I woke up this morning to a rooster. It seemed a bit surreal but I secretly have always wanted to wake up at a farm and this seemed the closest thing so far. After thirty seconds or so I began to hear goats chatting, motorcycles working, and Nigerians singing as the morning hustle and bustle began. It was good to see our electricity was back on (it has been out the majority of the past two days) and I discovered that our bathroom actually has a lightbulb as I got ready for the day.
Adrie and I went to the Clinic early to enjoy devotions with Pastor Ben. He is an animated speaker but the Nigerian way is to sit quiet and attentive until he gives the command “Praise the Lord” in which everyone replies “Alleluia.” The Nigerian accent is still a bit difficult for me to understand but I got the gist of what he was saying about living in a way that is pleasing to God. Being surrounded by those suffering from HIV this had a fresh outlook on the plan God has given each and every one of us. After prayer I went to Team E with Dr. Kuno, the pediatrician, who graciously allowed me to sit in until lunchtime and experience his ministry. I ended up being bookkeeper/secretary at our lone table in the room and thought it was interesting to hear every person’s story. Many of the patients only spoke Hausa (which Dr. Kuno said he wanted to help me learn) but were willing to let the doctor translate for me to be involved. An added bonus was being able to hold the babies coming in for check-ups who, although I am a scary oweebo (white person), loved on me as much as I did on them. Dr. Kuno named me Cate for the remainder of my stay after trying for a while to pronounce the “tl” combination in my non-Nigerian name. Luckily I am always down for a new nickname.
After a tiring morning full of people we shared lunch with John and Kristin back at the apartment complex. This couple from Colorado is here for two months serving at the Clinic before joining the Peace Corps. At twenty-five they seem to have a lot of insight into life and remind me of my friends back home. Today’s mealtime discussion revolved around missions, the American culture, and materialism. (Again, they would fit in very well with my circle of friends!) We wondered out loud if we as white middle-class Americans could every fully become Nigerian in our lifestyle and mindset and, even more difficult, ever been seen that way to Nigerians. Sharing stories from our upbringings in different states across the US, along with the politics and media that is thrown at us we decided...no. We will always have a little American consumerism and need for independence in us rather than being able to enjoy simplicity and community like the people here. But John and Kristin believe they will be able to appreciate this new culture and bring as much as they can back into their own way of living in the United States. I hope to do the same. Along the same lines Biana shared that the most frustrating thing to her about Faith Alive are visitors. People come for a couple weeks at a time to learn more about AIDS, the ministry of the Clinic, and the Nigerian culture but end up doing more harm than help because of their American mindset. We are moved through giving of material possessions: food, clothes, money, we’ve all given to charity and that is a GOOD thing. But what isn’t good, Biana went on to say, is that the children in this neighborhood are given gifts from the visitors and now have the mindset that white means money. Americans see poor Nigerian children and hand them candy, take their pictures, and make sure they have a new toy to play with. Because of this children follow us around and hold our hands expecting something besides love and acceptance in return, something free they can eat or play with before we go home.
Frustrating. But important to wrestle with no matter where you are.
I’m glad God is giving me things to start chewing on now. I know they won’t be solved at the end of this trip, or when I get home, or when I’m forty and raising children. But I do know that God has brought me here to learn and serve and love. And that’s what I plan to do to the best of my ability.
1 comment:
I found it extremely depressing when read today in the Bono bible that even in the poorest of the poorest cities in Africa you will most likely see a Coca Cola. we care so much about sending them our materialism, but do nothing about their well-being.
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