Monday, September 17, 2007
On Hospitality and (Random) Meetings
We haven't been doing much in the office aside from sitting around and checking email, so the prospect of heading out of Lilongwe to go to another district on Saturday was exciting. Limbi, one of the guys from the office, took us to the Kasungu district on Saturday. The youth group from Kaning'a CCP (David's church) was visiting a village in that district and Limbi was one of the leaders. We went to a remote village that required navigating through a series of winding dirt trails. We passed through a series of really old one-story stores, passing a series of mudbrick houses and huts before stopping in a clearing, persumably where the village meets together. There was already a group of people under a long, straw-covered structure, and it looked like a meeting of some sort was going on when arrived.
Stepping out of the vehicle, I looked around and from the meeting area all the children started streaming out, running towards us, but stopping short in front of us. I said "Moni" (hello) to them and smiled, picturing in my head the next few moments, of kids approaching us and either shaking my hand, or waving... but that didn't happen. Instead, they all just stared at us. Esme, one of the youth leaders, told the kids to reply to me but I guess the whiteness of my skin (yeah I know, I'm considered white here, not yellow. It was a surprise to me too) completely overtook the kids' natural inclination to obey their elders. I've never felt more like a stranger than at that moment.
Suddenly from the right, out of nowhere a woman appeared, singing and dancing. Then another, and another. Okaaayyyy... Trust me, it was weird. You imagine being surrounded by 30 African children, all of whom are staring at you like you've got 3 heads, and then behind them from the right come a contingent of women singing and dancing. It was like a musical or something. A really, really, odd musical.
I thought perhaps the singing and dancing women were on their way to the bigger group of already-gathered people, and we just happened to mistakenly park our van in front of their planned route. Picture my utter confusion when they came towards us, and then instead of continuing to walk on, they turned and then surrounded us, still singing and dancing.
I assume most people at this point would be enjoying the sight of a host of women and children singing and dancing 2 feet away from you, but not me. Now I've travelled a decent amount (in Asia anyway) and think that I've got a fair bit of exposure to different cultures, but nothing prepared me for this. I was horrified to tell the truth. All I could think of (in my asian/western mindset) was, "Who am I that I deserve all this? Please stop... I'm not anybody special. I'm not bringing food, money, or even clothes... We're not even doing our water filter project here..." I didn't know what to do, or how to react. Most of all, I wasn't sure how to receive their welcome.
However, they continued singing to us after a few women stepped forward to shake my hand, it was like the floodgates opened and all of a sudden EVERYONE wanted to shake our hand and say hello. I was reminded of something that I just read in our "Cross-Cultural Servanthood" book, regarding hospitality: "You see, most of us know what true hospitality feels like. It means being received openly, warmly, freely, without any need to prove ourselves. Hospitality makes us feel worthy, because our host assumes we are worthy. This is the kind of hospitality that we have experienced from God, and all that God asks is that we go and do likewise..."
Their warmth (yes, the kids then followed the lead of the women and came to shake our hands) overcame my feeling of unworthiness and embarrasment. Actually, overcame is an understatement. Their warmth bludgeoned (yes, everyone, I like this word) the embarrasment away. The "Oh-crap-I-Just-farted-in-a-crowded-but-strangely-silent-room" look on my face disappeared and was filled with one of pure joy. I no longer felt like a stranger. I don't think I would have traded places with anyone at that moment.
We (Jeff and I) have made it a goal to get video of the next time we go to a village and are welcomed. We'll post it as soon as we can.
On Sunday we went to the opening of a one week event here, "Lilongwe for Jesus". Its a one week thing where they'll flood the city with people preaching and sharing the gospel. The last one was 20 years ago I think. Its an event put on by both EAM and Africa Enterprise. We showed up late, and on the field some of the organizers were introducing themselves. I just turned to hear someone say that they were an intern from Canada working with African Enterprise. I thought to myself, hey cool, another intern from Canada! I mentioned this to Jeff, but also shared that maybe I heard wrong, and maybe he said he was from Kenya. We were aways from the pitch, after all.
So we're going up to our seats, and I see the same organizers walking close to us. I look at the guy who introduced himself as the intern from Canada(Kenya?)... and I knew him! It was someone I knew from high school, Tapfuma! We looked at each other for awhile before we both yelled,"NOooo... What are you doing here!?!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MALAWI?" Granted, I guess his question to me was more valid, since he and his family are from Zimbabwe after all. But still, who would have thought that I would run into someone I know in Lilongwe???? I realize I shouldn't be surprised at these meetings anymore, since they seem to happen more and more these days. It was so good to see him, and encouraging to see the life that he is leading now. God is good, eh?
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Steve, that's insane! But it happened on the Great Wall, so you should have been prepared!