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December 10, 2007

preparing to celebrate Christmas among the Fulani of Burkina Faso

Duroowo yari yarnaay, domka muudum heddi.
If a shepherd drinks but does not water his animals, his thirst remains.

Christmas in Djibo is all about sharing the news of Christ's birth with people who have never heard it. Charlie and I have spent the last few mornings telling and retelling the nativity story to groups of wide-eyed children (and one wide-eyed goat) here in our yard, and giving our neighbours invitations to a Christmas eve feast. It's going to be quite an occasion: 300 guests, 50kg of rice, 50 chickens and a festive smattering of shepherds, stars, camels and donkeys.

Back in September I did a book interview on BBC Radio York (Jonathan Cowap's lunchtime show) which took a turn for the surreal when I was asked to preach the gospel in Fulfulde to the people of Yorkshire. I did enjoy that but nothing quite beats doing it here in Burkina amongst the Fulani. Hannden e ley wuro Daouda on ndimanaama kisinoowo, kam woni Almasiihu, Joomiraado. To you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord! Hooray, hooray, al hamdilillalay! Have a dance and a chicken wing. Christ is born!

Pyjamas? Fruit bowls? Shoulder bags? Charlie has lots of ideas about possible directions for her women's craft project, and meanwhile her Fulfulde is coming on in leaps and bounds. She can now say 'Yesterday I washed the goat but today it is dirty again'. What is more, she can say it with a straight face, perfect inflexion and absolute truthfulness. Please do continue to pray for Charlie though - she feels (quite naturally) that her world has suddenly become a lot smaller, and that the process of cultural adaptation is not entirely straightforward.

Lots of exciting things coming up, including, in January, my parents' first visit to Djibo. They are fresh back from a trip to Mozambique where they travelled in bush taxis, ministered on rubbish dumps and slept with giant centipedes, so Burkina Faso should be a picnic. Please pray for them anyway.

Love as ever to you and your families. Have a very happy Christmas.

Posted by sahelsteve at December 10, 2007 09:55 AM