Getting acclimated... and learning to go with the flow.

“You know? I don’t remember the movements… Haha!” Mantsha, my new friend of less than 24 hours turned to me and exclaimed. We were assembling in the back of the performance hall getting ready to bring forward the offering from the Young Adults League (which I apparently am a pseudo-member of now?). My jaw dropped for a moment… “Movements? We’re dancing?”

At this, the Eastern circuit rally for the installment of the new Dean, we had seen many of the leagues and groups bringing monetary and musical offerings forward in front of the hundreds of people in attendance. Spirits were high, people were celebrating and the celebration of being able to bring forth an offering had been going on for at least an hour. First, at the conclusion of the worship service, individuals came forward dancing and singing in languages between which I still can’t quite decipher the difference. But always with a rhythm in their step, arms waving and smiles on their faces. This manner of coming forward was repeated many times- each time with a new group and a new song. Then at the start of the rally, each of the 10 parishes within the circuit were asked to come forth. (A parish is a group of several churches, often served by a single pastor) Then each of the leagues- Prayer Women’s league, Prayer Men’s league, Young Adults, Youth (with vuvuzelas in hand!!), Sunday school, etc came forth. It was wonderful to sing and dance and experience the excitement. Each time that either Mantsha or our other friend Mpho would go up, they would bring me along to give an offering. This time was the most important and planned for, it seemed. The Young Adults, being a newer league, were eager to sing and dance well for the assembled crowd.

So yes, just moments after finding out that we would be dancing (with more than just a rhythmic step, I mean) I found myself watching the feet of the people in front of me, mouthing the words (which I still am not sure of) and laughing at myself as I worked to catch up. =) It wasn’t too bad- just a special back and forth step through the verses, and then at the chorus a turn with the rhythm and a deep bob at the knees at the end. And the words sounded something like “Vie…something, something... Fanta”? Hahaha- I’m not sure. But I seriously made some people laugh as they watched the clearly confused American struggling to dance and most likely singing the wrong words… It was wonderful.

More often than not, this seems to be the way of things here. Suddenly, thrust into a new unexpected circumstance and all you can really do is try to keep up and then laugh at yourself. I have learned not to ask too many questions because there often are not answers yet. The day unfolds as it will and I am often told “no stress”- which I have come to equate with “it’ll all work out” or as my mom always says “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it”.

I especially have learned to completely abandon the word “when”. First of all, the conception of time is very different- as the presiding bishop told me last weekend when we were driving from Soweto back to my compound in Bonaero Park, “You cannot be a slave to time- you must have time work for you.” When we work for time, it can drive us crazy… it’s relentless and constant. It is possible to become consumed by it and we, as Americans, often are. It is sometimes amusing for me to witness the clash of the “right now” mentality that we have as Americans and the “just now” mentality found here. If we were supposed to go to the store or something or we had day out planned and I told you that we are going to leave just now, you would probably start making your way towards the door thinking that it would be any second now. And if we were here, you would be 100% wrong. I’m still not sure what the window of “Just now” is, but I’ve experienced everything from 1 minute to 30 minutes or more…

The night before the rally, I stayed at Mpho’s house. After spending the afternoon with Mantsha, she was preparing to leave with her two year old son. Their car was parked within the walls surrounding Mpho’s home and she suddenly realized that her nephews had gone and locked the gate to her house. She quickly turned to her niece and said “Oh! They locked it! They need to come back! Did they just leave now now now now?” Hahaha. I nearly laughed out loud. To make it clear that she meant RIGHT NOW… as in just a few minutes ago, she said now multiple times. And although the niece agreed that they had indeed just left now now now now, it took them 10 minutes to turn around and get back. Conceptualizing time in this way and learning to look at it from a just now perspective has been really wonderful for me and has helped me slow down and stop pushing for answers all the time.

I can see that slowly but surely, I am becoming acclimated to this new place and this new way of living. Although I have not spent much time yet outside of my compound, I am learning a lot from the people who live here and the people like Mpho and Mantsha who have come into my life with their arms wide open, ready to welcome me and help me with anything I need. Whether it’s picking me up for a weekend of wedding planning, and 6 hour long church services or just sitting with me at night watching Generations (a South African soap opera that the staff here has me addicted to) people are watching out for me and showing me great hospitality and love.