The Outsider Breaking In

A Delight singing with the kids on Christmas Eve

Despite the hospitality that people have shown us over our time here, it is still painfully clear at times that we are outsiders trying to break in to a new place. The little things continue to give us more appreciation for what “outsiders” go through back in the States. One of these times is when we are working hard to include our children in the Sunday School programming at church. Our children still don't feel comfortable standing in front of the church and singing with the children's choir. Some of the difficulty is because these are all songs that would be equivalent to “This Little Light of Mine” which every child knows here. They have motions and dances in addition to the words and it all is second nature for the children here – so they don't have to practice much. Since it is all new to us, it takes a lot more practice.

A children's choir practice is scheduled for every Saturday afternoon, but the event is very hit or miss. We go and wait and although 20 children are there, the youth who is the children's choir leader might not show up and we never learn the song. I thought things were looking up when this week we went, they actually did practice and we learned the song and motions. I have to admit, I was over excited for my children to FINALLY be singing up front with the other children. We have tried many times and only once did one of my children sing. Well, it turns out that our children still didn't sing this week because there were not enough wooden crosses, used as a prop in this song, for them to have one. Yes, they probably could have gone up without the cross, but it is hard enough for them to do already. They feel out of place already, so it was a perfect excuse to not have to go. Guess we will have to wait until next time everything lines up for the right situation.

While it may be that we miss some of the announcements, this is a good reminder that hospitality can really be extended beyond greetings and one time gifts. The kind of hospitality that would be useful for outsiders like us would be people giving special invitations to events that may seem to be known to everyone for a variety of reasons. Or for someone who is really comfortable in the situation to think about how they could give up their “cross prop” or suggest a more neutral song that everyone needs to practice, so that outsiders can feel more comfortable sometimes too.

--La Maestra