Another funeral
Sarah's mum died on Sunday night. She was 74 and had been suffering from cancer for a while so it wasn't a big shock. I went to see her last week and she looked to me like she didn't have much time left.
The funeral was yesterday. Tanzanian funerals always take place very quickly after the death. The same day, the next day or the day after that at most. There are a lot of funerals and a lot of people attend. It is respectful to go even if you only very vaguely know the deceased or a relative of the deceased. You are also expected to give some money towards covering the cost of the funeral- not a bad idea!
Sarah asked me to film the event, so I got a good view of everything and was able to push through the crowds to the grave side. I stood out enough being one of only 2 white people amidst hundreds of Tanzanians, however I made it worse by dressing in Tanzanian national dress and having a video camera. I felt a bit like a clown, but it is respectful to wear two Kanga's (pieces of material) at a funeral. One round your waist and one wrapped round your head. I went to the mortuary yesterday dressed as such and one of the doctors stopped me and said " madam you are very beautiful" Another lady stopped me later on and said beautiful, beautiful. I obviously should dress up more often.
Anyway the pictures show the transport to the graveside, the open coffin ( not a close up), all the mourners at the cemetery and the covered grave. They covered the grave with flowers and then lit candles all around , it was very beautiful. I realised what it must be like to be a journalist covering a horrible event. The camera helps you detach yourself from the event. You focus on getting the best shots and completely disengage with the reality of the situation. Today it just feels like a documentary I watched.
Sarah now had three days of mourning with people sleeping at her house on the floor. After that the grieving ends and it's time to start again!!
posted by Daniel & Libby @ 1:58 pm
2 comments
2 Comments:
libby left a huguely long comment and cannot seem to get it on here1!! Very frustrating. Giv it another try els
Ok worked out that it works now so here we go again. I was saying:- that i felt very frustrated here and now I have read your bloggs (not having been on for a while - sorry) I wish in some ways I had not. Life is very hard over there and it is so easy here in comparison. It makes me feel that there is very littloe justice in the world really. I understand why you feel you wan to do something about it and it makes me feel that I want to do more too - but what?
We will continue tio pray and will continue to support you in any way we can. Explorers are asking how Yohanna is doing they would very much like to knw his progress, perhapsd a lttle 'show' or something that can be presented on the cmputer (something visual) would be great but in any event some news would be good. Tey are learning abouit the early church and what people did, covered healing last week and doing serving this week, so some small way they're serving Yohanna. Would be good to ghet an update. Please let us know if you can, hopefully that's good news and uplifting!! Please continue to pray for Clive, after a blodtransfusion yesterday he felt rather poorly again and he should have had his first chemo tday - not sure if he did. Just pray for him toget better - I am sure you're praying all the time for people there, certainy sound like they need your and our prayer more then we do here, please keep your prayer requests coming!!!!
hope to hear from you soon. Thinking of you and yes libby you are beautiful (in or out of Tanzanian dress!_) lve els
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