Celebration!

Celebration!

So what do your people in Mali do when they celebrate? What do they celebrate, and how do they do it? Last Sunday, Paul & Eshter were proud to dedicate their baby, Elisabeth Miriam Coulibaly to the Lord. The church service was much like one at home, the pastor holding and praying for the baby, and giving a charge to the parents. Many visitors came to
see the cermony, which was performed during the church service.

Afterwards, everyone was invited to the couple's home where a huge celebration awaited. Ladies from church had cooked rice, and meat sauce. Everyone had good food to eat. Most people ate african style, in little circlesof girls or boys.

Here is a photo of our Sunday School age kids. A girls circle,


and a boys' circle.

Here is a pic of Lisa and Emily.

(They ate sitting on chairs, and were given plates and forks. I was, too, but am not in the picture, of course.)


After eating, we played a few games, (Canadian friends should recognise crokinole, if not- shame on you! :-))

people talked while dishes were being cleaned up. Then it was music time.

In africa, no celebration is complete without dancing. Dancing is different here than in
America. In America, dancing is almost always in couples, and has a lot of suggestive connotations to it.In Africa, dancing is done in huge circles. Usually, there is a ring of girls, a ring of older women, and a ring of young men. (Older men usually don't go in for dancing...)

This celebration was no exception, and dancing went on for 2-3 hours. Check out the photo of the white woman dancing. I would upload the video version if I could. You'll have to see it later. :-)

So this is how we celebrate! Next big one will be Christmas, that one will go late into the night, and dramas and singing and the Christmas story will be added into the celebrating. There's still time for you to buy a ticket and join us for 2007!

Thanks for stopping by!
Tom & Lisa Seward