Preacher(wo)man

Wanda knows how to preach.  

She says that when she got saved, the Bible was food for her.  Like she had never eaten, she devoured it.  She read it and "canned" it.

"You know, like if you were canning peaches or green beans?  You got your peaches over here and your green beans over there.  One day I may need peaches, so I pull 'em down.  Another day, I might need green beans... they're right there on the shelf, canned and ready, so I pull those down. When you "can" your food, it is preserved and is on the shelf whenever you may need it."

Wanda tells me how she pulls one those cans whenever she's preaching.  

The first night in Bissil, she uses her Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar "can".

Since the church is just a foundation in the ground, a tent has been constructed in the middle of Bissil, as the temporary facility.  The tent is pieced together, with no roof over half of it.  It also has been vandalized.  Someone has come and slashed holes all along the walls.  Apparently, church is offensive everywhere.  

As we get out of the truck, we hear the music blaring and someone singing over the microphone.  We find our seats and take in the people as they slowly trickle in.  Many of the women come in their traditional, Maasai clothing, others do not.  None of the men do.  

The Maasai clothing is an eclectic mix of colors, patterns and beads, all of which are vibrant and beautiful.  99% of the traditional women, wear their hair cropped to their head.  Large, triangular shaped earrings, are sewn directly into the tops of the ears (at least that is what it looked like) and dangle down close to their necks.  Some of them have stretched lobes which they wrap beads around.  

The traditional Maasai man is intimidating in his glare.  Most are tall and very thin.  They wear a garment that reminds me of an African version of a kilt.  They mostly don't wear shirts, but drape a large piece of fabric, diagonally across their torso.  Many of them carry a staff of some sort and have a large knife, or machete tucked in their waistband.  The men also are decorated with beads and stretched lobes, which, when not in use, they pull over the tops of their ears so they don't dangle.  

I am reminded of the song, "do your ears hang low... do they wobble to and fro... can you tie 'em in a knot... can you tie 'em in a bow..."

Sorry, it just played in my head every time I would see their ears.  (how rude, I know.)

I wish I could post a picture of the traditional Maasai man here, but, well.... they were scary and I didn't have a telephoto lens.  They do NOT like having their picture taken and if you do manage a shot, they shake their staffs at you, or ask for money.  Since neither of these things appealed to me, I concentrated my camera only on the women.

Needless to say, we didn't see any of the traditionally clothed men in church.

The music starts to intensify as the crowd grows.  A new song starts and all the women giggle. They look at us with a cross of embarrassment and excitement.  One of them starts to dance. Another follows.  Soon there is a line of women, circling the congregation.  They are doing their Maasai dance.  

Bending at the knees, they take a step, bob up their head, pop their neck.... bend, step, bob, pop... bend, step, bob, pop.  It reminds me a little of a chicken, scratching at the ground, looking for food.  Me, being me, I have to jump in.  The poor women try to instruct me as we go, nodding encouragement as they laugh at me.  Bend, step, bob, pop....  it takes concentration.  I imagine this dance being taught at the YMCA, in Zumba and can't help but laugh.  

Nelly introduces Leon to the church and asks him to introduce the rest of us.  One by one we get up to say something about ourselves or give a message.  When it's my turn, I, of course, cry.  My emotions don't seem to have a cut off point and my exhaustion level helps exacerbate the tears.  I manage to squeek out some kind of message...  Something to encourage, but mostly, I just sniffled.  I see Margaret in the crowd.  She smiles her encouragement back.  I don't know what it is about this girl, but I am drawn to her.

As Wanda stands to take her place at the podium, everyone shifts in their seats.  They hover on the edge, aware that the main course is getting ready to be served.  The women lean, elbows on knees, hands clasped together, hungry.

The men, sitting separately from their wives, look like they are torn between eagerness and skepticism, or is it just my imagination?  Have they ever seen a woman preach?  

In Kenya, men and women don't do things together.  There is no partnership involved.  Women and men are not seen holding hands or being affectionate.  You rarely even see the man look at his wife.  There is no chivalry, no friendship, no companionship, no joy and ultimately, no love. Many women are literally not "allowed" to speak, move, DO anything, until their husband has instructed them to.  I understand this is a trend in many places around the world, but to witness it first hand, is painful.  

Wanda and Leon don't play by these rules.  Leon is a gifted musician.  His comfort zone involves a guitar strapped over his neck, while his wife preaches.  Leon plays, Wanda preaches. They flow... together.  Wanda however, is the mouthpiece.  A powerful mouthpiece.

This seems to set the men on edge.  Not all of them, but most.  

They just don't know what to do about a woman preaching in their church.  Not just one woman, but three!

But, Wanda can preach.  

She can't see her Bible in the dimly lit tent, so she doesn't even open it.

She stands, microphone in hand and takes a deep breath.  She looks at Joseph, he nods, she starts to speak.  

"Tonight, I'm going to talk to you about Daniel..."

Joseph is a good interpreter.  He follows Wanda's expressions, her inflections, her gestures.

I am sitting at the side wall of the tent, positioned to see the congregation's profile.

I watch as Wanda gets farther and farther into her message.  The men begin to shift.  They go from slouching to sitting up.  They begin to lean in, their eyes big.  Absorbing.  She's pulling them.  They are holding on.  

She talks about those "3 hebrew boys" and how they dance in the fire, a 4th figure beside them, King Nebuchadnezzar is confused....

  

I see a man raise his arm and let out a hoot.

Another claps his hands.

Still more are laughing and nodding their heads.

I smile and look at Leon.

"your wife can preach!"