After flying over 48 hours, spending 4 hours on a bus, my new team (Star Warriors) stuffed into our host’s land cruiser. All 6 of us and our big packs inside. We were incredibly exhausted, but I couldn’t help but feel incredibly excited! It was time to see what Africa had in store.
We arrive in the village, Golikro.
A village of the Baoule tribe, outside a city called Bocanda.
Nothing but red clay dirt surrounds the house. It’s hard to even explain but it’s the cleanest place of dirt I’ve ever seen.
Laundry lines to the left, 2 houses in close proximity, outdoor kitchens filled with boiling pots over burning fires. A large Mango tree in between and a slew of chairs and children. Adults gathered in a circle simply sitting, and children playing as children do.
This village will be home for the month of December.
—————————————-
The day after we arrived we were taken by our host to meet the chief of the village. We walked through the entire village greeting the families that lived there.
As we walked, the numbers of children following us multiplied.
Some pant-less, most shoeless.
They had never seen a white person before.
We came to the chief’s house.
Turns out, the chief is Jaques’ (our host) uncle. Very old in age he sat atop the steps on the porch of a house. We were asked to sit in chairs around him for a welcome ceremony.
Jaques explained why we had come. To share the good news and help him with his ministry.
The chief shared his thoughts, welcoming us to the village and sharing that we are now part of the family. We were welcomed into the tribe as one of their own.
As we walked back to the place we were staying, each teammate was holding hands with one or two kids. As we passed their houses, the children’s mother’s would call their name and they would hesitantly turn around and run back home. I could tell they didn’t want to leave, but was happy to see their obedience toward their parents.
Picture with the chief of Golikro.
——————————————————
This was such a humbling experience.
To be so respected and so cared for, that our host chose to walk us around his entire community greeting everyone and introducing us to the head of his people.
He cared so deeply that we felt welcomed, loved, secure, and cared for that he went out of his way to ensure it happed. He certainly fulfilled that desire.
We couldn’t have felt more welcomed, loved, secure, and cared for!
It was the perfect example of what true community should be.
After this night I found myself wondering how I invite people into my life? Into my community?
I believe community is one of the sweetest things God created for mankind. It’s an opportunity to have fun, tell stories, be real, and love others. It’s an opportunity to grow. As I’m continuing to gain perspective on the race, two essential pieces of community that I didn’t recognize before are authenticity and vulnerability. When introduced and utilized in community, connections amongst the people part of this community grow even stronger.
I want to invite people into my life the way the people of the Baoule tribe have invited me and my team.
They meet face to face the first chances they get. They honor your presence and immediately ask you to be a part of their family- a part of their life. They share important pieces of their life. They give all that they can to make us feel at home. They share their problems. They share their brokenness. They are proud of who they are, the life that have been given, and they point it all back to God.
I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to be immersed in this kind of community this month and can’t wait to share the insight I gain from spending time with these people.
