18 September, 2013

Can you bring me one please?

   I went with Marlin this morning to deliver the food parcels for the widows at "Nyongonga" (our church) and on the way home we swung into Nakumatt for groceries. Nakumatt is a large, very modern grocery store just minutes from the compound. So i'm walking down the aisle, and a young woman jumps out and stops me. When i looked at her a second time i remembered her from before when i shopped there. She stands in the toilet paper aisle, recommending a certain brand.
   She tells me that she has been looking for me and i never come and now finally......she has a request. She thinks my white head veiling is beautiful and she would like if i could bring her one the next time i shop. I was so flabbergasted I was practically speechless. I know, a very unusual feeling. It is very common for the native women to wrap their heads in beautiful head scarves but i can't say i have ever thought a plain white one would be considered beautiful outside of someone who has a personal conviction to wear one. So i stand there, scrambling for something to say. This is the same sweet young lady who asked me the last time if i'm a "sister." Meaning catholic nun, who wear a very similar head veiling to the mennonites, just a whole lot larger. The catholic nuns also wear a style dress that is very similar to the traditional cape dress so it's understandable that she would wonder if i'm a nun. But then she went on to tell me that she thought i was a nun until she saw my children and she wondered if i was a naughty nun. I burst out laughing and assured her that i was neither naughty or a nun.
  I don't remember what i exactly said but told her i'd be back and have been pondering since. The last thing she needs is a white head covering, she needs Jesus! Yes, i believe in a christian woman covering her head but..... in talking it over with Marlin i think he hit the nail on the head. Don't take a veil but take Jesus to her. Ask her if she knows what it symbolizes and take the conversation from there. It would be so much easier to take her a veil, after all it's only a piece of material, and then walk away, but i have this sense that God could use this to kick open a door to her heart. So pray for me, please? I don't want to present "religion" but a relationship with God Himself, but how i do that in an aisle of toilet paper will take Holy Spirit wisdom.
 

3 comments:

  1. This is SOOOO good! I have no doubt that you will share in a way that makes Jesus real to her. God be with you! What a wonderful privilege! And yes, I will be praying. And you may feel free to tell her that you have a friend in the 'ol US of A that thinks you are indeed naughty in some fun (and appropriate) ways....and that your friend misses you terribly! Love you!

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  2. *big grin*
    Thats a new description of you that I NEVER would have thought of! Naughty nun... I'm still laughing!

    How exciting to see not only your path to Africa open before you, but now to hear how a fantastic opportunity to share life - the Life - just popped up in the TP isle! That in and of itself will circumvent religion, for sure!

    I will pray for her - this precious one who sees a physical covering with her physical eyes, while the eyes of her heart are seeing a spiritual covering and yearning for it and the beauty your surrendered life demonstrates. (that was a mouthful! does that qualify as a run-on sentence?) Anyway, I will pray for her, that her heart will be fertile soil, ready to receive the Word of truth. And, of course, I will pray for you!

    "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee..."

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  3. You guys are the best! I wasn't even sure i was going to post this and Marlin obviously decided that it needs to be....what a pleasant surprise to see 2 comments waiting. You have no idea what comments mean when in a strange land, surrounded by strange people.

    Bille, i almost said naughty but not a nun on the post but thot that might sound completely inappropriate to the wrong person. I should've known you would think of it! I miss you too!!!

    Licia, i'm laughing with you. The Kenyans are very straightforward and that can be a stretch for americans but i love it. I deal best that way and it also opens the door for me to be straightforward with them.

    Thanks for praying!!



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