On the second day at our host’s house, we joined the Africans in a native dance. I had just put on a wrap around my waist that they graciously gave us, which covers like a skirt. One of the moms tucked it for me. It didn’t take many dance moves before the wrap came undone, and Jess was left in her shorts. All the children and adults, both male and female, were laughing. But I didn’t care. I was in Africa, wearing African clothing and dancing with the natives, and I was loving every moment of it.
Today, we went to the school to share the gospel. Before we entered, I tried to readjust my wrap; one of the ladies laughed, then proceeded to tuck the wrap for me. We entered the auditorium that was FILLED with students in their uniforms. We sat on the stage. I looked down and noticed that one end of the wrap was untucked—Jess got paranoid. We sat and stood, sat and stood, sang a few songs in English and sat more. Niki led us in a kid’s dance of Tootie Ta, which the students LOVED. The whole time, I was self-conscious about my wrap; I wondered how I would fix it in front of ALL the students and teachers.
They wanted us to dance to Tootie Ta a second time. “Of course they do”, I thought. I couldn’t fully participate since one of my hands held my wrap on my waist. We finished the dance and I sat down.
They called us back up to pray for the students and teachers. We sat back down. They asked us if someone would close us in prayer. Oriolyne asked if I would do it. I really wanted to, but I knew that my wrap would fall off if I stood again. I didn’t say anything. She asked again.
In my mind, I thought “I don’t want this to fall off in front of everyone. Someone else please do it.” No takers. Then God asked the convicting questions: “Would you risk having your skirt fall off in front of the school for Me?”
Feeling convicted, I stood up and went to the edge of the stage and started praying over the students and teachers, with one hand hold my wrap in place. I then took a seat. I was relieved that it stayed on, but I knew I still needed to walk home. After the students were dismissed, I tried to readjust behind my teammates so nobody could see, but I couldn’t quite get it wrapped correctly. However, I managed to make it home without if falling off, Praise the Lord!
But you know God, He has a sense of humor…
After my shower, I put on my Nicaraguan pants and sat on the couch. The kids came into the house and sat in the corner, whispering my name. I knew what they wanted. I just showered and didn’t want to dance and play games with them like I did every night at this time—I didn’t want to get sweaty.
God challenged me “Are you willing to get sweaty again for My children?”
I stood up and walked outside and started playing games and dancing: Tootie Ta, “Down by the banks”, and a few other traditional games that they taught me. One of them started dancing crazy, so I jumped in and joined. It didn’t take long before my Nicaraguan pants were resting at my ankles! It was a spectacle to all the children and adults—those who lived with us and those from other villages who stopped to ponder why a white girl was dancing in their territory.
To make matters more interesting, after I used the restroom before bed, I forgot to reapply the wrap….so I may have walked out in my underpants in front of the African world! Yep, no shame left in Jessica!
