seemed like forever ago since I ate with the rest of my fellow students Friday morning at breakfast (yesterday morning was the last time I saw them!) It was nice to see MeeHa and the two sisters again! And they even said they missed me!! Awww :)
I have been journaling ever since!!! I needed to get caught up as tomorrow we’re going even farther away to a village service and we’re bringing many people with us!! The 4 of us plus, Olivia, a German woman working in morogoro and a friend of hers, Moreto (he’s one of the teachers here @ the language school) and possibly my friend Andrea from Germany, who is also studying Swahili here! Should be another grand adventure…many more guests!! :)
I am pretty exhausted… but having an absolutely wonderful time!! I don’t know how much detail I will go into in a week or so as I wanted to cover all of my first experiences very well…then that gives you a background feel for what I will be doing the rest of my time then!!!
Hope you are all trying to stay warm…it’s hard to believe that it’s practically 90 degrees hotter here!!! You are in my thoughts and prayers!
Blessings and joy,
Alana
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