The Ushirombo church meets under this blue tarp on the site of the new church they're building, having outgrown their original building. The rector, Fr. Amos Ndilema, was installed as the Rural Dean of Ushirombo. His badge of office as Rural Dean is an academic bachelor's hood. They rigged up a "throne," for him, a lawn chair covered by a bedsheet with the words "Welcome Home" embroidered on it.
About 30 people were confirmed also.
After the service and multiple speeches, one of the elders-- possibly the chairman of the building fund-- decided to take advantage of the crowd that had gathered for the Bishop. He seized the microphone, and for H O U R S harangued the crowd to donate to the completion of the building. He called them up by groups-- children first, then elders (i.e., vestry), then the Mothers' Union, then others by name, the patient Roman Catholic priest who attended, and the American visitor. Their goal for the roof is 50,000,000 shillings, about $43,400. They raised about $4,000 that night.
I didn't mind being asked, but felt blindsided, and I began to wonder: If I visit five or six churches on each of these confirmation visits, and each church not only has a regular offering, and a building fund plus another appeal for this or that, I had better go and refigure my budget for this mission internship. I'm accustomed to treating my giving behavior as a private matter, and I was more than a little offended by the arm-twisting approach this elder adopted.
But African Christians don't seem to have a problem with this. They lined up at the microphone, and each in turn greeted the congregation: "Bwana asifiwe!" (Praise the Lord!), then gave a little speech or testimony, ending with, "...and I'm giving [so many] shillings to the fund for the new roof."
If you want to get things done in Africa, this seems to be the way. The alternative is to have a committee ten years from now still discussing how they're going to get a new roof.
Exodus 25:1-8
ReplyDeleteOfferings for the Tabernacle
The LORD said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them..."
Fr. Chuck,
How blessed you were to see such a thing!
Blessings,
Wendy