You can't not feed someone

The Waswahili village we worshipped with today was pretty standard.  There are mixed feelings at this point over the standardness of the village visits.  We always absolutely love to go, they are the best part.  It is odd having the villages demystified as they have become.  Yet, it is also comforting as we feel like friends with people now.  We are seeing many of the same faces and are really beginning to form relationships and be more ourselves.  Like today, as soon as we entered the village I exited the car and after greeting our friends and the elders, went straight to the kids, not to blow bubbles in their faces which they absolutely love, but to talk to them and play ball with them.  This is much closer to what I normally do at home, unlike the awkward sitting in a white bundle that we usually do in the villages.  A very good visit.  The hospitality was a little different.  We spent much time standing after the service with no one to take us around or anything.  This is very uncommon.  I really didn't mind it.  It made it feel like home, but this is not common Tanzanian hospitality.  Mch. Hafermann told us that Luka would normally get on people's case if they left guests standing. Ha. Different strokes I guess.

Now a quick word about something that has been troubling me.  We eat a lot of food and are treated very well at the villages.  I understand that this is part of the culture and is really quite beautiful.  Yet, I question the justice of this while there is so much malnourishment and sickness.  I know that hospitality is certainly show amongst the community toward each other.  But still, the conscience begins to speak.  I asked Pr. Hafermann about it on the way to the village yesterday which was experiencing very much suffering.  I am still pondering his response and will certainly explore this with much depth and energy, but for now, this is a paraphrase of what he said: First, no one is ever turned back.  If someone comes around and there is food, she must be fed (Luka often has to provide for people while he is building.) Remember that the host gets to eat too! Everyone shares and the guest gets no extra.  (The entire village certainly feasts when we worship together.) No one is ever put out.  The table is just made bigger.  Often, guests offer things too, like money.  The reality is that the people simply don't have the option to eat well every day of the week so it is saved.  Sunday is special for everyone.  

So that is all for now.