So many people are leaving! One long term and two short term volunteers from the church have left this month. A long with two other friends who were volunteers through other programs have gone home this month. It’s great to meet so many interesting people, but sad to then have to say good bye. Leah, the other girl here with lahash is also going home, this week.
It is beautiful the emphasis and importance this culture puts on good byes. Perhaps a little annoying how formal and long they are, still have to put that one in there : ). But I really appreciate the time that everyone takes out to show their appreciation and love for a visitor/friend/coworker. When the short term volunteers left, we had a big lunch. There were speeches about how wonderful they were and how much of a blessing their time at the church had been. Emotional for people who had been there for a two weeks. I thought it was great. Another great tradition is the gift of kitanges. I’m sure that’s not spelled right but the huge pieces of fabric that people make into dresses or just wear. Beautiful peaces of fabric. Often times they have saying on them that are important when they are given as gifts. The person being honoured is wrapped in the kitange and then many pictures are taken. Beautiful way to say good bye.
The last week leah’s dinner schedule has been booked! I have been also able to tag a long. Once people realized she was leaving so soon, everyone wanted to have us over for dinner. It was important to people that they had a chance to share a meal with us to show appreciation and properly say good bye. Many of the church workers don’t speak English very well but they still wanted us to be in there homes. It was great to be able to see another side of their lives. I spend so much time with them at church. I have seen their heart to serve the people around them. It’s easy to forget the many of these people working at the church don’t have great living situations either. Some fathers are absent in families, people are sleeping on couches or a family is sharing on room. It has been really fun have a chance to experience that.
Another side note that has come along with Leah leaving—She and I made dinner for our host family, we are living together right now. We made chilli and cheese bread and fruit salad. We feed 16 people! It was epic to cook this meal in Africa! First we had to get everything that we needed in town. Walking all over, first to the market, then to the wazungu shop (white people store), then the spice shop, finally trying to find everything else on the street. After trekking it all home it took us a couple of hours to cut everything up in our hands, open cans with knives, cook everything on a coal stove outside. It’s pretty different from cooking at home. Throws a little twist in it all. The chilli turned out really good! I think the family enjoyed our effort too to feeding them all. It was difficult to explain to the kids that although this was typical ‘american’ food, it wasn’t what we ate everyday. It’s difficult to explain the variety that most people have in the states. I really enjoyed being able to share that part of my life at home with them though.
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