Five Days At A Burial - part 4 of 4

Five Days At A Burial - part 4 of 4

The fourth and final morning was non-stop activity as we prepared for the final prayers. My name (Joseph Scott – my friend Alex and his family all call me Joseph. Scott it too hard for them to pronounce.) was even on the ‘official’ program (a piece of scrap paper) as part of the chair committee. I was responsible for procuring, setting up, and returning all the chairs that would be needed for the event! Thanks to two young men and their ability to balance 17 plastic chairs on their motorcycles at one time and multiple trips, we successfully completed the task of gathering and returning the chairs.

I alsohelped set up more tarp shelters for the final prayers. This involved digging several one foot holes, place large bamboo poles into the holes, covering the holes back up, tying bamboo poles to the top of the poles, and finally securing the large blue tarps to the bamboo. Because it is dry season, the ground is very hard – especially the ground that is walked over all the time. As such, digging the holes was no easy task, and I was truly d-i-r-t-y by the time I was finished, and I had nine blisters on just my right hand!

I also helped serve some tea and coffee and gather the dirty cups. I was generally just around to help with whatever needed to be done. I was so very thankful to Alex and his family for allowing me to help. Often times I am seen as a ‘big’ guests here and no one ever lets me do any type of physical labor at all. In fact, most Sudanese people think that white people are incapable of doing any type of physical labor. And though I do know some people in America that would fit this billing, I am not sure how this stereotype became so ingrained here.

The final prayers started in the afternoon and lasted two hours. It was a good time of prayer and singing. Though, at least 30 minutes was devoted to some politician that happened to show up and was allowed to speak – and speak he did, all about the referendum and how great southern Sudan is and how bad the north is. I was annoyed by his speech, as this is the third time I have heard this man speak at a religious event but he has yet to say anything religious.

When the final prayers were over we all feasted and then most people headed home. As the final clean-up procedures were being done I asked Alex if there was anything else I could do to help. He thanked me and said I had already helped him and his family so much. I told him I was going to go home so he and his family could rest (I had just spent the previous four days there, and six of the past eight days there), but he looked surprised and somewhat shocked by this notion of me going home. He said “No, Scott. Please stay. You are part of my family now and we want you to spend your last night here with us.” I was leaving the next day for Uganda, so I needed to run home and finish some packing, but then I came and enjoyed some final fellowship with a wonderful family.

That last night most of the family, visitors, and neighbors all slept outside on small banana fiber mats huddled next to small fires dispersed throughout. It was a beautiful sight. We awoke in the morning to have some final coffee, tea, and mandazi. I thanked the entire family for their generosity, kindness, and for loving me. I told them my mother and family in America would be happy to know and hear of the kindness and hospitality they have shown me. I thanked them for including me and allowing me to be a part of such an occasion. I told them I was so very happy to spend Christmas with them, a time of celebration and remembrance of Jesus’s birth. And then a few days later, I was able to mourn with them in remembrance of their loved one.

The family expressed their gratitude to me, and many of the women called me their son. The family asked me to stay with them again when I return, hopefully even staying a month at their compound if I am able. They said prayers of blessing as I walked away – thankful, tired, and feeling so very loved.

Later in the morning, on January 4, Alex accompanied me to the airstrip as my teammates and I flew to Uganda.

I am incredibly thankful for my last few days in Mundri. Though they were not as I had expected or planned them to be, I think in many ways they were much better than I could have predicted.