Wednesday May 19th
Today we went to Sanga Sanga village. We had heard a lot about this village...not only was it
known for the Barabi tribe (different from the Massai) but it also was a typical place to
hear marriage offerings. The site at Sanga Sanga is still very new and complex because the people in that area like to move around and it is hard for them to stay in one area for a significant amount of time. Pastor Hafferman met with some leaders while the rest of us rested on school benches under a tree. After a couple hours some girls and I decided to show the nearby school children our bubbles and supplies that we had brought for the day. The school children weren't too fond of the bubbles at first as they ran away whenever the bubbles blew in their general direction. We showed them that they caused no harm and they eventually warmed up to the idea (and to us). We also taught them how to play London bridges and Ring around the Rosy. Someone then had the ambious idea of teaching them Duck Duck Goose. We all made a circle under the hot sun and taught them how to run (as well as we could in skirts). We changed the words to Moja Moja Mbili which means One One Two!! (the two we would emphasize so they new when to run.) They really loved that game and caught on fast! Not only did we feel like we created a bond but we felt like we eliminated a culture gap that was very evident when we arrived. We ended up not having service but we ended the visit with eating chicken and duck and watching the Barabi do their dating ritual dance.
Later we got to go back to the seminary and experience the Eucharist service which was the first service all in English!! Not only was it neat to be packed in next to seminary students who were reciting Lutheran literagy but it also made it more real to realize the worship shared all across the world. We were asked to come in front of the whole church and introduce ourselves and where we were from. It was a little nerve racking, but in the end pleasant to be a part of.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
"Sister Give me My Brush!"
Tuesday May 18th- Painting at Wami Dakawa
Today started the day of our volunteer building projects. We took the bus past Dar Salaam and into Wami Dakawa where one group stayed to help paint in inside of the church while another group headed to a different Massai church. I was at the first site, but everyone was fed before we split into groups. We were fed the usual snack of goat milk with donuts (more like bread) and flat bread. After having gallons of goat milk at other villages and being in the heat it is hard to drink another hot beverage, but we still are the honored guests. Afterward a group of girls and I started painting the inside of the church. We weren’t so sure if we would be able to do work since some men might struggle with the fact that females aren’t allowed to do that kind of work. It ended up going o.k. but we had spectators watching our brush strokes and I even had a couple guys take my brush away from me. One said, “Sister…give me my brush!” Stunned and unsure of what to say I just gave him the brush to avoid further conflict. The church was pretty simple but had more decorations than I have seen at any other village church (which doesn’t take much.) Some plastic flowers were hung up and a glass lectern was by the alter. In the end we painted the walls, doors, Luka got outside columns, and the alter.
The most surprising thing was Luka. He went to the hospital the night before and we were all praying for him and unsure of what he had but it turned out to be parasites. It was good he got to go along since he is a hard worker, but he hardly stopped and rested. ..God heal him.
We had our first lunch that didn’t have goat but pork instead and it tasted delicious. I noticed that when we were eating we sat with the men and the women were assigned their own designated spot by the fire and off to the side behind some trees. This not only bugged me in the fact that it showed inequality, but I also felt like I couldn’t communicate with the women at all. Maybe this is why it is hard to form relationships with women because they are taught to be reserved…just another observation of the culture.
We had a boy who was in the church the whole time watching us paint with a Minnesota Gopher jersey…not only was it shocking but also kind of humbling to see something from the Midwest in such a remote place.
Our painting job in the end (I’m sure in both places) was much appreciated and really fun to do. At the end of the work day they started playing songs with guitars so we could all come together through music.
Today started the day of our volunteer building projects. We took the bus past Dar Salaam and into Wami Dakawa where one group stayed to help paint in inside of the church while another group headed to a different Massai church. I was at the first site, but everyone was fed before we split into groups. We were fed the usual snack of goat milk with donuts (more like bread) and flat bread. After having gallons of goat milk at other villages and being in the heat it is hard to drink another hot beverage, but we still are the honored guests. Afterward a group of girls and I started painting the inside of the church. We weren’t so sure if we would be able to do work since some men might struggle with the fact that females aren’t allowed to do that kind of work. It ended up going o.k. but we had spectators watching our brush strokes and I even had a couple guys take my brush away from me. One said, “Sister…give me my brush!” Stunned and unsure of what to say I just gave him the brush to avoid further conflict. The church was pretty simple but had more decorations than I have seen at any other village church (which doesn’t take much.) Some plastic flowers were hung up and a glass lectern was by the alter. In the end we painted the walls, doors, Luka got outside columns, and the alter.
The most surprising thing was Luka. He went to the hospital the night before and we were all praying for him and unsure of what he had but it turned out to be parasites. It was good he got to go along since he is a hard worker, but he hardly stopped and rested. ..God heal him.
We had our first lunch that didn’t have goat but pork instead and it tasted delicious. I noticed that when we were eating we sat with the men and the women were assigned their own designated spot by the fire and off to the side behind some trees. This not only bugged me in the fact that it showed inequality, but I also felt like I couldn’t communicate with the women at all. Maybe this is why it is hard to form relationships with women because they are taught to be reserved…just another observation of the culture.
We had a boy who was in the church the whole time watching us paint with a Minnesota Gopher jersey…not only was it shocking but also kind of humbling to see something from the Midwest in such a remote place.
Our painting job in the end (I’m sure in both places) was much appreciated and really fun to do. At the end of the work day they started playing songs with guitars so we could all come together through music.
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