Hujambo???

Sijambo! Hujambo? Sijambo!

This is how I was introduced to the Swahili language last week in a class being taught by some Kenyan students from my seminary.  No writing, No English...just hand signals and repetition.  I was pretty confused at first, but I have to say that these instructors know what they're doing because our class has learned a ton in just two weeks. We met in a class room last night and got to see how the words we had been repeating the previous week were written, which was really helpful considering I'm definitely a visual learner.

What are the odds that my seminary would start a Swahili class--intended to teach the national Kenyan language and information about the culture-- for the last six weeks of the semester, right before I leave for Kenya.  Only God could orchestrate such timing...what a blessing!   My instructors are Beatrice, a former Swahili teacher from the University of Wisconsin, and one of my classmates Daniel, both native Kenyans.  They make the class pretty entertaining by incorporating songs and clapping...lets just say its a site to see a couple of Americans trying to learn this language.  One I my Kenyan professors observed the class last week, and I've never seen him laugh so hard!  I can only imagine how goofy we all look trying to say these new words!  Thankfully, our instructors are very encouraging and helpful.

The Swahili language is interesting in that you can just form words, apparently some have meanings while others don't (still not sure how that works!).  So last night, Daniel had us form our own words from the alfabeti (alphabet) and see what sort of words we'd come up with.  I tried "haha" and "dodo," both of which didn't really have meanings, but one of my classmates formed the word "fito", which would translate to our English word for "switch" (like used for beatings/spankings).  It was hilarious having Daniel trying to explain what the word was by using hand signals.  He kept popping his fingers which made me wonder if the word meant , "Booyakasha! Respect me now!"

 
He didn't get my Ali G reference (many of you probably don't either!)  But despite our crazy remarks and questions, our instructors continue to smile and be patient with us. 

The kindness from the Kenyan culture is something that amazes me.  We learned how to properly enter/welcome someone into a home last night, and its pretty awesome how welcoming this culture is to its houseguests.  Daniel kept saying "Karibu! Karibu!" (meaning welcome) and demonstrated how to tell someone to sit and that you always offer them something to drink, usually chai.  It really made me think about my own hospitality towards people who enter my home.  How welcome do people actually feel when they enter my apartment, or even when they try and start a conversation with me?

Seeing the love my Kenyan friends express to me and my classmates reminds me of the love that Jesus instructs us to show one another.  Jesus says, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35, NRSV).  I imagine Jesus saying these words to his disciples with a smile on his face and a peace in his eyes that whisper, "Karibu! Karibu! Karibu!"

May we love and serve in the name of the One of loves and serves us!

-Peace