12 January 2015
During our stay in Tanzania, we have been attending the Arusha Community Church. This is an international, interdenominational, English-speaking church that was begun about 25 years ago by American Lutheran missionaries. Occasionally Tim preaches at this church.
In the last year the big Lutheran Cathedral Church in Arusha has also begun English-speaking services. This is an African congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). They have a Swahili service at 7 a.m. attended by over 1000 members. They have a second Swahili service at 9 a.m. also attended by over 1000 members. And now they have an English-speaking service with about 150 worshipers.
A few ELCA missionary pastors have been asked to preach and help lead this service. So besides teaching at Makumira Seminary, Tim has also been leading some services at this Cathedral Church. The church is quite large with a pulpit that is about 10 feet tall. The service they use is an adaptation of Setting I from the green Lutheran Book of Worship.
Recently the Cathedral Church celebrated Confirmation at their 2nd service. They had 150 Confirmands--the girls dressed in full length white dresses with veils, high heels and lace armlets. The boys were in 3 piece black suits.
The service began with a procession through the streets of downtown Arusha led by a brass band---150 Confirmands, and all their pastors an catechists in full robes! There were no police escorts--the traffic just kind of "gave way." Tim was the only white person ("mzungu") in the procession. It was quite a beginning to a very special day for these African Lutheran families. After the service, several families rent decorated cars to parade through town--also led by a brass band playing from the back of pickup trucks!
That afternoon we attended the Confirmation party for our gardener's twin daughters. They live about 5 miles up a dirt mountain road. Their modest mud brick house with a tin roof is located in the middle of their banana grove. There were 3 shaded homemade tent sites--one for extended family, one for the friends and neighbors, and one for distinguished guests including us as the only mzungu.
The twin daughters, who had just been confirmed, sat in a specially decorated booth with their attendants.
After 20 minutes of introductions of guests, the party continued with the ceremonial feeding of the parents and distinguished guests by the confirmation sisters. This involves each girl putting a very small piece of food into the mouth of the recipient while, at the exact same time, the guest is aiming to put a very small piece of food into the mouth of the Confirmand. First the girls fed us a piece of the confirmation cake tentatively "secured" on a toothpick! (Of course we were simultaneously balancing a small piece of cake on a toothpick and hoping to deposit it in their mouths at approximately the same time---not such an easy feat for 6'6 Tim and the petite sister who must have drawn the short straw before the party began!) Then the servers (neighbors) carried in a big table with some object covered with a white sheet and set it down where everyone could see.
When they pulled the sheet off, there was a whole roasted, fatted goat. Everyone burst into applause and African cheering. By "whole," I mean complete with attached legs, tail, head and hide, with a mouth stuffed with hay!
The servers then carved the meat off the goat in front of the guests. Then the twins came and served us the ceremonial pieces of the goat on tooth picks (while they also received a piece from us). When you are attending as honorary guests you graciously receive what is presented with gratitude and smiles. I was very brave and kept my thoughts on the kindness being extended---Tim actually went back for seconds!
The celebration continued with a DJ, music, dancing, the traditional presenting of gifts to the girls and a huge Tanzanian feast of fresh fruits and vegetables, stews, ugali, and pilau.
We consider ourselves very fortunate to be included in the spiritual and celebrative life of these Tanzanian families.
Yet, like so many things we experience in life, there is another side. The expense of such celebrations often costs more than the parents make in several months time. The average Tanzanian, if employed, earns less than $2 USD/day. By Western logic, it doesn't make sense. But these are a Collectivistic people. Their roots are firmly intertwined in their clan and with their neighbors (even including mzungu ). Tanzanians have a saying, "I am because we are." That saying embodies a love and respect and acknowledgment of their connectedness to one another. So to elaborately celebrate with your whole community one of the most significant events in your child's spiritual development is an expectation and a desire here.
We're learning to focus on understanding...and appreciating..and letting the judgments percolate until we are wiser---if even then.
Wishing you an interesting and Blessed 2015.
Tim & Diane
