Church, and the attendance of, seems to be important to the majority of Tongans. Lots of buildings are around that you can take yourself to in order to sing praises of Sisu (Jesus). There’s the Wesleyan church, Free Church of Tonga, Catholic, Assembly of God, and the Mormons with their nice Basketball courts ready to kick it wit’ Christ. Everyone has a place to go on Sundays and Ueike Lotu (Week of Church), which happens to be this week.
Now, for over a year I have been splitting my time between the churches for the sake of seeing everyone that I can rather than going to one church. Another reason I do this is because I do not belong to a church, anywhere, and don’t want people in my village to think that I prefer one church to another. Sounds silly and ridiculous? Yes agreed, but it happens. For many, it’s about where the Volunteer prefers to go, and “ha-ha she likes our church better than yours.” And I actually do prefer some services over others, depending on how long they last, the amount of familiar faces in the crowd, and most importantly how much time they dedicate to converting me and saving my soul. Less is more, that’s my personal opinion.
I’ve never been a big fan of pushiness or bullies when it comes to faith. To each their own and leave it alone…But sometimes no matter where you are people like to know that others agree with them and want as many people to be in their same boat, or ark.
Example, I’ve been to one church in my village twice the entire time I’ve been here because each time it was 2 hours of being yelled at, and I was pretty thankful I didn’t know what was being said for the whole thing, bits and pieces were enough to lower my comfort level. The woman next to me constantly nudged, almost pushed, me to go up with the line of people who needed to be forgiven, saved, and placed lovingly in the hands of God by the mortal man with his book and outreached hands.
Thoughtful, thanks but no thanks; I’m fairly comfortable with the current condition of my soul. I couldn’t relate to that kind of faith when it was presented to me in southern English, so it’s not anymore appealing in another language. At first I thought we were having communication issues when this same woman asked me to come for the same song and dance, and I reminded her that I go to all churches to see people, I don’t go to join the church. Maybe she doesn’t understand, so then I go, but it’s not a misunderstanding, at least not one that I’m willing to work through. Therefore I don’t go anymore. I mean really, even the Mormons don’t try to convert me when I go to their services!
Yesterday I went to a service at another church I haven’t been to in a while, but not for any reason of avoidance, just haven’t been in a while. But it’s church week, this is the time to make an appearance. I was sitting between two women, the one on my right was trying to be helpful by telling me in English what hymn the priest would announce (though I know enough Tongan to keep up with such things, but I didn’t think it a good time to indulge my ego by pointing it out). Before I knew it, the service was over and as we were getting up to leave the same woman asked me if I’d come to tomorrow’s service. I politely declined, saying I planned to go to another church. I didn’t say as much, but I’m not a person who is physically or mentally able to commit themselves to more than one church service in a day, I found that out here when I tried to do it. Wow, the smile dropped from her face faster than a rock to the ground, and she walked away without a word…sigh.
The church I go to most often here is great. For the most part you’re in and out in an hour, there’s minimal yelling, I know more people there (who love to feed me after church), and they post all of their sermons and hymns conveniently at the front of the church. Even though I don’t consider myself a part of any specific church, it is nice to be able to follow along without someone slapping me across the face with the word of God. They read it in Tongan and I follow with an English Bible, I sing along with the help of my Tongan hymn book, and I belt it out too! I could easily sit through these services in a daze, completely oblivious to what is going on, but I feel like if they are going to respect me enough to allow me to be there without insisting that I participate in Communions, or profess my undying love for the church and so on, then I can at least put effort into knowing what the lesson is for the day.
1 comments:
I read your last comments and being an rpcv from Senegal West Africa living without a cell, computer and electricity for two plus yrs. I had the same feelings of not getting much accomplished, just stick with it and in a few years down the road you'll have a different perspective.
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