The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, and other cultural adventures

         Today Tessa and I got up, ate breakfast and set out on foot to the church where we were meeting with one of her story crafting teams.  As we walked out of the gate she looked at me and asked, “Ok Molly, are you ready to be the most beautiful woman ever to walk the earth?” I laughed, having heard her stories and sure enough, as we rounded the corner to the main road, it all began.  The Malagasy word for “white person” is vazaha and there is no stigma in the culture that discourages calling out to a vazaha girl from the side of the road.  While traipsing over the muddy (yet somehow still dusty) roads we were greeted with calls of “Bonjour Vazaha!!” from the men and boys in the various stalls and shops.  There were, of course, some that were much bolder.  These were shouted in Malagasy, unbeknownst to them, Tessa understood every word.  Of these my personal favorite for the day was a teenage boy who saw us and then ran off to his friends yelling, “One of those is my wife!! One of those is my wife!!”  

         There were many times during the day (and I expect this to continue for all of my time here) that I wished I was fluent in Malagasy.  One of the ladies in the story crafting group that we worked with today is a elderly lady whom we call Be-Be, grandma.  Her face is worn but lively, her dialect dated, and her reasoning very culturally illustrative.  As I sat, listening to the conversation and Tessa’s translation this is what I heard.  

Be-Be: Tessa, is it just the two of you in your family?

Tessa: Yes, just us.

Be-Be: OH!! No brothers? (this accompanied by a very sad face) How old is your mother?

Tessa: She is 60

Be-Be: Oh, that is too old for you to have a brother, I will pray that you will get married very soon so that you can have a son, so that your father will not be without a boy.  

I was glad at least that the pressure was on her and not me.

Everyone here who sees me and Tessa side by side think that I am the older of the two.  Tessa is taller but she is just built so small that I suppose I seem older.  They told Tessa over and over that she needed to drink more hot water because it was hot water that would make her grow big and strong (like me).

I am loving soaking all of this in! Today was the first day of the Ruth study with the youth group girls and I think it went really well!  It is a new experience to work with a translator and figure out when to pause to let her talk but I’m still excited about it!  I am praying for a deep love for these girls and that I would see them grow in faith over my time here, and that I would allow them to see me grow as well!  I have discovered though, that late at night when I am tired, or when there is a particularly nasty bug to kill that satan has the chance to tear me down and discourage me.  It was a comfort tonight to sit and have my Abba remind me that all of the thoughts that are pulling me down are not things that He would ever tell me.  My God is not a god of tired, or this is too hard, or my bed in America is softer.  He is a God of new adventures each day and the sustaining power that brings glory to light and is all the strength I need in times of weakness!  And of course on that note I am super excited about tomorrow’s adventure a chance to worship the Sustainer with these faithful believers.