Funerals

This week has been a bit tough for me. Phil, another short term missionary physician, left back for the States making me the only short term person here for a while. I don't know why, I've just been emotional. Thursday morning I was eating breakfast and just tearing up for no reason at all. It had been raining 5 days and I think the cabin fever got to me. I decided I needed a break from work that day and decided to go to Bamenda with Phil and the Palmers. I got to shop with Nancy and just get some time out of Mbingo. Nancy gave me a book on reaching across cultures which is really good. I never thought of Jesus going through the biggest 'culture shock'. Just think of being used to being God and having to become a human. Interesting...
I went to a funeral for a hospital staff member today. When someone dies, they are buried in front of the house they built. It took about an hour's walk to get to the house. There was a small sermon with other small speeches from family and work people. When that was done, the African drums started. People were dancing and singing when they brought the coffin out and placed it in the big hole in front of the house. They then proceeded to put dirt on top of the coffin. To pack the dirt down, the workers danced on the grave. Gives a new meaning to the phrase 'dancing on some one's grave', doesn't it? Gunshots were sounded and people were celebrating because they knew this man was in heaven. The ceremony ended by placing fufu and jamajama on top of the grave (it's not an event unless there is fufu and jamajama).