I'm in heaven

Can you hear the music. . . . I’m in heaven? That’s exactly how I felt last night as we experienced what it must be like to be there. Wayne and Cate had heard about the choral festival at the Catholic church downtown, and we got there about an hour late, 8:30 PM. When we arrived, they took us right up front, had some other people move so we had places. We figured out that they were having a mass, we got there just in time for the sermon. I didn’t understand really any of it, nor did any of the rest of us since it was in the local language, rather than French. Then came the offering. That’s where they set out receptacles and then everyone gets up from their pews and DANCES up to drop their money (a coin) for the church. I got some video of that—and, picture this—I also danced up and dropped in my coin, as did we all. Oh, how I wish I could transfer that feeling of inner happiness as they smiled and danced their way to the offering. When Mass was over, they moved us to the middle front, as they moved pews around for the concert—now about 9:00, which was to begin when they got set up. Wow, was I glad we had come late. This sounded as if it was a “first” having both Protestant and Catholic choirs in the same service.

The first up was one of the two Protestant churches. They were dressed in purple shirts, my favorite color-so my expectations were high. The expectations were blown away!!! They began walking/singing up the aisle, two by two, singing a rather subdued melody. They sounded good, sang in tune, etc. Their next song began and I could not put the video down. (I was to find out that I would run out of battery power during the night) They absolutely ROCKED!! I hope the video works and shows what we saw/heard/felt, however, as we all know, its never quite the same as being there. We did take time, when we returned to C & W’s, to look at one piece of Cate’s video, showing one of the members of this choir, coming down and pulling Julianna out from her seat, and having her dance with him, and others. You WILL get the feeling for the kind of night it was!!!! Hope I’ve whetted your appetite to see that one—I guarantee you’ll enjoy it. Kirsten, you’ll understand when I say they know how to do “business” along with singing—and there also is no problem getting them to smile and feel the music. I can’t wait to get home and show this part to some of our friends, especially Howie (our choir director). Maybe we can change some of the things we do, and do more of the O Su mono funghi (or whatever that was).

Then came a Catholic choir, with much the same experience. Then another protestant. Then a very small group, that the crowd wasn’t very kind to. They sang out of tune, and wasn’t easy to listen to, but the crowd just started talking amongst themselves, and laughing, etc. I was sitting next to 3 (probably) high school girls that I was having fun with. Lots of laughing, singing along, LOTS of clapping, as they just were loving all the good music, but they did not like this one, and ladies around them were waving their scarves at them telling them not to be so mean (I think!). They were ALL laughing at each other though. When there was anything familiar being sung, and there was a lot, many in the audience would join in. I just can’t tell you how big a smile this evening put on me the whole night, inside and out.

And, when they stopped singing at 11:45 PM, they started a skit. The president of the congregation, VERY important man, and the one that had told C & W about the festival, came over to us to let us know that it would be very OK for us to leave at that point. We stayed for a little while, watching the skit, but gave up, and left at about 12:30 AM. Walked back home (about 25-30 minute walk). That was the first time the streets were pretty quiet. Still some little “restaurants” selling stuff that we would not eat, were still open, but it was very quiet.

The weather has continued to be quite comfortable, but it is also very humid. So, by the time we get back up the hills, climbing the rocks, we are all somewhat sweaty by the time we get home. Then, at 1:30, we had calmed down enough to go to bed. This was to be a morning we were going to church, for the Assumption service, a holiday here in Togo, but we decided we had mass last night, and lots of spiritual music (we think), so we are just up now and getting started for the new day. This was to be the day that the Ambassador was to come here, but there has been no further information, even after Wayne’s calls, to find out if it is going to happen. Everyone is guessing that is “off.” That means we have the day free. Wayne and I are going over to the “bakery” right now to get some fresh bread/rolls that are REALLY good. I have some pictures of that too. It is just at a neighbor, and you need to know the way in there. I understand that many people come with their baskets, get the rolls/bread, and carry them on their heads around the streets, selling it. We are hoping that it is warm again this morning. When I made a comment that the bread in Ghana wasn’t very good, he reminded me that this is a French country, and the bread indicates that.

Off to the bakery.