Explanation: You know that saying that goes: “We’ll eat til the cows come home or we’ll stay until the cows come home…” (there’s variations) but I think it must have gotten its origin from the Maasai villages… keep reading! :)
Tuesday March 4th
Whew. What a day! I am SO exhausted after returning at just 7:45-8pm…probably because I’m dehydrated and I was out in the sun a little today…I didn’t think that little bit could give me such a headache and make me feel like plopping into bed right now!!
After a breakfast of peanut butter/banana toast and morning devotion I had about 35-40 minutes to chat online and work on uploading pictures…its good to have internet again!! :) PH and I took off about 8:50am (just the two of us, so I got to play Luka and sit shotgun! Luka is out building a church in a village this week)! After about 40 minutes we pick up Pastor Malaki!!! He has become one of my favorite people- and a good friend!! Then more people fill up the car and I don’t know anyone elses name/position until we arrive… which wasn’t for another 45 minutes or so as we took a Secondary Road for a while and then a Tertiary Road into the bush!!
We arrive about 10:45am and are greeted by even more (3) Evangelists…I have seen them all before- Yohana (John)- he is super tall; Simon; and one I do not know. We all get chairs right away and sit under a tree in the shade of course. So I sit and listen for a while/chat a little a bit…I find out we have another Pastor with us-Isaya- and 2 other Evangelists- Safisheli and one a bit older. They were all very nice and asked me the typical simple questions. Pastor Malaki also tried teaching me some greetings in kiiMaasai! Then the washing of the hands occurred, and tea with Maandazi followed shortly after.
I was glad I brought my Bible out with me to sit this time because I did a LOT of sitting today amongst many more men than usual…and I would have gotten a headache earlier from listening to so much Swahili!! :) Therefore I read a lot of Scripture today! But it was good, as I am preparing a little message for the Wednesday night Worship Service here @ the school. It’s in English, and Grant usually runs it so he asked me if I wouldn’t mind speaking as the students (Secondary) all like seeing someone different speak!!
The men talked all morning- before and after tea- and then it was about 12:35pm and I decided today I would have to venture out in the bush by myself because there was absolutely NO way possible I was holding it all day long- especially after only one mug of chai!! So, I just got up and casually walked away into the trees to find a good spot!!
Then we sat a little longer until PH tells me that we are going on a little walk to a nearby primary school where there is a government meeting behind held (which is why no one was showing up for the service and it was almost 1pm already)! So all 8-9 of us take a walk through the bush and eventually come to a little clearing where I see the school and a very tall tree and many people sitting in chairs underneath it…also the two cars were hard not to spot (Government vehicles)! It was probably only like a 15 minute walk but when we arrive we of course have to go around to the different groups and shake hands with everybody!! There were some Maasai, and some Government officials, and also a handful of people who are taking community development classes through a University in Morogoro that were at the meeting to listen. I felt pretty proud of myself as this was probably one of my first settings where I heard so many different greetings and had to know how to answer the different ones…I also greeted some people first. Anyway-it was a real test for me!!! I think I faired well, as people seemed surprised… especially those few that just say “Jambo” because I am a mzungu (white person-automatically associated with tourist)…but when I answer “Sijambo” instead of replying back with jambo, they know that I know some Swahili! I think I have mentioned this before but I have really grown to just despise hearing that word now… PLEASE I beg you- even if you come to Tanzania as a tourist…just learn a couple basic greetings-they really are so easy and it makes life so much more fun and the people really enjoy hearing even just one or two words of Swahili!!! :)
For about 20 minutes or so we stand in a half-circle around a man (a Government personnel?) and listen as he speaks about maendeleo (development). However, of course I get stopped for a few minutes as a few men asked my name and where I was from…which I can understand and express very smoothly…but after that I really have to pray that my brain works- but sometimes people just speak so fast and my poor brain does not have the time to register the sentence(s) and pick it apart…as that is what one has to do with Swahili as there can be a subject/tense/object/verb all smashed together in one word!! I’m getting better at explaining that I am here for 3 months to study Swahili and that I will return to America to finish school in May. One man told me he wants to teach me kiiMaasai but not now- and so I said, but it is a lugha ngumu (difficult language) so siku ningine (another day), which we both know won’t happen! Haha
