Steve and Casey Cretsinger Experiencing Tribal Missions in Guinea, W. Africa 
Enough culture to last me a few weeks was all thrown at me in a few hours. But, it was a great opportunity to see things that I’d never even heard of before.
The 8th day of a baby’s life is cause for celebration. Family and friends come from miles around to join in the naming of the baby and shaving it’s little head. It’s a bit sad to see those beautiful curls being shaved away!
Religious prayers for the little ones health are said by all. I sat there a bit uncomfortable as everyone chanted around me, but no one said anything.
The family spends an enormous amount of money (money that they will spend months trying to back to everyone they borrowed from) to serve rice and sauce to all the guests. Ladies spend hours working together on one side of the house creating the feast to feed everyone.
The honored guests sit in front of the house during the prayers and to greet all the other visitors. Guess where they told me to sit? Yes, it was a bit like I was on display as people just kept wanting to greet me. They brought me my own bowl of rice and sauce before anyone else had been served – I politely asked if a few could eat with me so I wouldn’t be just the “white lady to stare at”.
After the naming, the shaving and the eating – the ladies asked me to come behind the house with them. I am always a little nervous when they want me to follow them to some hidden place and I have no idea what’s going to happen! All the ladies began taking the water from the baby’s head shaving and washing a woman with it…I must have had the super confused look on my face because my friend started explaining. They believe that the water from the baby will be able to help this married woman conceive her own baby.
Then, still totally hidden away from all the men, all the ladies started dancing, clapping and pretending to be in labor – everyone shouting with joy when she pretends to give birth. It was all very interesting! Like I said, quite the morning of culture.
It’s not easy to feel like the outsider at all these events where I usually have clue what’s REALLY happening, but God continues to give me friends who want to share their culture and their lives with me.
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Tags: Africa, friends, relationships
