Cultural Barriers

This last weekend, we went to a special Baptism service at our T-3 church. People were to come from two of our churches, Machava and Mavalane. There were originally 14 people that were prepared and to come for baptism. In this photo you will see the 4 who actually came.

So, you might ask, what happened to the other 10 people? It's heart-breaking and the same thing we experience with weddings. In this culture, no one 'pays their own way' but rather there seems always to be someone else who pays. The answer is actually in the photograph in a way. Behind each of the people who were baptised, there are people standing behind them who are their 'god father' or 'god mother' for this particular event. Their responsibility is to take spiritual responsibility for the person being baptized, to take a life-long interest in their life from a spiritual perspective, and to pay for the party that is to follow the event, even buying dresses, clothes, paying transportation for guests, or other things related to the day. The 10 people who didn't come didn't have that person and so they didn't get baptized. To put it another way, it's all about the party....sigh.

Another barrier is that these services are dreadfully long (three plus hours) and with the requisite parties, it is an entire day's event, going long into the night. So they aren't scheduled all that often because of the time commitment and if you don't go to the party, or stay long enough when you do go, it is an insult. Then, afterwards is an expectation for receiving the first communion, which is another church service to follow. I like the tradition, but there goes an entire day - and with a limited leadership team in our churches, it becomes a barrier.

We went to one after-baptism event we had been invited to and after a church service at the home and the people receiving first-communion, a big meal was served. We talked at length during and after the meal with many people and when we tried to leave afterwards, we were told that the huge meal we'd just eaten was a 'pre-meal' and that to leave would be an insult. So we waiting and even more food came out. It is a great time, but I find it discouraging that people let a party keep them from getting married or being baptized. And the 'time thing', well that is partly our western time-orientation perspective. We like to say here that 'we have watches and the Mozambicans have time'. Think on this. I'm getting better at this, but still when I look at all we are trying to do, it is hard to watch the hours run away!

I praise God for these four who were baptized and grieve about the other 10 who have finished discipleship classes but felt they had to have a sponsor to pay. A tragic dilution of the importance of baptism.

Pastor Able talked about this in his sermon at the Baptism as his heart was also broken over this. He had no idea until the morning of baptism day when people called to cancel. This is something that is much more prevalent here in the Maputo area and as you move out from the city, it is becomes less and less of an issue. Makes me think of the old TV show "greenacres" where the city people move to the country and take their nonsense city ways with them - hope we don't do that.

Challenges. Why is it that we ('we' in the sense of people from all cultures) "have to have" the things we can least afford?

"Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:36)

Answer: "I don't have a Patrinho (Godfather) with deep pockets to throw a party for me, my family, and my friends." someone in Mozambique