A very LONG weekend

This weekend had a lot packed into it.  Friday had a lot packed into as well, but right now, that feels like the distant past.  Saturday, Dad had a meeting in the morning, and then in the afternoon, our language school was having an English night.  We had been invited to attend, as some of the few native English speakers who attend the school.  Most of the students are Mozambican and learning English.  The school teaches English, Portuguese, and French.

The advertisements for the party said it started at 2.  We knew we could arrive late, but we didn't anticipate how late.  Dad likes to be on time, even after all of these years in Africa.  We left our house around 2:30.  

We got to the school, met up with the headmaster, and he took us to his office to sit and wait for the party to begin.  After about fifteen minutes, he suggested he move us to one of the classrooms because it would be cooler there.  So we moved to the classroom.  He is a very gracious man, and I think he felt a little awkward that we were there and nothing was ready.  Everyone seemed to be there, but there was a lot of preparation taking place.  He had a student bring us some Fantas and Cokes, and then kept calling students in to practice their English with us.  Most of the students were high school students.

By 4:30 pm (roughly two hours after we arrived), we were called into the main room.  As the MC welcomed everyone (all 300 or so of us), another teacher handed out a programme.  I should add that we three were, of course, moved to sit at the front with the headmaster.  We were even on the programme as "the American Family."  I giggled at that, because it sounded rather...presidential.  

I glanced over the rest of the programme.  And sighed.  There were three hours allotted to student presentations, then time for prize giving for the presentations, and dinner was scheduled to start at 8:50 pm.  

The students, cheered on by a very enthusiastic teacher who seemed delighted to have a microphone, sang songs, danced, performed skits, walked in a fashion show, and one fellow told an original story called "The Old Man's Eyes." There was an incredible diversity in everything done.  The songs included Call Me Maybe, Ordinary People by John Legend, the umbrella song by Rhianna, and also her song Man Down, and Reggae Strong by Lucky Dube!  The dancers were my favorite.  One student did a traditional Mozambican dance, several did various street dances, and four students did a fantastic salsa.  

We left a reasonable time after the meal, and we were by far the first to leave.  The headmaster said the food and dancing would continue until midnight, and then they would have to start cleaning up for the night.  

At about 10, we heard a loud crash in the complex where we live.  There are about 8 buildings in this complex, most rented out.   There are security guards and a gated entrance with a guard, so it feels quite safe.  This was a rather loud boom though, so I was a little surprised.  We had all gone to bed, so I figured I would ignore it and get up if called.  A little while later, Mom came into my room to let me know what happened.  Apparently, the son of one of the other tenants was driving home after having had too much to drink.  The guard opened the gate for him, but the driver forgot that there was a second boom to be lifted.  He drove through that, and ended up driving into a tree on the other side of our entrance.  The guard came to knock on our door to see if we could take the driver to the hospital, because he hit his head on the windscreen pretty badly.  Dad was going to take him to the hospital, but then his father came home and took him in their second vehicle.  (Now, please imagine us trying to piece all of this together with our smattering of Portuguese!)

With that taken care of, we went back to our respective beds.  But I should tell you that I've been sharing my room with a spider for a few days now.  He's one of those big flat ones (about 1.5 inches across his body/legs) who eat mosquitoes, and I know, for that reason, he and his kind are my friends.  However, I don't always feel like we are friends.  I've been dealing with my "roommate" pretty well, as long as he stays on the wall or cupboard on the other side of the room.  Earlier in the day, I moved my purse and he was under it.  We both ran for cover, thankfully in opposite directions.  

Well, as I settled into bed, I realized that Spidie was hanging out on the wall next to my bed.  Now if it were Truvia (the baby gecko living in our bathroom who sometimes explores the rest of the house), I would have been ok with it.  If Spidie had stayed by my closet, I would have been ok with it.  But I just did not like the thought of Spidie being three feet from my head, because I kept having visions of him running over me in my sleep!  So, I decided to call Spider Removal Services, aka Dad.  Spidie was removed, and we all retired to our beds for the third time that night.

Dad left at 8 the next morning.  Our two churches were having a combined service and Dad was needed to help move the chairs from one church to the other.  Mom and I arrived at church at 10 on the dot.  Now, August is supposed to be one of the coolest months of the year here.  We had a high of 90F.  We were in a little cinder block building with two doors, four windows, and probably a good 70 people.  Church started with singing and dancing, of course.  All of the guests (including me) were warmly welcomed.  We sang some more.  The pastor said some more words, read a passage from the Bible and we sang some more.  Then the youth sang.  Then the women sang. Church normally ends at 12.  By 11:30, we finally started the child dedication and the sermon, and I knew we still communion to do as well.  Honestly, it wasn't miserable.  We were just very warm, but I do love seeing the women sing and dance.  They put all of their energy into it and jump and sing at the top of their voices.  I don't know most of the songs yet, but I look forward to when I do!  

After the provincial pastor finished the sermon, Dad started the communion part of the sermon.  He asked me to help, which was really special.  This was our first time serving communion together.  

Now, after communion, the offerings still needed to be taken.  This involves more singing, more dancing.  Different groups leave the church and come back into the church, singing and dancing as they put their offering in the basket.  By this point, I wasn't feeling very good and the offering would last for at least another hour.  Mom and I slipped out the side door to come home.  Dad got home at about 2 pm.  Thankfully, we could take the rest of the afternoon to relax!