Great Sunday!

Today was an extremely inspirational day.  Genie and I were able to attend the local branch of our church.  So awe-inspiring are these sweet gentle people.

We had a difficult time finding the address, Nielson our sponsor, thankfully drove us there.  We did finally find it next to a small river in a kind of slummy place.  Extremely narrow and horrendously rutted dirt roads, really shouldn’t even call them roads, they should really be called pathways, that is if you had the constitution and ability of a mountain goat!  (And Nielson did bravely drive them!)  Anyway, little tin shacks littering the hillside in a sort of jungle-y area.   The meeting was held in a large tent up the hill from the river.  It was a sort of a windy day, so the flaps of the tent were whooshing back and forth.  And as we had had a hard time finding the church, we were quite late arriving and the meeting had already started.  So this is our entrance.

Picture this:  2 older white ladies walking into this large, white tent as a sea of smiling black faces turns towards them.  The people in the congregation all break out into the most welcoming face-wreathing smiles.   The speaker is speaking in Swahili, but he too flashes us a quick grin.  All the men and boys dressed in white shirts with ties, some a little shabbier than the others, but you could tell they were so proud of themselves.  The women all wore their beautiful brightly colored “kitange” skirts and head dresses.  Several little children, difficult to tell if they are boys or girls, as both boys and girls have shaved heads,(this is a very common practice here) and they are wearing the kitange, stare at us with fascination.  But more beautiful children you have never seen.   After the speaker is done, all people (including us), stand and sing out a favorite church hymn with joy and fervor.  The words are sung in Swahili, but I recognize the tune.  The tent was rocking with song and spirit, especially when it came to the chorus which everyone clearly knew and loved.

Next comes another speaker (who every now and then inserted some words in English,) and more songs with energetic standing singing, then the meeting ends.  We were then swarmed by these lovely people, giving us hugs and kisses, wanting to know our names.  We were quickly “Dada Anna” and “Dada Genie”  (Sister Ann and Sister Genie).  One fellow was a cripple in a clearly hand-me-down suit which was cut off above the knees.  He had on some knee treads and hand treads made out of tires which he could crawl on the ground with.  He was so kind and friendly.  He welcomed us whole-heartedly.

We then went to Sunday School class where I heard the best lesson ever.  The teacher would teach one sentence in Swahili, then repeat it in English, the English clearly for our benefit.  He also asked Genie and me questions, including us and bringing us into the group.   After class they once again surrounded us and were friendly and begging us to return.

I just have to say here:  This is how religion should be. I don’t care what religion you are.  Simple.  Loving.  Accepting.  Welcoming.  Minus all the dressings and added fol-der-ol that we more affluent people seem to like to add.    I heard testimonies this day in class that the teacher had invited people to give.  These testimonies were simple and true, that I will never forget them.  A wonderful, wonderful day,

(Sorry, no pictures.  I didn’t want to invade these sweet people’s privacy, I will take pictures of the outside next week when we go back)