On Sunday I really felt like a day in bed...but unfortunately I was headlining at Francis' church. I had agreed to sing one song with the choir - it had verses in three different languages - everybody joined in the Swahili and the Kinyarwanda verses, and not quite so many the English verse. I was surprisingly nervous, in the rehearsal the day before (which I thought would take 5mins, not involve me standing at the front failing to sing along to another 8 songs in Kinyarwanda awkwardly prancing about for an hour and a half!) it hadn't been brilliant - mainly because in Rwanda you don't sing in a certain key - either the singers start and the keyboard finds them...interesting to hear...or the keyboard starts (in my case) and plays it really low!!
Pam was faffing in the morning (a particular skill she has) as we had the pastor and his family coming for dinner and there was coleslaw to be made...so we were late, and I wondered if we'd missed the singing altogether, but luckily (sadly?) not! Fortunately they had changed things around a bit so that my song was first, and I was able to slope off back to my chair after the 20mins of dancing that proceeded it...I think even they could see that whilst I don't mind a bit of dancing, I was a bit uncomfortable standing with them at the front through all the songs I didn't know! No-one wants an uncomfortable-looking Muzungu cluttering up the place! I actually really enjoyed it, to my surprise, and just decided to dance like no-one was watching...whilst every pair of eyes in the church were in fact watching!!
Pam was faffing in the morning (a particular skill she has) as we had the pastor and his family coming for dinner and there was coleslaw to be made...so we were late, and I wondered if we'd missed the singing altogether, but luckily (sadly?) not! Fortunately they had changed things around a bit so that my song was first, and I was able to slope off back to my chair after the 20mins of dancing that proceeded it...I think even they could see that whilst I don't mind a bit of dancing, I was a bit uncomfortable standing with them at the front through all the songs I didn't know! No-one wants an uncomfortable-looking Muzungu cluttering up the place! I actually really enjoyed it, to my surprise, and just decided to dance like no-one was watching...whilst every pair of eyes in the church were in fact watching!!
The rest of the service was really hard work. I hate it when everybody prays out loud in kinyarwanda, half of them down microphones, and the cocophony of sound is overwhelming and people get worked up, and distressed and its like a scene from a disaster movie... Especially with thunder and lightning in the background... Honestly the biggest crash of thunder I have ever heard!
We came home and dashed around getting ready to host the pastor, his wife and their 4 children, which was fun. We had goat brochettes that we ordered from the local bar (see photo) and Pam made chips...in vast quantites! I did an Easter egg hunt with the kids as I had brought some little easter eggs from UK. They don't have any Easter traditions here, so were a bit bemused by the chocolate eggs, let alone having to find them all round the garden! They got the hang of it though! At the end, the littlest one was collecting bottle tops and when his mother asked him why, he said he was taking them home so that he could hide them around the garden and play the game again!!!! Sweet!
Then just when we thought they were leaving, there was a sermon of thanks, followed by prayers... then he burst into song and three songs later finally tailed off. I love him dearly, but I was so ready to sleep by this point! The nerves and trauma of the morning had taken their toll, and I went to bed very early!
Then when the cocophony ended, Pastor Francis began his sermon. 25 mins in he said, 'this is not actually my sermon, I haven't started it yet!' Then he began the sermon and talked for another hour - I had to read 4 bible passages to the congregation in English (thank goodness Pam was able to find them quickly for me)... And every time I started to lose concentration I was addressed by name to hammer home a point about hell or asked a question like 'how does the queen celebrate her birthday in England?'
Nearly 4 hours we were there. 4 hours!!!!! I daren't tell you what I was praying for! I got the giggles at one point too, but I managed to bury my head in my hands and pretend I was praying. He asked Pam to lay hands on all the sick... she thought there was only the one person who had sidled up at the beginning... so she shut her eyes and spent ages praying for this one woman... When she finally opened her eyes the rest of the congregation was standing at the front waiting for her heeling hands...the look she gave me was hysterical. Apparently they will get testimonies next week to see if anyone is feeling better... I want to know how many ask for a refund!
We came home and dashed around getting ready to host the pastor, his wife and their 4 children, which was fun. We had goat brochettes that we ordered from the local bar (see photo) and Pam made chips...in vast quantites! I did an Easter egg hunt with the kids as I had brought some little easter eggs from UK. They don't have any Easter traditions here, so were a bit bemused by the chocolate eggs, let alone having to find them all round the garden! They got the hang of it though! At the end, the littlest one was collecting bottle tops and when his mother asked him why, he said he was taking them home so that he could hide them around the garden and play the game again!!!! Sweet!Then just when we thought they were leaving, there was a sermon of thanks, followed by prayers... then he burst into song and three songs later finally tailed off. I love him dearly, but I was so ready to sleep by this point! The nerves and trauma of the morning had taken their toll, and I went to bed very early!
1 comment:
Awww, bottle top hunts :)
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