Humbling

Last Monday I saw a number of children in the sick bay at school. 2 of them had malaria and one was just feeling unwell with a high temperature and a cold. I arranged a vehicle so that we could take them home, as they just felt too unwell to stay at school for the rest of the day. I accompanied them, as I had to give their medication to their parents/carers and explain why they were home from school early. Driving around the local villages was a real adventure. Our driver pulled off from the dirt road onto a small mud path and started to drive between two huts. It turned out that behind the huts I have been seeing on the sides of the road as we drive backwards and forwards to and from GSF there are huge communities. I hadn’t realised but if you follow the web of tracks you will drive into massive villages and see large communities living just out of sight of the main roads.

As we took each child to their respective homes I was humbled by the people I met. We would park the van and walk to the homes (as the van could not reach all the homes and the roads only went so far).  As we would walk through the maze of paths between homes children, mothers  and grandmothers would shout out and wave to me. The children were all crying 'Muzungu' and wanting me to wave and acknowledge them. We reached the homes and the whole family always greeted me. If the children were off playing nearby they were called to come over and shake my hand. It is custom here for children and women to shake your hand, kneel on the floor and look downwards. It is a sign of respect but I have been finding  this very difficult, as I want to pull them up and say ‘you don’t have to do that for me’. It has been and continues to be a very humbling experience but one which still sits uncomfortably with me when it happens. I have been told that as it is a sign of respect and gratitude and something that children are taught to do from tiny. Children will kneel to any adult when they meet them so they should not be discouraged as that is the culture here. This will be something that I will just have to get used to. 

My enjoyment and humbling experience in the village continued when we reached one of the homes and a heavily pregnant lady got up off of her chair, brought it over to me and insisted that I sit on it. I felt slightly embarrassed that I should be the one to sit down. Another family wanted to give me food. When we left each of the families I would be thanked for visiting their home. I loved meeting such wonderful families that afternoon who are full of joy and gratitude for something I did which was so small. They gave me a lot to think about in how I come across to others and how I can always have a good attitude in all things. 

I pray that God will help me to deal with the feelings that are produced in me when I am greeted like this. Feelings of unworthiness and embarrassment and that I will learn to embrace this greeting as part of the culture that I am in.

Micah 6 v 8 "…And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?"