My hair looks like an oil slick!

I thought I would write today about our recent encounters with the youth of Mahaica and Mahaicony!  We have been getting to know both groups of young people and having a lot of fun with them.

On Monday 27^th May it was a national holiday here for ‘independence from Britain day’ and the Mahaicony youth invited us to join them for a barbeque at the church.  We were very honoured as no other ‘oldies’ were invited! 

They had prepared chicken, which Mark helped to cook, and also fried copious amounts of chips!  In the days leading up to the barbeque it was clear they were very excited and very much looking forward to it.  On the day we ate our chicken and chips then played some games and had a bit of a boogie – all great fun and very simple but they have since told us that they REALLY enjoyed the day.  One girl (who is 20) told me it was the most fun she had ever had in her life!  Amazing and very humbling when you think about all the great choice of leisure activities we have in the UK. 

They thought it was hilarious that Mark and I not only danced but instigated the dancing – they said they had never seen a Rev dance before and that they are not usually allowed to have fun!  Bless their hearts!  They fully intend to plan a lot more barbeques before we leave so we look forward to that.  

The excited girls preparing the sauce for the chicken



Cooking the chicken

Frying chips - it was such a hot job!

The lads at the barbeque!

Eating our lunch

The girls trying to teach the oldie some dance moves!

Mark trying to pick up a cereal box with his teeth!  As you do!

Time for a boogie woogie!

Having some much needed fun!

Some of the girls were keen to have a go at braiding my hair like theirs, so yesterday I went over to one of their houses to let them loose!  What an afternoon!  When they took out my hair clip they all screamed with delight as they had never touched a white person’s hair before and thought it was hilarious that it was so soft and floppy!  One of the girls braided my hair and lathered it with Vaseline!  They thought it looked good but I wasn’t so sure!  Have a look at the pictures and make up your own minds!! 

 

Great hilarity when they all felt my hair for the first time!

It was a painful experience! 

Not a style I will be repeating!  Hoping that one day I'll get all the vaseline out!

 They were so sweet – when they had finished they said ‘We look like sisters now!’  While doing my hair we had some interesting conversations comparing our cultures – they were astonished that we have to cut our hair as they told me they never cut theirs.  Everything I say they think is hilarious – just as well I don’t take myself too seriously!!  Ha!  They have decided we are having more ‘girlie’ afternoons but I have decided not to let them braid my hair again – today I have washed it four times and I still look like an oil slick as the Vaseline won’t come out! 

On Sunday we met the Mahaica youth and Mark did a little study on 1 Corinthians 12 about us all being part of the body and using our different gifts and talents.  We then did an exercise in which we got them to say what each other’s gifts and strengths were and I have written them down to make them all a laminated bookmark with the words on to keep and encourage them.  They were so sweet because after we had been round the room they wanted to do us so here are their words describing us…

Mark – good sense of humour; good role model; extremely friendly; good listener; understanding;  wonderful preacher (with the added comment – short and sweet!); generous; approachable; speaks his mind; supports the youth; can count on him; good pastor. 

And me…

Boogie woogie dancer (?!); loves dancing; good wife; good cook (they prefaced this by saying…’Looking at Mark we can see she is a good cook!’); fun; creative; loving; encouraging; approachable; not stuck up (I love that one!); good listener; good sense of humour; courteous; generous; friendly; sociable and intelligent.

We were so touched by their words and feel we are building such good bonds with the youngsters.  Part of our ministry here is to tell people it is ok to have fun and enjoy life as everyone seems to think it is more holy to be miserable!!   Seeing them develop and open up is so rewarding and hopefully they will continue to have fun long after we’ve gone! 

 

One little post script...we have seen a little scraggy dog hanging around and been giving it our scraps and we bought it a tin of dog food!  It was terrified of us but now comes a bit closer!  We have named it Stumpy as it only has a stump for a tail!!  LOL  Here is a picture of it...

Stumpy enjoying a good meal for a change!  Haha!