Then we walked back, only to sit some more…but on the way Pastor Malaki and the cute older Evangelist wearing yellow took my bag and my bible…gosh they are just so kind- it’s not like my bag was even heavy! I sit and read some more Scripture, greet some more people- as about 7 Maasai warriors show up…PH even registered 3 young warriors today and that was something big. I wish I could explain to you the faces of these young men (probably 18-22)...one especially- he hung around all morning just quiet- and PH gave him a small kiiSwahili workbook as many in this village were not literate…and then later PH said to me- “that’s what I thought he was hanging around for-he wants to be baptized!” About 2:30, as the Pastors were getting ready to begin the service, a young man on a bike stopped and called to me in English- “Hello-how are you?” I answered in Swahili and then he kept going with questions…which I knew most of the sentence but again, he was speaking so fast I had to ask him to repeat and he was asking the typical questions in a different way than I am/have been used to…anyway- we talked for about 15-20 minutes so my Swahili repertoire was certainly stretched!! Then the service began finally at about 3pm! It was pretty small but people crowded in- about 85 I think (including many children)! I sat in the back on a bench beside a couple big mamas. Today, the two Maasai pastors (Malaki and Isaya) as well as the other Evangelists and a couple warriors all formed a mens choir (which I LOVE of course) so they were able to sing (and “grunt”) and there was also a small (but mighty) children’s choir!!
3 baptisms, a sermon, communion, the offering, the send out song/shaking hands and the service is officially completed. They did have to auction off a few kitenges though!
Then it was time for the akwardness…where I just stand there and let the children look and touch my skin and my hair. Gosh, today the women were really obsessed with my hair as many of them were touching it and feeling it even during the service- especially my bangs, as they love to push them away from my face, only to have some of them fall again!
Well, I decided after a few minutes that I would go see if it was time for food…but it wasn’t so I went back inside the church, which was empty except for a couple little girls who were playing the traditional drum (in this case, in this village it was like a plastic empty gasoline container or something). I asked the girls if they liked playing the drum and then before I know it I’m surrounded by about 10-15 boys and girls again. Sometimes I can understand their questions- and then that leads to more discussion topics! Using the time is always safe- so I recognize that question, and they love to look at my watch of course. Also, they ask if I like the sun and I explain that it is nice here because at home right now in my country there is much snow and ice and cold! Sometimes they ask if home is mbele (far) and I say- yes, very!! Oh, today (between some kids saying give me! about my watch and bracelets one boy who was probably 15 asked me how much it is to fly on a place here…I simply said, a lot!!
Finally, it was about 5:15pm and time to eat…so I get to be quite the honorary man today as there were so may people eating! I got to drink another mug of chai and actually had the best and most food Ive eaten in a village so far!!! We were each served a big bowl with lots of rice, a couple potatoes, a little (brown) beans, and I had just 2 smaller pieces of goat meat (not even any bone so this was definitely doable)! I ate almost all of it before I was really stuffed (I’ve never been that full after eating in a village before…maybe because we had some time also). Anyway- sometimes I do not know whether or not I should try to eat all of it or not…because, here’s the thing: as their guest, it’s important to show them that I respect them by eating as much as I can (and PH mentioned that he’s glad I am a good eater as I do not “shame” him in the villages)…but also, when the guests/men (warriors) are done eating, I see them give the plates to the children and I see the children just go wild over a plate…and so then I think, gosh, I shouldn’t eat as much.
Also, during this time- 5:30pm-is when we see a whole herd of cows come back from grazing and are standing about 100-200 feet away and then on the other side a whole line of cows just keeps coming and coming…and this is when PH says-“well, we definitely stayed until the cows came home today!!!” This is what I meant by my title!!
Before we left Pastor Malaki and PH went to look at the cows (SO many) and Pastor Isaya stayed with me and some young boys came over because I was taking a picture of the pastors among all of the cows…so of course they wanted their picture taken! (It’s good that I am waiting until the end to bring out the camera because gosh do they go crazy!) I got a couple cute pictures though as these boys were all smiling and laughing and very excited! Good thing I had Pastor Isaya with me to help control them as they don’t really understand the meaning of “Wait!” They all just want to see the picture so badly… haha We finally left about 6pm and dropped everyone off and I was back at “home” about 7:45pm! I started writing immediately, because if I would have waited I would have put it off and I am going to yet another village tomorrow so I will have more to write!!
