Many times I try to write
about our experiences here and how it should or at least could inform our
Christian experience in the US. I guess because that is the situation I am in,
a Christian from the USA that lives in Tanzania. However this past Sunday I was
made evidently aware of the difficulty for Tanzanians of experiencing some of
Jesus’ message that North Americans seem to take for granted and I really want to
talk about the experience of a Christian in Tanzania.
Since we now work in
seven different churches we sometimes mash up seasonal messages and services in
order to give as much exposure as possible to the rich liturgical tradition of
the Church. This resulted in us doing a foot washing service on Palm Sunday.
Which in fact worked really well since I focused on the upside down route that
Jesus’ triumphant procession took on Palm Sunday which worked easily into the
master becoming the servant message that is seen in the tradition of foot
washing that Jesus started at the Passover Meal.
However, as I was
preaching about the idea that Jesus was a different kind of king, as I tried to
convey in as relevant as possible terms what it would look like today for us to
copy his example of washing the feet of his students I saw confusion and
discomfort cross the faces of many in the service. I guess I should not have
been surprised, yet I still was.
You see, one of the
examples that I used is the hand washing that commonly takes place before meals
here in Tanzania. This works as an example because social order also determines
who washes whose hands. The lowest on the pecking order washes everyone elses
hands starting with the most senior and working their way down. I am serious. I
have seen arguments (playful arguments to be clear) started over whose hands
should be washed first. “Who is the oldest?” is the most common question, but
other factors, often unspoken also often enter in. Questions of wealth,
education, position, race, and of course gender can also play a silent role in
the decision making process. I say “of course” gender because unfortunately no
matter what the age, wealth, education, or position women always go last. That
is assuming that they are even eating with the men in the first place.
Part of the reason that
discomfort may have been present is that there is a strong and I think valuable
tradition of paying respect to age in Tanzania. Right alongside that is the
hospitality offered to visitors (all visitors, even women, are given the first
chance to wash their hands before even the most senior member of the host
family). It is just that wrapped up in some of these very good traditions are
some more discriminating practices.
It is not the first time
that I have found parts of the Biblical message to be more uncomfortable here
than in the US, though the reverse could also be said. What I saw plainly
written on their faces though had to be the same challenge experienced by
rulers of Jesus’ day. He was not just advocating for random acts of kindness
when he gave us the mandate to serve others whether higher on the food chain
than ourselves or lower. He was challenging many years of tradition that helped
hold in place the order of society. The tradition that let everyone know where
their place was and how they were supposed to interact with each other, that is
what was at stake and that is what has made even modern day Tanzanians
uncomfortable because they have a similar system for holding their social order
together.
I am not sure if
continuing Jesus’ tradition started during the original Holy Week did any good.
I am not sure if any one walked away with any change of opinion other than that
the missionary may be crazy. However, I am sure that I have a better
understanding of the enormity of Jesus’ message, the radical call he really was
giving us, the almost ensured shunning that was and is experienced by people
who truly follow Christ’s message in a culture that has its own alternative
traditions. This is what I am sure of. As well as the love and understanding
needed on all sides as we continue to try and establish Biblical churches in
the midst of a sometimes ununderstanding culture.
The extreme
uncomfortableness expressed is also why we are trying to get the Emmanuel Center for Women and Children started. More coming about this great ministry next week.