Sunday in Africa

Sunday in Africa (like in the US) involved a good amount of free time and relaxing. It started with a wonderful breakfast of pancakes before walking to the church. Our food here has been very good, even the self-categorized picky eater was saying that the food has been good. Lots of cabbage, chicken, rice, and fruit.  Tonight at dinner they had even made popcorn for us (which has served as dinner alone for me more than once, but they also had spaghetti for us).

Our group walking to church along the dusty road. We have a new appreciation for foot washing!

At the end of the day we were all reflecting on what we have most enjoyed about our first 48 hours in Macha. Nearly every student said that it is the people here. The people are so friendly and welcoming, the people are so joyful and happy - in the face of a hard life with few resources. The difficult thing is seeing how little the average person has in comparison to the wealth of resources we have available in the states. It was especially interesting to see that the students are struggling with realizing the disparity of wealth with the people here in comparison to ourselves after only two days, and that the missionaries who grew up in the country and have served here for years are still struggling with this same thing. Perhaps there are some things that are very difficult to deal with, very hard to grapple with in our minds, and there is no solution that we can give. We are simply asked to do our best - knowing we are not the solution, and that there may not be a solution. This does not mean we should do nothing – but that we should do what we can with the Love and Joy that God gives as we do what He has asked of us.  

Andrea holding one of Gideon's Grandkids.

Amanda showing kids a video of them dancing the chicken dance on her camera.

A side note on Joy:  Church this morning was very fun. The music and singing were joyous and beautiful (and with a phonetic language we could sing along with words we did not know), and the sermon was about… Subtraction! (By the way- I love math- but the pastor talked more about the spiritual aspects of subtraction.) My two favorite parts of the service were 1) the special music by the local girls school (a boarding school) singing a beautiful song accompanied by drums, and 2) when the pastor and his interpreter got the giggles during one of the translating moments!

All of us at the Macha District Brethren in Christ Church

After Sunday Dinner (chicken and potatoes) we took a group walk to the Macha Dam, Gideon’s shop, and to the local soccer match. At Gideon’s shop many of us purchased fabric chitenges like the women wear and use here (some students even got ones decorated with Bob Marley). We played with the kids, and played with the adults (a checkers like game). Finish it off with a Soccer match (we’re pretty sure the Macha Sparrows won) and some Duck, Duck Goose (sorry Minnesotans, I can only teach them so much here, so no Gray Ducks), for a perfectly fun Sunday in Macha!  

Playing Duck-Duck- Goose with the kids. Apparently, they didn't get the idea of tapping your head, but instead wacked it if you were goose ;)

Macha Sparrows vs Someone else- can you spot the barefoot players?

PS. Thanks Evan for the photos.