Short Version:
* Wedding update:
* “She’s speaking MY language!” (Highlight from this week of language learning)
* Next week- Wedding of one of my best friends!!!
Longer Version:
Wedding update:
The wedding I attended in the village over American Thanksgiving weekend went very well. Thank you for your prayers!
We arrived after three hours in a crowded jeep (a jeep made for about 10 people, but we had 17 fitting inside and three more on top!!!). Once we got there, we had to cross a little river and climb up part of a mountain to get to the wedding. The ladys' “sangeet’ was taking place, which is when the women do dances and prayers for the bride. They asked me to dance
too- and I did.
After this, it was already evening and Aunty and I climbed up the mountain some more- about a half hour to her mother’s home. We spent the night there- which including eating dinner in a mud kitchen around a fire, brushing my teeth while watching the goat eat leaves from the tree next to me, and watching Aunty say prayers to the sun when I woke up in the morning…
After the ladies painted typical designs on my hands, we hiked back down and spent the day at the wedding. The groom arrived, with the band. Yes, “band”- including two drums, a trumpet, a clarinet, and some maracas. They played and many of the men danced.
The rest of the day included the bride’s “pastor” called a “pundit” performing rituals
and chants from an old beat up book, and the groom’s pundit making exchanges for gifts from the bride’s side and the groom’s side. Near the end, the groom and the bride were tied together with a long strip of cloth and walked seven times around a fire while the pundits said prayers. The people stood around and watched.I’m actually still trying to process it all- but I hope that gave you a little bit of an idea what took place! Here is a picture of some of the women and girls and me at the wedding…
Highlight from this week of language learning:
Since we have started learning Kahani, we have had positive responses from the people when we tell them we are learning their language. One encouraging moment I had was when I was sitting on the porch with my language helper and a lady named Panna, who comes to our home every day to cook for us. Panna is from a nearby village and her mother tongue is Kahani. I was trying to speak the few words I’ve learned so far with her, and after a minute she turned to my language helper and exclaimed: “She’s speaking MY language!”
It was so encouraging to hear that and to see her face and the faces of others when they find out we’re learning their mother tongue or when they hear us speak it! I’m motivated to study more and excited about how learning their mother tongue may help us connect even more with the people.
Next week- Wedding of one of my best friends!!!
I leave tomorrow (Saturday) and take two trains to get to another city where my friend Trisha (who many of you know) and her fiancé (Rahul) will get married. I am thrilled not only to be able to see my good friends, but also able to celebrate this special day with them. My prayer is that during the celebrations, including religious rituals, that I would be able to be an ancouragement to Trisha and her family, and support for Trisha and Rahul.
Thank you for your prayers!
Till All Have Heard,
~ Elizabeth
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