**Something that has been on my heart and mind during my time here (which PH and I have discussed) is the fact that denominations more often than not divide Christians instead of uniting them…I mean isn’t that the whole purpose of the CHURCH?!?!? I guess one should ask, What is the Church?!?!? Is it a building we go to once (maybe twice) a week?!? No. The church is every single one of us…it is all believers/followers of Jesus Christ…
…this makes me think of the rltshp. between Catholics and Lutherans here in Tanzania…supposedly they get along pretty well…and PH said this past Sunday a few Catholic women even came to communion! But the Pentecostals seem to think that they are the “correct way” to Jesus…in fact- in the village we went to today some Pentecostals had built a church in a different part of the village and they have “taken” much of the congregation from where we worshipped today and are telling them (even if they’ve been baptized by PH) that they are not “saved.”
Something PH said last Sunday is what I’ve heard before, but it resonates so much clearer now… He said, maybe instead of telling other denominations what is “wrong” or preaching do’s and don’ts among them we should be teaching about Jesus Christ…
And that’s what is wrong with denominations all over the world today… I believe that they can be good- because people are different and having denominations helps someone to find where they “fit-“ or what helps them to pursue their relationship with Jesus…but sometimes the purposes and intentions of denominations get to be more focused on their doctrine then on Jesus Christ…who, if we look at the early church-formed Christianity…shouldn’t this be the most important thing that unites us all?!?!?
And Especially with Eucharist…for this is supposed to be a symbol for ALL Christians to UNIFY them together to remember that Jesus’s body and blood were shed for ALL...that means ALL, every single believer/follower of Jesus Christ. If we exclude people, how is that showing the world that Christianity, that Jesus Christ is different…that he is NOT of this world?!?!
Ok~ that’s my spiel for the day!
Praying that you are strengthened and encouraged wherever you are at today by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!
For His glory,
Alana :)
Tuesday March 4th
Whew. What a day! I am SO exhausted after returning at just 7:45-8pm…probably because I’m dehydrated and I was out in the sun a little today…I didn’t think that little bit could give me such a headache and make me feel like plopping into bed right now!!
After a breakfast of peanut butter/banana toast and morning devotion I had about 35-40 minutes to chat online and work on uploading pictures…its good to have internet again!! :) PH and I took off about 8:50am (just the two of us, so I got to play Luka and sit shotgun! Luka is out building a church in a village this week)! After about 40 minutes we pick up Pastor Malaki!!! He has become one of my favorite people- and a good friend!! Then more people fill up the car and I don’t know anyone elses name/position until we arrive… which wasn’t for another 45 minutes or so as we took a Secondary Road for a while and then a Tertiary Road into the bush!!
We arrive about 10:45am and are greeted by even more (3) Evangelists…I have seen them all before- Yohana (John)- he is super tall; Simon; and one I do not know. We all get chairs right away and sit under a tree in the shade of course. So I sit and listen for a while/chat a little a bit…I find out we have another Pastor with us-Isaya- and 2 other Evangelists- Safisheli and one a bit older. They were all very nice and asked me the typical simple questions. Pastor Malaki also tried teaching me some greetings in kiiMaasai! Then the washing of the hands occurred, and tea with Maandazi followed shortly after.
I was glad I brought my Bible out with me to sit this time because I did a LOT of sitting today amongst many more men than usual…and I would have gotten a headache earlier from listening to so much Swahili!! :) Therefore I read a lot of Scripture today! But it was good, as I am preparing a little message for the Wednesday night Worship Service here @ the school. It’s in English, and Grant usually runs it so he asked me if I wouldn’t mind speaking as the students (Secondary) all like seeing someone different speak!!
The men talked all morning- before and after tea- and then it was about 12:35pm and I decided today I would have to venture out in the bush by myself because there was absolutely NO way possible I was holding it all day long- especially after only one mug of chai!! So, I just got up and casually walked away into the trees to find a good spot!!
