Easter

So this weekend was HUGE here. Easter here is like Christmas in the States except it lasts for four days. I was supposed to go to Paarl with Pastor Vusi and his church for the 4 day long service… we must pause here. Yes, I did say 4 day long church service. And Thursday night the service lasts through the night so you don’t sleep. They act out each scene leading up to the crucifixion of Christ since most of the church is illiterate and therefore can’t read the bible. This lasts all night. They then have a short break only to continue for 2 more days… Now, believe it or not, I really wanted to be a part of this experience. I just wanted to see what it was like. I would think it would be a very sacred and spirit filled experience. Also, they follow the theme of Jesus and the fish and loaves so they only eat fish and bread the entire weekend. This just all seemed like something I had to see! But unfortunately, after talking with Pastor Vusi we decided that I wouldn’t go. It was for the best because I’ve even stopped going to his church on Sundays because I can’t understand the sermon since it’s all in Xhosa. I’ve been going back to the English speaking church I went to before when I was here (its amazing by the way). It’s just really frustrating to wake up Sunday morning and get really excited about hearing the word, then go to church and sit and listen to the preacher speak what sounds like gibberish to you as you look around at everyone else really getting into what he’s saying and enjoying it. That doesn’t help my spiritual growth in any way. In fact, it hinders it. So just like we decided about Sundays, we decided that I would spend Easter weekend going to my English church where I can hear and understand the word. It wasn’t as much of an experience as going to Paarl would have been because we just had a regular Sunday church service, no four day long revival. But, it was still really great. For the first time in a really long time I truly thought about Jesus as a man and not an idea and thought about what he went through. I really thought about the sacrifice he made for us and it illed me with such gratitude. I don't know if i've ever thought about Jesus as a man before. I always think of him as a metaphor or a symbol for some reason. So this was really an eye opener for me. And I prayed a prayer of thanks.
For this entire 4 day weekend everywhere I went I could just feel Easter in the air. It was like Christmas time, but hot and really REALLY focused on Jesus. Not like the American commercialized Christmas that I’ve grown to know and love. I basically relaxed all weekend. I prayed and read a lot of the bible. I was able to be a blessing to the kids on Friday, but ill get into that later. Also, we had a braii at the house on Friday night which was really fun. My friend Lerato came over. We had tons of great food and great conversation. The weather was great that night and the stars looked absolutely beautiful above the fire. Mpho slept over Friday night so Saturday morning we woke up and it was such a gorgeous day so we had morning prayer out in the garden under the sun then just sat out there on the bed we have in our garden and talked for hours as we enjoyed one of the last days of the hot sun before winter comes. We then got dinner and watched a movie. She left, and I read my book and went to sleep I am currently reading a book called Commited by Elizabeth Gilbert. She is the author of the infamous Eat, Pray, Love which was SUCH an AMAZING book. One of my absolute favs! I am enjoying Commited, but its not really what I expected. Its very different from Eat, Pray, Love which is great, but a little too different for my liking. This book is a bit intellectual for me. I don’t really do intellectual…
But, all that being said, I think people who are engaged, married, or divorced would love it.
Sunday we went to church, then out to lunch at the waterfront, but I woke up sick that morning so I couldn’t fully enjoy either. I’ve been feeling sick ever since. I thought it was just a cold, but I must have caught something from one of the kids… The kids, they deserve a whole new post of their own…