Sunday, August 23, 2009

Standing Out

I almost didn't make it to Hosanna church this morning because I thought I would be late and I hate being a bad example. Plus it's not easy to slip in because everyone's facing the entrance when you come in, so everyones sees you. But I still went and there were no seats on the outer edges of the congregation, so I had to walk in the middle. Once I found and open seat and went to sit down, Mariama (the lady I'm going to help with her English and her daughter's in my class) grabbed me and was trying to tell me something something was wrong with the way I was dressed, but I couldn't understand what she was saying. So, she took my hand and guided me out (through all the people mind you!) I kept checking, making sure my skirt wasn't backwards since it has a split. But it was fine and I just didn't know what I did wrong. Finally we get out and her and her friend directed my attention to my zipper. It was completely open! It must have popped! So her friend kept messing with it, trying to get it to zip right and Mariama was offering to go get me extra cloth to wrap around me. Somehow her friend was able to fix it and I just made sure my shirt covered it in case it decided to pop again.
Talk about embaressing! And all those people I walked in front saw my zipper wide open! I'm just sooooo thankful I knew Mariama and she took care of me :) I just love how people take care of one another here.
After I went back in and sat where I was originally going to sit, I realized that I wasn't late and that the other M's that usually go there weren't there yet. So this made me feel a lot better. But since I was the first one, I sat in between 2 Africans, and one asked me if I could understand. I said no, that I speak English only. He said he only knew English "small, small", so looked around and got the translator to come sit next to me. Another big production! I just can't blend in here at all! And then the translator has a loud voice, so I felt bad making all the people around me have to bare with my not knowing French and need for a translation.
At the beginning of the church, the pastor has everyone sing a song by people group and I continue to be amazed at the great diversity. At least 10, probably more, different types of people and languages spoken. It's all the tongues coming together to worship, I love it! The other Americans finally trickled in, and as the pastor was urging us to get up in front, my translator was talking to the guy next to him so I didn't know. Otherwise I would've gotten up. However, I kept watching to see if they were going to go up front and then I was going to follow them. But no one ever got up. Next time I plan on having something prepared in advance and will jump up when no one else is up there.
So this morning was very interesting to say the least.