I am exhausted. I could not make it through this whole day without taking a 20 min nap and falling asleep during one of the top 10 bumpiest car rides I've ever experienced. Not sure what those top 10 consist of except that at least one involved Tunisian off-roading and another involved the Caribbean. Anyway, this will be a short post for this reason.
Today began with a Swahili mass at the Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians Don Bosco Parish. One of the things I love about being Catholic is that the worship service of a regular Mass is relatively uniform and predictable across the globe. Today was not one of those days. It is the Sunday of Pentecost, and while I understood maybe two words during the entire Mass, I learned that the sermon was about unity. Tribal loyalty is of cultural importance here in Kenya, it is one of the most frequently addressed aspects of a person's identity; though it is becoming less so with globalization and modernization. We spoke with the priest after Mass to ask what his sermon was about and he said that the celebration of Pentecost was a celebration of Unity in Christ. That even though not everyone in the parish may come from different tribal backgrounds that they are all unified in a Catholic and Christian faith. That they could travel to the Holy Land and to Italy and to the Philippines and still hear the word of God and be one in the faith. This was a bit ironic to me because in the middle of the Mass the priest invited up all of the men that usually do not show up to greet him, shake his hand, and then proceeded to tell them to dress nicer for the sermon and accepted monetary offerings from them for the collection. This priest was also particularly funny. I didn't get any of the jokes he told (which were many) because they were all in Swahili with the occasional English punch-line, but the congregation could not stop laughing. I was later told by one of our drivers that that priest is the 'Martin Lawrence' of Kenya. If only I knew what he was joking about! I really wish every Catholic parish could be like that, with beautiful joyful music, dancing, clapping, and laughter. So much of the European/American services are so depressing and solemn.
After the stand-up routine/Mass, we went to a Nakumatt which is a chain of malls throughout Kenya. Anything you could possibly need is in a Nakumatt. We then had lunch at a Lebonese/Japanese restaurant which was delicious though unexpected. Afterward we went to the Karen Blixen house museum and learned about the woman and the 17 years she spent in Kenya as a Danish dignitary/wife/author/artist. If anyone has read or watched Out of Africa, you'll know who I'm talking about.
Perhaps I'll write more about her later, but as of right now, I'm tired and my computer needs to be charged. I'll just end by saying that if ever you have the chance to eat Chicken Katakata; do it.
Kwa Heri!
Erin
Today began with a Swahili mass at the Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians Don Bosco Parish. One of the things I love about being Catholic is that the worship service of a regular Mass is relatively uniform and predictable across the globe. Today was not one of those days. It is the Sunday of Pentecost, and while I understood maybe two words during the entire Mass, I learned that the sermon was about unity. Tribal loyalty is of cultural importance here in Kenya, it is one of the most frequently addressed aspects of a person's identity; though it is becoming less so with globalization and modernization. We spoke with the priest after Mass to ask what his sermon was about and he said that the celebration of Pentecost was a celebration of Unity in Christ. That even though not everyone in the parish may come from different tribal backgrounds that they are all unified in a Catholic and Christian faith. That they could travel to the Holy Land and to Italy and to the Philippines and still hear the word of God and be one in the faith. This was a bit ironic to me because in the middle of the Mass the priest invited up all of the men that usually do not show up to greet him, shake his hand, and then proceeded to tell them to dress nicer for the sermon and accepted monetary offerings from them for the collection. This priest was also particularly funny. I didn't get any of the jokes he told (which were many) because they were all in Swahili with the occasional English punch-line, but the congregation could not stop laughing. I was later told by one of our drivers that that priest is the 'Martin Lawrence' of Kenya. If only I knew what he was joking about! I really wish every Catholic parish could be like that, with beautiful joyful music, dancing, clapping, and laughter. So much of the European/American services are so depressing and solemn.
After the stand-up routine/Mass, we went to a Nakumatt which is a chain of malls throughout Kenya. Anything you could possibly need is in a Nakumatt. We then had lunch at a Lebonese/Japanese restaurant which was delicious though unexpected. Afterward we went to the Karen Blixen house museum and learned about the woman and the 17 years she spent in Kenya as a Danish dignitary/wife/author/artist. If anyone has read or watched Out of Africa, you'll know who I'm talking about.
Perhaps I'll write more about her later, but as of right now, I'm tired and my computer needs to be charged. I'll just end by saying that if ever you have the chance to eat Chicken Katakata; do it.
Kwa Heri!
Erin
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