Living in a Village

We journey to Sinhuan Sunday morning so that we could make it to church before settling into where we would be staying for the next two nights. We enjoyed worship in English and Mende (their native language) and a sermon by Father Abraham who planted the church and is also a teacher at the school. Father Abraham praised God because he has 9 children and his oldest in currently in University. For a man living in a village to have a child in university is a testimony to how God can provide miracles! After church we walked with Father Abraham to where we would be staying. They put us up in the chiefs house and so unlike many other huts with dirt floors we had a cement ground! Then showed us the bathrooms in the back of many of the huts. One was covered with palm trees and rocks at the bottom to do your business (this is also where you bath) and the other (for #2) was also covered with palm trees and a cylinder block you could sit on! After getting settled in we walked with the children to see the women making palm oil..and after helping them for 10 minutes I was exhausted and yet these women were at least 50 years of age who had been doing this for hours already! Then it began to pour and we ran to father Abrahams porch where we sat together eating mangos until the rain cleared!

            Once the women returned Courtney and I helped prepare dinner. We did not know the language very well so she would show us how to do certain things and we would mimic her. As we cooked they played music and the children, moms, and dads began dancing (MTV style) and would laugh and Courtney and I when we would try to dance with them.

            As night fell it was pitch black. We began to get out head lamps out as the children crowded around our home. Then Uncle Ben (another teacher from the school) brought out a lamp, as other brought instruments, and chairs, and then the worship party began. We danced until 11pm at night! To watch them dance is truly remarkable because, you can see the joy in their eyes as they dance, it was amazing.

            No matter how late I go to bed I always wake up early and this was no different. People begin waking up at 6am fetching water and preparing for work for the day. Children must do their chores before they leave for school so I watched as children swept and walked up and down the hill fetching water. The morning were my favorite times because I felt apart of their culture! I said BAE (how did you sleep) as people walked past and they would respond Cyangoma (praise God) and we would shake hands to greet one another. Once everyone was ready we walked through the swamp, across the forest, and in a village together to get to school!

            The next night was another night of dancing, singing, and praise to the Lord! This village holds a special place in my heart because of people like Father Abraham and Uncle Ben who have been faithful to the Lord and have brought hope into their village by shining the light of Jesus!