Sunday

About two weeks ago, Ronewa (grade 12 sister) came to my grade 3 classroom during break to introduce me to her best friend.  Now, at this point, Ronewa and I were getting along just fine, but she just seemed to be so shy around me so we didn’t talk much.  But she introduced her friend, we talked for a few minutes, then she mentioned how Funi, her friend, was going to be coming to church with her in 2 weeks.  “Wow, that’s kind of fun to be able to see what each others’ churches are like.”  So then they decided to invite me along. “Ronewa is always talking about how she likes having another older sister in the house,” Funi says.  This kind of surprised me, but was nice to hear as well.  So I agreed to join them, and then didn’t hear anything of it since.  Then this past Friday night, Ronewa reminded me, and said she was really hoping I was still planning on coming.  So I agreed again, and then asked a little about the church.  

It turns out the pastor of the church lives right down the street from us.  Every Sunday morning she walks to his house and then rides with him to church.  She grew up in this church and has since continued going.  A little background: She lost her parents a few years back and is now living with her aunt and uncle here at the house.  So, she also told me that she was going to be singing a solo this Sunday in church, too, and she was very nervous.  She attends church alone, other than the pastor whom she has a very close friendship with, and she was really hoping for some support from me and Funi.  Now, this is all fine and dandy, but I guess I didn’t completely understand.  So I asked a few questions about what song she was singing, when she had practiced, and so on.  It turns out at churches around here, there is a time where any person can come and sing, just as long as you have informed someone a few minutes before the service.  So she had called the keyboard player and told him, and that was it.  But the song was “In the Shadow of your Wing.”  I’m assuming many of you know this song, or have at least heard of it before.  I asked also if there was any reason she chose this song.  Now here is the fun part:

Before her mother passed away, she sang in the church choir/ band every Sunday because her mom had always wanted her to.  When her mother died, she stopped singing, mostly because she moved away to her aunt and uncles and no longer had a way to get to rehearsals.  But this was the first time, 3 years later, that she was going to sing, and she was very nervous.  So, come Saturday night, she came in my room and practiced with me for a while.  I loved this, and we spent some time working through some of the runs together.  And while I’m no gospel singer, the thing she needed the most was just some support and honesty, so it worked out well. 

So Friday, she came in my room to ask if I wanted to go to the store with her.  Saturday, she came and asked if I was bored, so we walked to the top of the mountain together.  And today, we went to church together.  Man, is it nice to have at least someone around here who is somewhat close to my age. 

So at church, it ended up being just Ronewa and I.  The church was small, it was freezing cold outside, and there was no English interpreter.  But the people here were amazing.  I received so many smiles and hellos, and no one just stared.  They all looked, then came and said hello.  The pastor said some of the stuff in English, then sent a man to go sit next to me so he could interpret for me.  I met the keyboard player, drummer, singers, and other random people, as well as some people Ronewa had known as a younger child.  She sang beautifully, and the church was so supportive of her as well.  I loved church today.  I loved the smaller congregation, the cozy feeling, and the fact that I wasn’t judged by everyone around me.  The message was so good to hear, and the singing and worship was so genuine.  I was surrounded by almost a hundred smiles, and it was wonderful.  There were no loud speakers or overused microphones, just what was needed.  The church was just a square building with a tin roof, and a small fence around the property.  The mountains were so close to the church, and the area was so rural with only dirt and small houses in view.  What a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  We then made it back home and sat in my room watching a movie on my laptop while we had some lunch.  Everyone else had gotten home earlier, eaten, and were curled up under blankets in their rooms.  By the end of the movie, we were both ready for some alone time, but being together was good for both of us.  God has provided me with a friend.  While the friendship is very different from what I am used to, being that we are of such different ages and cultures, I’m still so thankful for her.  

On this note, I should tell you that I have come to be so thankful for the friends in my life.  Yes, family, I consider you friends as well, so I’m not being exclusive and leaving you out J.  But having someone who knows you, cares for you, and can have fun and share experiences with you is priceless.  So thank you to you all for sharing this experience with me.

Happy Sunday to you all!