I GOT A WEAVE!
Yup. You read that correctly. I bought the hair for the equivalent of $2 USD and my Shepard, Pendele, (the woman who is the leader over all the children at our carepoint) put them in for me. I really just have extensions with African twists, but everyone here calls it a weave. It took between five and six hours spread out over two days.
When the idea first came up I was all for it! I mean how could I not get my hair African braided by an amazing African woman in Africa?!?!? The opportunity sounded too awesome to pass up. Thought it wasn’t until after I had the extensions in my hair that I became worried about what people back home might think. I became to be consumed by the thoughts people might have. They might think “culture appropriation?” “She can’t do that she isn’t black” among other things. But I realized that at the end of the day, this was a really awesome ministry.
As I sat there for hours on end, Pendele and I had great conversations about her kids, her future plans, how she came to be a Shepard, and how she came to have a relationship with the Lord! It was so fun to further bond with her and see her funny, sassy side come out.
As I worried about what other people back home would think God reminded me that I don’t really have to explain myself or my actions to anyone (except Jesus on Judgment Day of course). This experience pointed out again that I need to stop people pleasing, and I need to start living like my worth is found in the one who paid it all for me.