Then we sat a little longer until PH tells me that we are going on a little walk to a nearby primary school where there is a government meeting behind held (which is why no one was showing up for the service and it was almost 1pm already)! So all 8-9 of us take a walk through the bush and eventually come to a little clearing where I see the school and a very tall tree and many people sitting in chairs underneath it…also the two cars were hard not to spot (Government vehicles)! It was probably only like a 15 minute walk but when we arrive we of course have to go around to the different groups and shake hands with everybody!! There were some Maasai, and some Government officials, and also a handful of people who are taking community development classes through a University in Morogoro that were at the meeting to listen. I felt pretty proud of myself as this was probably one of my first settings where I heard so many different greetings and had to know how to answer the different ones…I also greeted some people first. Anyway-it was a real test for me!!! I think I faired well, as people seemed surprised… especially those few that just say “Jambo” because I am a mzungu (white person-automatically associated with tourist)…but when I answer “Sijambo” instead of replying back with jambo, they know that I know some Swahili! I think I have mentioned this before but I have really grown to just despise hearing that word now… PLEASE I beg you- even if you come to Tanzania as a tourist…just learn a couple basic greetings-they really are so easy and it makes life so much more fun and the people really enjoy hearing even just one or two words of Swahili!!! :)
For about 20 minutes or so we stand in a half-circle around a man (a Government personnel?) and listen as he speaks about maendeleo (development). However, of course I get stopped for a few minutes as a few men asked my name and where I was from…which I can understand and express very smoothly…but after that I really have to pray that my brain works- but sometimes people just speak so fast and my poor brain does not have the time to register the sentence(s) and pick it apart…as that is what one has to do with Swahili as there can be a subject/tense/object/verb all smashed together in one word!! I’m getting better at explaining that I am here for 3 months to study Swahili and that I will return to America to finish school in May. One man told me he wants to teach me kiiMaasai but not now- and so I said, but it is a lugha ngumu (difficult language) so siku ningine (another day), which we both know won’t happen! Haha
Then we walked back, only to sit some more…but on the way Pastor Malaki and the cute older Evangelist wearing yellow took my bag and my bible…gosh they are just so kind- it’s not like my bag was even heavy! I sit and read some more Scripture, greet some more people- as about 7 Maasai warriors show up…PH even registered 3 young warriors today and that was something big. I wish I could explain to you the faces of these young men (probably 18-22)...one especially- he hung around all morning just quiet- and PH gave him a small kiiSwahili workbook as many in this village were not literate…and then later PH said to me- “that’s what I thought he was hanging around for-he wants to be baptized!” About 2:30, as the Pastors were getting ready to begin the service, a young man on a bike stopped and called to me in English- “Hello-how are you?” I answered in Swahili and then he kept going with questions…which I knew most of the sentence but again, he was speaking so fast I had to ask him to repeat and he was asking the typical questions in a different way than I am/have been used to…anyway- we talked for about 15-20 minutes so my Swahili repertoire was certainly stretched!! Then the service began finally at about 3pm! It was pretty small but people crowded in- about 85 I think (including many children)! I sat in the back on a bench beside a couple big mamas. Today, the two Maasai pastors (Malaki and Isaya) as well as the other Evangelists and a couple warriors all formed a mens choir (which I LOVE of course) so they were able to sing (and “grunt”) and there was also a small (but mighty) children’s choir!!
3 baptisms, a sermon, communion, the offering, the send out song/shaking hands and the service is officially completed. They did have to auction off a few kitenges though!
Then it was time for the akwardness…where I just stand there and let the children look and touch my skin and my hair. Gosh, today the women were really obsessed with my hair as many of them were touching it and feeling it even during the service- especially my bangs, as they love to push them away from my face, only to have some of them fall again!
