Sunday 2: The Sequel

We, once again, donned our church lady clothes and headed over to Chelston Presbyterian.  The minister, had not forgotten that Linda and I asked if we could go to Sunday School with the kids today.  He says "where are my American veeeseeetors?" a couple of times before we realize he is talking about us and we went up and got in the line of children marching out the door.

Outside, could have been a scene from any Sunday School (except it was outside) as the kids all had to grab chairs from a pile and put them in a circle....not easy...and who is going to sit next to the white women?  We are a bit of a curiosity and the children are not running and jumping on board our laps as they do at The House of Moses.

Everything starts with a song, and as they are singing I am trying to write the words down for our Sunday School.  There is a boy in a 3 piece black suit and another in a white tux jacket, with tails, like a concert pianist would wear.  Some of the girls are in fancy dresses with well worn rubber boots or some other incongruous footwear.  At one point, some older boys are talking and the teacher asks them to stand in the middle of the circle and explain what she just said (sound familiar?). 

The lesson is simply taking a few verses of the bible and asking "what is your understanding of this?" to random students.    After reading one of the verses, the teacher turned to Linda....who put on her deer in the headlights look and stammered out, "could you repeat it?"  I have to tell you, I knew I was going to be next AND still had to have her repeat the verse.  We sang a song about running and shaking your body (pronounced booty) and off the kids went - apparently to run back into the church and get their offering kwacha (by the way, inside, when offering is taken everyone goes to the front and puts their money in one of three buckets depending on what area you are from).  The kids collect the offering in an open bible.  More music and then it is just play time!  We asked if we could take a picture of the group and the teachers were thrilled - everyone likes to see themselves in a picture. Then the two teachers literally ran in to join the choir (sound familiar?) and the kids just ran around outside (that's right, unattended! there must be a shortage of lawyers in this country as kids are pretty much allowed to be kids at all times.  Choking hazards be darned!)

Linda and I convinced some of the older girls (who were joined by some smaller boys who wanted in on the action) to sing some of the songs so that we could record them.  Can't wait to share some of these with the kids!