The day I ate matunda ya pori.

As Pastor Hafermann said on the way back to seminary this evening after worship with the Masai, "Today was like walking into a giant family gathering."  From the beginning, this day was something different.  As the Mchungaji mobile rolled on into the village we were welcomed not by the usual crowd of women and children, but by the village men.  So many moreni and wazee came to shake our hands and welcome us to their village-which just felt more close knit than the normal community.  This was really one of the first times outside of soko that we have been able to sit with the men for a long time.  Hospitlaity in the form of food was extended as usual. The Masai are incredible.  Tea and goat met us soon after entering.  If I can find goat in the US I may consider giving up the whole vegetarian thing for good.  We caught up on the news of Kilosa and other current events and were brought by Johanna-this giant beast of an evangelist-to see the riverbed from which the village gets it's food.  Right now, there is little standing water, but if one digs just a little bit she is able to strike a lot.  The cattle were brought through as the tour continued.  Everything revolves around the cattle.  Church even speeds when we can hear them coming and waits for many to be watered before it begins.  This, of course, has given birth to a strong relationship with the animals.  They are treated with very much respect.  

On the way back, I kind of fell behind to try to find people to talk to.  There were some moreni herding with whom I spent some time.  Then I found these two young kids, maybe 5 or 4 staring at the other wazungu as they walked by, so I snuck up behind them and growled.  The shot off so fast.  The moreni behind me were cracking up.  From time to time, rumors spread among kids that we are vampires and things.  So I live by Zero Mastel's "If you got it, flaunt it!"

Church took an especially long time to start today as there were many registering for baptism.  This was fine because we were able to get to know people through Steve's picture taking and fly catching ability.  Ha.  He does amazing in the villages.  It is so cool to see.

Worship was held under the shade today.  This time the men sat on one side and the women on the other.  Sara gets to be an honorary man when we are in these situations.  Anyway, there were these beautiful trees under which we sat.  The congregation was split under two small groves so we were quite spread out.  After the introductions of the guests (ritual hospitality) and a very passionate speech from this older minister about Mabogeri, we went ahead and butchered the song, "Hakuna Mungu kama Wewe."  Wartburg choir strikes again!  

There were a lot of baptisms again today.  From all age groups and both sexes-wazee, moreni, watoto, and mothers.  People are so happy to be baptized. Christianity is so vibrant here.  Peter noted that the sermon called to mind a new testament image as Mch stood in between the two shaded areas and preached to a bunch of people just sitting and resting in the heat of the day.  We could actually understand most of the sermon today.  Which is good because we take our final exam in two days.  Communion in this village, and in some other Masai places, really feels like a meal.  Especially among the young men, who talk when they receive it as many are doing so for the first time.  It is very inviting.  I really like that after baptism and communion, Mch explains what just went on.  This really makes liturgy the work of the people.  We could take a page out of this book in the states.  So many people just do the sacraments or listen to the rest of the liturgy with very little understanding or reflection. Here, people's brains are engaged and awakened by these things.  They really come to understand and find meaning in these things.  In many of these villages the literacy rate among adults can be between 40% and 70%.  The verbal teaching is so important and Church becomes so vibrant through it.

After service, there was dinner and a show.  We finally got the warriors to sing and jump for us.  Steve has s video, I sure he will post it.  If not, I will show it to you all when I return.  

The village is in the stages of establishing itself and it needs 2,000,000 shillings to buy some land.  They are very close to it.  So we got a tour of the land, full of trees and sand.  A beautiful place.  I really hope they get it.  On the tour we spoke to this somewhat awkward evangelist who honestly just doesn't realize that we can't always undersand him.  So he will just talk and talk and talk.  Ha.  It was another enriching day.  

Oh and last night, after sitting around for a while I decided to head to the common room...good idea. I sat down and said hi to this young person thatI have never seen before. Celuscious is his name, his aunt works in the kindergarten here and he is in form five at the secondary school studying history and swahili and english. We spoke for a real long time about government. This kid was brilliant, very interested in obama and what I thought about everything, But also had so muc insight on everything. And he told me about his struggles because he is from a very very poor family. He told me about going to school and how blessed he has been to be the first one in his family ever to make it into secondary school.  There was even a time when he had to go home for months during the year because his family needed help, but he still managed to pass his exams.  Very bright.  The exams are very strenuous here.  There is not enough money in the nation to send every one to school so after primary school there is a national exam for enterance into secondary school.  Then there are exams after form 2 and then after form 4 to enter into 5 and 6 which is basically like junior college.  After that, you are basically drafted by the government to go to college.  On top of it there are a ton of fees and corruption as someone with amazing grades and no money will not be permitted to continue but a Bush type can go on.  Like a more extreme version of donating a wing in the US.  People's future depends on this stuff so hearing about the difficulties is wrenching.  

But ten minutes into the conversation he said "Tim, I think we are friends. I want your phone number and email and adress. When you go home, we will still talk." This is how friends are made here. it takes like 10 minutes. People treat each other differently here. Good night.