A Cultural Sunday

6/8/14- Sunday

Today we went to church with Webster. He lives on the other side of Kalomo. The church is a small one room place that about 100 people worship in. The entire service is in Tonga, and we had a few interpreters throughout the three hour service. 

HERE IS THE CHURCH BUILDING. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN RIGHT AFTER CHURCH TODAY. 

THIS IS THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH BUILDING. 

THIS IS THE NEW CHURCH BUILDING THAT THEY ARE BUILDING RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE RAISING MONEY TO ADD A ROOF. 

It was most certainly a cultural experience. Everyone was so welcoming. The first thing that you notice when you walk in is that the women sit on the left of the room and the men on the right. In the front of the room was a detailed schedule of the "activities" for church. Timed to the exact 5 minutes. At the end of church we were invited to get up in front of church and sing. Webster had been practicing with us so we sang one song in English and then two songs in Tonga. After services they all line up to shake your hand, and by all of them I mean all of them. I have never shook that many peoples' hands. Ever. After church we came back and had leftovers (since it is leftover Sunday) and then I took a wonderfully long nap. It was magnificent. Then I was in charge of dinner set up, with a few of my trusty friends. We set out peanut butter and jelly and called it a day. Haha! Then we went to evening church at George Benson. That is about it for today. 

I did want to talk about Webster for a little bit. This man is amazing to me. He is married with three children and lives right next to the church building. He is our night watch guard and he is also going to high school. From what I understand when his father died he dropped out of school and so now he is going back to school. So he goes from school to here to night guard all night and then back to school again. When you talk to him he is so humble and so in love with God. He always gives all the thanks to God. I was talking to him last week about how tired he must be and he said that all alone he could not do it but with God, it is no problem. I think that is such a good mindset to have and he is such a spiritual inspiration. 

THIS IS WEBSTER'S HOUSE. IT IS SMALLER THAN MY BEDROOM BACK HOME. I BELIEVE THIS IS WEBSTER'S WIFE STANDING OUTSIDE. 

THIS WAS ON THE WAY OUT OF WEBSTER'S NEIGHBORHOOD. 

THIS WAS A STAND ON THE WAY OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE. 

There is a song that we have learned to sing to the children at song time and the lyrics really speak to me.

"There is a flag that flies in the castle of my heart

in the castle of my heart, in the castle of my heart. 

There is a flag that flies in the castle of my heart

when the king is in residence there.

So fly it high in the sky let the whole world see

let the whole world see, let the whole world see

So fly it high in the sky let the whole world see

that the king is in residence there."

SIGNS:

Here are some of the interesting signs that we saw today either in Kalomo or at the school.