Well, I decided after a few minutes that I would go see if it was time for food…but it wasn’t so I went back inside the church, which was empty except for a couple little girls who were playing the traditional drum (in this case, in this village it was like a plastic empty gasoline container or something). I asked the girls if they liked playing the drum and then before I know it I’m surrounded by about 10-15 boys and girls again. Sometimes I can understand their questions- and then that leads to more discussion topics! Using the time is always safe- so I recognize that question, and they love to look at my watch of course. Also, they ask if I like the sun and I explain that it is nice here because at home right now in my country there is much snow and ice and cold! Sometimes they ask if home is mbele (far) and I say- yes, very!! Oh, today (between some kids saying give me! about my watch and bracelets one boy who was probably 15 asked me how much it is to fly on a place here…I simply said, a lot!!
Finally, it was about 5:15pm and time to eat…so I get to be quite the honorary man today as there were so may people eating! I got to drink another mug of chai and actually had the best and most food Ive eaten in a village so far!!! We were each served a big bowl with lots of rice, a couple potatoes, a little (brown) beans, and I had just 2 smaller pieces of goat meat (not even any bone so this was definitely doable)! I ate almost all of it before I was really stuffed (I’ve never been that full after eating in a village before…maybe because we had some time also). Anyway- sometimes I do not know whether or not I should try to eat all of it or not…because, here’s the thing: as their guest, it’s important to show them that I respect them by eating as much as I can (and PH mentioned that he’s glad I am a good eater as I do not “shame” him in the villages)…but also, when the guests/men (warriors) are done eating, I see them give the plates to the children and I see the children just go wild over a plate…and so then I think, gosh, I shouldn’t eat as much.
Also, during this time- 5:30pm-is when we see a whole herd of cows come back from grazing and are standing about 100-200 feet away and then on the other side a whole line of cows just keeps coming and coming…and this is when PH says-“well, we definitely stayed until the cows came home today!!!” This is what I meant by my title!!
Before we left Pastor Malaki and PH went to look at the cows (SO many) and Pastor Isaya stayed with me and some young boys came over because I was taking a picture of the pastors among all of the cows…so of course they wanted their picture taken! (It’s good that I am waiting until the end to bring out the camera because gosh do they go crazy!) I got a couple cute pictures though as these boys were all smiling and laughing and very excited! Good thing I had Pastor Isaya with me to help control them as they don’t really understand the meaning of “Wait!” They all just want to see the picture so badly… haha We finally left about 6pm and dropped everyone off and I was back at “home” about 7:45pm! I started writing immediately, because if I would have waited I would have put it off and I am going to yet another village tomorrow so I will have more to write!!
**Something that has been on my heart and mind during my time here (which PH and I have discussed) is the fact that denominations more often than not divide Christians instead of uniting them…I mean isn’t that the whole purpose of the CHURCH?!?!? I guess one should ask, What is the Church?!?!? Is it a building we go to once (maybe twice) a week?!? No. The church is every single one of us…it is all believers/followers of Jesus Christ…
…this makes me think of the rltshp. between Catholics and Lutherans here in Tanzania…supposedly they get along pretty well…and PH said this past Sunday a few Catholic women even came to communion! But the Pentecostals seem to think that they are the “correct way” to Jesus…in fact- in the village we went to today some Pentecostals had built a church in a different part of the village and they have “taken” much of the congregation from where we worshipped today and are telling them (even if they’ve been baptized by PH) that they are not “saved.”
Something PH said last Sunday is what I’ve heard before, but it resonates so much clearer now… He said, maybe instead of telling other denominations what is “wrong” or preaching do’s and don’ts among them we should be teaching about Jesus Christ…
And that’s what is wrong with denominations all over the world today… I believe that they can be good- because people are different and having denominations helps someone to find where they “fit-“ or what helps them to pursue their relationship with Jesus…but sometimes the purposes and intentions of denominations get to be more focused on their doctrine then on Jesus Christ…who, if we look at the early church-formed Christianity…shouldn’t this be the most important thing that unites us all?!?!?
And Especially with Eucharist…for this is supposed to be a symbol for ALL Christians to UNIFY them together to remember that Jesus’s body and blood were shed for ALL...that means ALL, every single believer/follower of Jesus Christ. If we exclude people, how is that showing the world that Christianity, that Jesus Christ is different…that he is NOT of this world?!?!
Ok~ that’s my spiel for the day!
Praying that you are strengthened and encouraged wherever you are at today by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!
For His glory,
Alana :)
No comments:
Post a Comment