Please Pass the Napkin…

Yesterday afternoon at lunch I was sitting with John and Peter when I asked one of the napkins on a plate further down the table. They both turn to me and give me really shocked and confused looks so thinking they misheard me, I asked for the napkin again- same matching expressions. I pointed again and realizing what I wanted, they both burst out in uproarious laughter. They then informed me complete with hand motions that a napkin is what they put on children. (More laughter!) They are still telling that story tonight to to much acclaim. The other good story is days before arriving here to the conference, Eden lent me her phone so I could talk to John. He asked me if I had pants for the trip to Turkana and thinking nothing of it, I said yes. Peter happened to be with John during that conversation and he, as he later told me, was stunned to hear John’s question and asked him who in the world he was talking to? You see, here, pants means underwear and Peter wanted to know who in the world are you asking about their underwear? John informed him he was talking to an American and that is what they called trouser. That story is getting a lot of laughs tonight too.

The conference is coming along very well. We’ve had great sessions on Divine perception, Quaker history, leadership. Today I have been sitting beside Eden which I love as it reminds me of sitting beside Stacey at Riverdance. It was so fun to hear Stacey exclaim, “Wow! That’s a really hard step!” I appreciated the dancing so much more that way. It is rather the same here. I appreciate so much more the cultural context hearing Eden’s responses and getting to ask her a question or two. Though, by themselves, the talks are very powerful as they are. Some of the speakers in particular, tell it exactly like it is and I have appreciated that. I also have come to believe that every conference should have two full African children choirs to sing and dance. I have LOVED hearing and watching them, they are very fun to watch praising God.

Another thing I have found very interesting is the different position of Orion in the sky. He is laying on his side here low on the horizon and that more than anything brings the reality home that I am in a very different part of the world here.

I need to go as the dinner bell rang a while ago but I wanted to let you know really quick that my talk on Women in Ministry went very well. Jane, a Quaker pastor here, helped me with the cultural context and it was great. Eden was part of the group and I got a good response from her afterwards. This evening John and I presented on the Quaker Youth Book Project as one of the interest groups and that also went very well.

Off to dinner now. I caught site of the meat preparation yesterday. Most buildings are open air here, so I am now a vegetarian for the rest of the trip. I’ll see what else they have. 🙂

365-09 #349