He is risen!

He is risen indeed! It is difficult here not observing Lent nor Holy Week and then suddenly having an Easter service without even Communion. We did sing Bambara songs about the resurrection at least. I wore my purple basin dress which Amina thought suits my figure, and which Aicha and Fadi couldn’t believe I wouldn’t wear stateside. It's just so nice! They exclaim. Then of course there was the extra attention from men—Mariam! Ay ga baa ni! Really?

Moussa came down with a Bible Institute guy Coulibaly who knows Aliou through another Bible Institute guy Abdulaziz. So they invited him for the service. When I told him later the sheep eating was at Ibrahim Denebele’s from 11:30 onwards he realized that was why no one was at the mission at noon. “So they wanted me to listen them to talk about Jesus?” Lahilay-alulahi! Goes Aliou. He was shocked. Ha. It is a shame he didn’t make it for lunch cause many non-christians were there. The Medecin Chef, Daou, friends/fellow teachers of Isa, Fadi, Aicha, Dr. Touré, Maimouni, and a handful of youth.

Moussa preached about how to know we believe in the resurrection and the life. 1. Jesus himself predicted his death and subsequent resurrection. 2. All four gospels say it precisely whereas they differ on other accounts. 3. There had to have been a reason Sunday became a holy day and the first day of the week. 4. The disciples went out and made the first Christians on account of the resurrection, why would they have said the Messiah had come and saved us otherwise? 5. The prophets saw it coming. Nothing as profound as “Keep your fork” but still a good sermon.

I was amused when presented with bread and sheep-intestin soup the men all turned to me and said "ladies first." We were eating with practically all the guests around one bowl. There had to have been 11 men and me. Then upon noticing I wasn’t really touching the meat they took a rib and put it on another plate and said for me to eat it. I am so babied here!

The TV taught us the bishop in Bamako led a lovely Easter service (they even do a vigil with a candle lighting—you know there is something to say for Catholic adherence to tradition) and that Osama bin Laden wishes Christians around the world a Happy Easter. Jesus is a prophet for them just not the most important. Tiny little difference ;)

Later we had delicious rice pilaf with mutton and tea and drinks. I heart Muslims who come just for the food. It is fellowshipping at least. The pastor put on this video of a family falling apart and then the children brought them to Jesus and it made it all better. Joy.

In the evening I spoke with Aliou and his brother about development and faith. He thinks Americans don’t have the capacity for faith. Like I must be a materialist/humanist. He thinks I believe in God but rely on what is measured and seen. I was annoyed cause Aliou was saying you only mke a choice to believe if you defy the norm and leave the tradition you were brought up in. So my teammate made a choice to be Pagan. I was simply born a Christian. True. But there was Confirmation and then going to church in college and still going to church in Mali. A lot of my friends did not continue the practice. Many give up faith (or maybe just the expression thereof) in college, but I didn’t. Nevertheless he still says all I was acting on was the influence of my parents and society. Fine. And you my Muslim friend?