More Chickens

Day 16 – Sunday, February 14, 2010

So we started off today by going to mass (it’s Sunday). In Africa, a Catholic mass is so much more lively than even the Baptists in the States. There is a pulse to the mass that everyone in it is part of the celebration. It makes you think about how excited the apostles must have been. The choir was easily 50 people, and every song automatically had about 15 different harmonies. It was incredible! I don’t think my ears even heard or could distinguish the different tones within each song! Also there were a group of 20 kids, 5-10 year olds, that danced up the aisle in front of the alter boys (but behind the initial alter boy with the cross), and to bring up the gifts, and to present the book for reading. Now I say they danced because it was gorgeous, but really it was more of a shuffle. However, every one of them were in perfect unity shuffling from side to side, and slightly up the aisle. Really there’s no way to sufficiently explain it, but it was beautiful. Mass was 2-1/2 hours long, though as much as I’m shocked to say this, it didn’t feel like it. Plus it was in the local tongue of Kombo, so not a lot was understood, but the priest did repeat the homily in English for us.

Of course we were the center of attention. Every child had their eyes turned on us and when we’d smile, they’d coyly turn away then look through their hands to see if we were still smiling. The coolest part of mass was during the bringing of the gifts. One little girl brought a live rooster, with it’s legs tied, put it on the alter, and left it there as if this were completely common. Apparently (if you read a previous blog), chickens are something that are highly coveted and a big gift. The crazy part was the rooster just sat there, didn’t make a peep; I think it knew it was in church too! No one really would have noticed it was there if you didn’t see the girl carrying it up.

Also I noticed the local people were surprisingly short (in height). I was average height (at 5’5”) with only a handful of people taller than me. That is not a feeling I experience very often. Everyone was very dressed up and there was a clear dichotomy in the population. The wealthy had very nice clothes and extensions, and poor people did not. Every child there, as I previously noticed, was perfectly behaved, didn’t squirm at all, and some as young as 10 were even there alone (without parents).

After mass, we took a combie to the clinics to set up for tomorrow. Apparently our new site is a 40 min drive each way. That will be a bummer, but the road isn’t too bad, and I plan to bring a book. The clinics are set in a local convent run by Franciscan nuns from India. The ladies that run the permanent clinic are lovely and enjoyed my very poor Swahili. We had a small valentine’s day celebration with decorations and red plates, and a few of us (mom and I included) brought chocolate for everyone else. It was fun! I got a card from my dad and one from my mom with a cute small gift. Plus the Sees chocolate I brought my mom are miraculously in perfect condition! Not melted in the slighted! I spent the remainder of the day relaxing and inputting data. That’s the problem with having my own room…I’ll use it to stay up late when I should be asleep….like now! Night! I hope you all had a fantastic Valentine’s!

Summary: Mass had a lively pulse but was not brief.

Read: 7 books (the new Miley Cyrus/Nicholas Sparks movie: last song….really good!)