Casual Conversations

 

Earlier this year coming back from town through the streets of Guinebor  some women waved asking for a lift. They were carrying their shopping home and were happy to be helped the last mile or two home. The conversation was very limited

Me :    Assalaam alekum                            (peace be with you/hello)
Women:   Alekumm assalaam                  (peace be with you/hello)

Me: Tamci wen                                              (where are you going)
Women:   Namcu fi luptaan americanno  ( we are going to the american hospital)
Me: Arcaabu                                                   ( Get in)

Not much more to say really, about the limit of my Arabic, but they then decided to try their English on me

Women:   you american, you speak English
Me: I am English/ British

Women:   Grande Bretagne! Tony Blair, King Elizabeth

Lots of laughter and smiles,

And with that we arrived in GuineborII , and they got out

Women:  Chukran katir                                     (thanks a lot)
Me :   Afwan                       (thats OK)

 I never did find out what they thought of Britain, Tony Blair or King Elizabeth, but they seemed happy enough, at least they weren't scowling. As for the monarchy I  amazed that they knew it existed.  They are probably still laughing about the white man who stopped and asked a 3 women, where are you (singular) going as If I only wanted to take the first one. ( Tamci should have been tamcu). Or perhaps they haven't even thought of it at all.

A trivial encounter, but a point of contact all the same, Jesus knew how to take such a cross cultural situation , (asking for water at a well), and speak of something profound, the essence of life.

Can it be done  here without causing offence? Would it be understood?  We would need the language  first.

We are back in Chad after a visit to the UK for a holiday and a retreat. , Ruth and Rebecca are enrolled in a Chadian Arabic course 4 hours each morning for 5 weeks, the rest of their summer holiday,  We are trying  to  speak some Arabic each evening and are managing to do so as the hospital is very quiet due to the fasting month of Ramadan and the annual rains.

 Last week when I asked if there was anything to share at the morning staff meeting, Moussa a Muslim nurse congratulated me on the arrival of a new Prince In England. Thanks very much I replied, it was good to be informed  but I hadn't been looking for the news, because unlike the crowds outside the palace in London   I am more interested in royal babies that are born in a stable.

I wonder what Moussa made of that, and you?