Today, our plan was to respond to an invitation to a Muslim school in a Muslim community. We arrived at the venue but the young people had not arrived. As we were just sitting, as usual, people begun to gather around. Men, women, children e.t.c. They all wanted to have a conversation with us!
A few of the team-mates peeled off from the rest of the group and begun to play with the children, while the rest of the team sat together for conversations. The issues discussed were on early marriages, and how that's affecting the community. There are already measures being suggested by the younger women, to prevent that chain of concern from generations. It was a sudden meeting, begun alittle bit rough, as people always think we have money, or have other agendas or have come to preach and steal people from their religions! Richard and Tribina navigated those conversations, and in the end the conversations had shifted
from...
This is our problem, We are living with it, teach us what to do...
to...
We can suggest ways to solve the problem facing young women and early marriages.
Richard mentioned that there would be a childrens process on Thursday 25 June and if they were interested, they were invited to join. One of the ladies started to ask if there will be food, but before she finished the statement, the rest of the community jumped on her, to shut up, others were telling her, 'don't you see they are giving support with their time and you are asking for food', e.t.c e.t.c it was hilarious to just watch that response from the community. That woman might be stigmatized for a while...
This Muslim community sees the team, everyday as we walk through to the village; they already had suspicion and already knew there was something going on in 'the' particular community we work in. They wanted to be included!
God has opened doors - even Muslim communities are inviting connections!
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