Maskati,
Hi everyone. Days are getting longer here in Africa and the rains will begin soon. There is a sense of anticipation in the rural areas as husbands and fathers return from town with seeds to plant and one can see cattle or donkeys harnessed to the plows in the fields of those lucky enough to have livestock. People live close to the edge here, so there is excitement and a sense of hope at the prospect of a good growing season.
Even though mothers felt pressure to be preparing the fields, many came to our workshops about the feeding program. When moms questioned that they would have to walk up to 5 kilometres to the feeding point based upon the new rules, I found an unexpected answer coming out of my mouth. I said that each village must have only two official feeding points with two sets of records and two food storage areas. I also said they were smart people and could figure out a sensible way to insure that the children were fed closer to home while satisfying the rule of two official feeding points. After the interpreter told them my response, they instantly grinned, with a full understanding of what it meant to follow the rules on paper.
During my visit to Buhera, I embarked upon the ultimate rural cultural experience. The locals call it runny tummy and that is rather descriptive of my entire GI system last weekend. By Monday I was at the doctor to receive the official diagnosis of dysentery. It gives an experiential understanding of Christian Cares work to provide better sanitation in Buhera!! A few antibiotics and I am good as new, though recovering in Mutare, rather than going to Buhera this week.
Last week I was walking from town with Abby, the 12 year old in my family here. I saw a 10 cent coin on the ground and picked it up. Given the devaluation of local currency, I thought 10 cents would work in the North American tradition of find a penny pick it up, all the day you’ll have good luck. Abby was obviously surprised but kept quiet. After we got home, she told her family I had picked up the coin and a great discussion ensued. Coins on the ground are assumed to have been placed there by a witch doctor and to pick them up is to invite undesirable events to occur. Everyone was quite nervous that Id disturbed the coin and Abby asked if she could dispose of it. I quickly handed it over and she put it in the garbage bin. Yesterday I passed another coin on the ground and even though no one was looking, I left it undisturbed!
The business of goblins and witchcraft are taken very seriously here and the topic comes up fairly frequently. I received some Halloween decorations in a letter from St. Johns last week, (thank you, Leslie!) and I described jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treat and dressing up like ghosts and goblins. My family was fascinated to learn that we, too, have witchcraft, as evidenced by Halloween. I pointed out the distinction that we basically know that Halloween goblins are make-believe and are for fun. But here, people KNOW that goblins exist and are very serious. The spirit world is alive and functioning in many forms. If a woman doesn’t grieve openly at a funeral, people might think she caused the death. If children go to their father for love, rather than the mother, the mans parents will think the wife bewitched the children. Like in many cultures, it seems like African women’s powers are envied and misinterpreted and twisted to be used against themselves.
So for everyone looking ahead to Halloween, have fun, be safe, and don’t make any spirits angry!!
