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Published: February 21st 2010
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I went for a wander this morning round the backstreets and being Sunday could hear singing and music all around. I decided to join cykabare at his church since it is the first Sunday when he’s not been cooking for us and hence been able to go. His church was outdoors, under a corregated iron roof, with benches on the mud floor and wooden poles holding it up. They had a cloth backdrop and a table where the pastor sat. A new building is being constructed but to my eye it didn’t yet resemble a building so it’s some way off. Children sat on the floor on grass mats, or wandered around (their parents not really caring where they were) and one girl (the daughter of my translator) decided to sit on me - the colour of my skin far more interesting than the service. I had to chuckle cos it was the first (and surely last) time I’ve seen someone put up an umbrella in church too!
People were crammed on the benches, each with their bible in its cover that zips shut (quite neat), sitting pretty much on top of each other but then that happens everywhere. There must have been about 100 people (but that was the full capacity of the church). I had intended to leave part way through, knowing that their services tend to be long and also that cyakabare doesn’t speak English or French and so the chances of me understanding much was very small. That said, I was noticed, no doubt by everyone in the church, and a nice guy I’d met on the bus on Saturday who had saved me from a creepy man in that instance came to save the day again and took me to sit with him so he could translate the ENTIRE service for me into French! Above all the singing and shouting it wasn’t easy to hear but I got the jist of it.
It all started with a guy singing with microphone and loudspeaker (presumably about god and how grateful they are etc etc). then came the part where everyone who had had a problem or had been helped by god got up and told everyone else. First up was a lady who had had a 7mth old baby and he was well and weighing 5kilos. She and two friends sang about this for about 15mins before the next act was on…. A mum who’s child had completed secondary school and she was so grateful to god for helping her through this. Then up came the child and gave her account. Then up came a guy who had been cured of a mental illness… and on they went giving thanks to god and commenting on how they’d been saved.
There were many interludes of singing (that they just knew) and dancing - again chicken like style - up at the front of the church. Then came the part where visitors were welcomed (was I going to manage to hide and be unnoticed….fat chance)…. And then cyakabare got up and introduced me as his ‘sister’ and muggins had to get up too.... fortunately I’d been briefed this might happen and so I’d prepared something to say! My friend came up with me and translated - who knows what he actually told them though.
There were two sessions of giving money - with different pots for different causes; for the new church/ the sick/ the broken hearted. Then we had the sermon, which to be honest with you I have no idea what was said - I was shattered by this point and so the poor guy’s translation was going in one ear and out the other…. I did hear the last bit when he looked at the clock and apologized for running over… (the service now having been going for an hour and a half and no sign of finishing any time soon). This was followed by a scarey prayer session where people were screaming and shouting out and proclaiming things…. Apparently because they felt they had lost god.
Church is seemingly a community get together and so next up were the couple who’ve decided to get engaged. The guy getting up and then the whole congregation having to wait to find out who he had chosen to be his wife… I think some joke was made about me but I didn’t quite follow that bit. So when she did get up, there was music again and singing and dancing of the entire congregation EXCEPT the financés who looked as glum as anything…. I made a comment and apparently they aren’t allowed to show their joy until after they are married. The girl didn’t manage, however, to keep a straight face and this was remarked by the Pasteur after the musical interlude and this caused some amusement.
During the notices it was announced that they were going to raise money for Haiti (just imagine if everyone in the world managed to give the price of an apple - they would raise millions… actually that’s a really bad example cos apples cost an arm and a leg out here and I am desperately en manque 😞.
During the whole service the church had looked like harvest festival but all was revealed at the end when they started to auction off the fruit and veg to raise money for the church. Those who had been unable to bring money had brought produce to sell and so up got the guy in charge on the mic and started the bidding. Bunch of bananas….50fr, 75 anyone, 75fr, 100 anyone, 100fr 100fr going going gone! This went on, much to my amusement for another half an hour and a fair amount was raised. A kid had even donated their biro which went for a whacking great 1,000 Rwf (prob costs 20fr).
2 ¾ hours later the whole thing came to an end and I felt like I’d run a marathon! Fortunately we came home to a delicious cobbler (note to self to add that to my repertoire). Sorry for the length of this entry but it was quite an experience. any rwandan visiting a british church really would be disappointed by the lack of excitement!
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katy
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Hilarious and insightful as always! Love ya Jess!