I didn't take any pictures on the day I went to church; I don't think anyone would have taken offence, but I thought I'd stay on the safe side. I took this on another day.Religion is very important in the village. From what I've seen of Africa, it seems to be very important in Africa.
On Friday night, I asked Daoudi (one of the grandsons of my host family - he's about 18) if he liked church. His face - his whole being - was transformed with the thought of church: "Eh! I love it so much!! I love it too too much!!" I asked him what he liked about it, but he just said he liked everything.
So I was intrigued to see what was in store. Wild exciting gospel singing? Preaching delivered by charismatic demagogues?
Church mostly consisted of sitting quietly while someone preached in Luo (which I don't understand) or the congregation sang in Luo (so I couldn't join in). If I'm honest, the whole affair was perhaps a touch more plain than I had imagined. The benches were not quite uncomfortable enough to cause physical pain (always worth looking on the bright side!). I sat quietly, read the bible when the preaching happened, and largely wished that I had the freedom of one of the chickens that had wandered into the church and strutted across the stage as the church elders preached. At least it only lasted 3 hours!
On the way to church, I asked Daoudi (my church-loving friend) about his future plans, and what he wanted to do. He said he wanted to be a policeman, and he was going to pray to God to make him rich. I asked him if there was anything that was important in becoming rich apart from praying to God, and he couldn't think of anything. Even after prodding him by suggesting hard work or intelligence, he agreed they were relevant, but praying to God was most important. I wondered how much of that fatalism was underlying the culture that I've seen in the school's management. Is the absence of any budgeting in the past because the committee always thought the school's future was more in God's hands than their own?
On Friday night, I asked Daoudi (one of the grandsons of my host family - he's about 18) if he liked church. His face - his whole being - was transformed with the thought of church: "Eh! I love it so much!! I love it too too much!!" I asked him what he liked about it, but he just said he liked everything.
So I was intrigued to see what was in store. Wild exciting gospel singing? Preaching delivered by charismatic demagogues?
Church mostly consisted of sitting quietly while someone preached in Luo (which I don't understand) or the congregation sang in Luo (so I couldn't join in). If I'm honest, the whole affair was perhaps a touch more plain than I had imagined. The benches were not quite uncomfortable enough to cause physical pain (always worth looking on the bright side!). I sat quietly, read the bible when the preaching happened, and largely wished that I had the freedom of one of the chickens that had wandered into the church and strutted across the stage as the church elders preached. At least it only lasted 3 hours!
On the way to church, I asked Daoudi (my church-loving friend) about his future plans, and what he wanted to do. He said he wanted to be a policeman, and he was going to pray to God to make him rich. I asked him if there was anything that was important in becoming rich apart from praying to God, and he couldn't think of anything. Even after prodding him by suggesting hard work or intelligence, he agreed they were relevant, but praying to God was most important. I wondered how much of that fatalism was underlying the culture that I've seen in the school's management. Is the absence of any budgeting in the past because the committee always thought the school's future was more in God's hands than their own?
Hi Sanjay (or shall I say Sunday?) your blog really brings a smile to my face! Sounds like you've been philisophising as hard as you've been working! Wishing you plenty of success for the rest of your placement. :)
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