I just had a conversation.

Steve and I just finished an amazing conversation with Pr. Hafermann.  We got on the topic of yesterday's wedding after Pr. told us that Luka left his phone off for the past twenty-four hours after the event. Ha! Our conversations went to so many places.  I want to write down as much as I can remember.  So this will be stream of consciousness and may mean very little.

The wedding was obviously filled with Luka's relatives, most of whom are Muslim and they really enjoyed the service.  Apparently it was a very big deal that everyone could join together in such a service under the unity of the God of the book.  The pietists often have trouble with things like this.  About ten years ago there was a man who wore his Muslim head cover to a wedding service and one of the church elders nearly ripped it off.  Since then there has been a large push in the Lutheran Church in TZ against this kind of separation.  Pr. Hafermann told him not to do that and since then has taken every opportunity to remind people that we can live together in love.  I guess piety and legalism are and have been quite troublesome here.  Of course, this is rather similar to our context.  There are always people wanting to kick others out for premarital relations or demon possessions or sharing with Muslims or even being Masai.  But the Church has grown against this grain and has taken the stance that the only Church discipline necessary is that laid out in Matthew 18.  A revolutionary and grace-filled chapter where in the end those departing from the Church teaching are to be treated as tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus ate with and worked harder still to love tax collectors and sinners.  The wedding also hosted a large amount of Catholics yesterday.  Many of whom chose to commune.  This is happening in many places in TZ.  The body is becoming one through the sacrament and hospitality that is the eucharist.  The Church has also been a place of unity for the villagers and the Masai.  Apparently the Masai are often understood to be nothing but a bother.  But the Church has grown against the grain in this way too.  The Church has grown geographically in a triangle.  This triangle happens to be home to many Masai and as Luka's father has said "Lutheranism is now a part of the Masai religion."  In every church there are a large number of Masai mixed in with the village.  The sermon yesterday just happened to be over the verses about building on the chief cornerstone.  So it was way good since Luka is a builder.  We also discussed hospitality in the use of the altar.  It doubles as our meal table prior to worship.  The biblical connection is obvious.  And the theological implication is huge.  Church extends far beyond the formal ritual and the act of hospitality.  Finally, we discussed a builder who will be at the village we visit tomorrow.  He was once into black magic.  His charms and things were torn down and cast out by Ass of God folks (who later called the KKKT a den of iniquities to which the response was, of course we are, that is why we confess.)  Soon after he became schizophrenic and was committed.  Luka knew him well so he went to talk with the man who listened intently and somehow the schizophrenia left after baptism.  Ok.  that is all for now.