Cherry, challenged me to experience God in a new way this year because I am in a new culture. When she wrote that I balked and thought God is God. But, here in Africa, God is different. With no power most of the time and no radio to listen to evangelists, no movies, DVDs, or tapes but just fresh hot air and time in sorta silence. ( Remember we have chickens, roosters, and goats that run around the place, and more children then Tom grew up with in his neighborhood, who play on the grass (soccer pitch) in between our house and the next and people walking past saying hi all day) Seems you can hear God rejoicing a little more and see what makes Him weep a little clearer.
The nursing school is next door as you can see from the last pictures with only a barbed wire chicken fence between. Last weekend, on Saturday the Catholic community of nurse students did the reading, drama, and music of Christmas. I was sitting outside reading “The Tipping Point” and the music just kept coming and coming and coming. Did I tell you Africans can carry a perfect tune, even the Catholics. So I ventured over to be closer and had a wonderful surprise. If you have never read “The Best Christmas P agent Ever” you need to. It is funny and really true. It is a “experiencing God in a new way” through someone else's eyes. Like reading Phillip Yancey. I got to the program when they were doing the annunciation by Gabriel to Mary. The angel had on a mosquito net to make her angelic. When she comes to Joseph and tells him with the beautiful expressions of the Ugandans it was so tender. Pregnant? OH! His questions and surprise made the scripture real. Then he goes to tell Mary he will marry her and they both pray to God for strength and wisdom. They make the sign of the cross every time they pray. To see 2 young kids with there heads bowed praying about what was going to happen in there life made me ashamed. When had Tom and I last prayed for wisdom together calling on the names of God the FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT?
The music continues, the readings go on and the drama next is the angel coming in the mosquito net to the Shepard’s and they come see Mary and Joseph and bring the naughty sheep who come into the small house and baa baa baa and disturb the furniture and baby and everyone. In the Ugandan way greetings are the most important part of any conversation. If you do not greet properly you have insulted in the highest way. The greetings go on while the sheep bleet and wander, but, Joseph and Mary are welcoming and happy for the visitors. They enacted it so well. I paused to wonder, when people come to see me or call, why I am not as gracious. I feel sometimes annoyed when I am not, I am just being selfish. What is more important then relationships???
The next drama is 3 Wise “Mans” as they say here. Because this culture has been at war for so long and with so many tribes and foreign people the drama was different. Rather then the wise “mans” going to Herod, Herod has them hauled in by the military, who are none to gentle thinking this is a spy party of foreigners. Which, in this area, we are cautioned to be on the look out for, always. So, the 3 “mans” have to talk to Herod and the military stand around and enforce answers. With fear the “mans” tell why they are here and what they want and Herod confers with the military and the rest of his crooneys and send them on the way with suspicion. The “mans” slink off and find the baby. Josephs greets them with “You are welcome” as they come in with an entourage. They take over his small house and pass the baby around and all the presents get passed around like a wedding shower. Then they leave and have a fight about which way to go back to the East. It was perfect. Kinda like a summer vacation where everyone wants to something different and then your all mad. So the fresh look at God and His story seemed a little more real with people who didn't speak exactly like I do, who didn't think exactly like I do, and who don't look like I do. But, have seen much more of the Bible in there own lives then I do. Military occupation, war, famine due to a really long dry season, disease's killing children, having to walk everywhere, and doing laundry in a bucket. Who better to act out the story. Oh yea, and when songs are sung and you wonder if “heaven is suppose to be like that won't it be boring” when you are in the states, but then you hear them here. You aren't bored, your heart even sings the songs with. Even my voice blends and sounds better... Africa, I suggest it to everyone for Christmas.
