African dance parties are the best dance parties.
We have had some of the most fun dance parties since we began our journey in the Ivory Coast. All ya need is a drum and your voice and you can have the most dope (yes dope) dance party.
I am all the way across the world, and the Lord has placed some AMAZING high school pals in my path. (I was a Young Life leader in college-so I was friends with a bunch of amazing high school gals whom I love dearly).
Honestly, I have been struggling with what I am passionate about, but here the Lord is placing these pals right here in front of me. Right here, week three (ish) I am realizing that I have a heart for not only kiddos, but High School aged pals as well. They are so fun. Live life so well and have so much joy. They not only serve each other so well, but they serve us so, so, so well just like all of the amazing ladies who have been serving us.
These kids have been helping their families since they were very young. It blows me away how helpful and encouraging these people are here. The women from the church make each meal for us, clean up after us, do our laundry AND wash our shoes (even though we tell them they do not have to-they insist). They are amazing at everything they do and work so, so hard for us and their families. We are so loved here and our hope and prayer is that we are serving them as well as they are serving us.
Any who, back to the dance parties.
Africans have the most rhythm I have ever seen. Some of the dance moves they do so well, I look like a fool if I try, but it is SO fun to try. They try to help us learn how to dance-but sometimes it is a lost cause.
We have had dance parties with our voices, drums and we brought out a speaker a few times to show them how we Americans have dance parties. One day after church we thought we were going to do women’s ministry and then ~change of plans~ we ended up performing in the pitch-perfect-sort-of- non-competition at a church. Our translator (Elvis) told us it was a competition ~but it really wasn’t~ it was just a gathering of different churches to worship together.
So we got together with our high school friends to figure out what we were going to perform. A few days before-we taught them ‘Jesus Loves Me’. So we got in formation, sped it up, and sang it with a drum and it was pretty sweet if I say so myself. We then learned another song in French where we each perform our own lil dance in the center. (post practice-we were having yet another mini dance party and my pal Blanc showed us my fave foot dance thing (shout out Garret Fricks) and we CRUSHED IT. It was so fun-def a top moment of my time here.) As we arrived to the church, we saw people in matching clothes; we waited and watched awesome African songs and dances by the most passionate, God loving people.
Finally, it was our turn to perform our songs we just learned. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. The crowd was SO excited. Never would I of ever thought I would enjoy singing and dancing in front of a crowd-but I would saw that we all thrived. I personally felt like a rockstar and it was awesome.
Dance parties are my favorite. African dance parties are so fun and authentic. We are so, so, so, so loved here and are having a blast. I am so sad our time here is wrapping up. Goodbyes are going to be so, so tough this year.
