Sanders: Mercy Ships: The House of Jesus for the Disabled

Florence's Wedding

The wedding was beautiful. There was a traditional wedding before the church wedding which is very symbolic. A calabash bowl is packed with a needle & thread to show the wife will take care of the husband's clothes, stitch them & keep the home, a bitter & a sweet cola nut symbolizing marriage has sweet & bitter times. A matt which shows that even in hard times, no money "to buy a bed" you don't leave your husband. These items are wrapped up in the calabash bowl with a white cloth which also symbolizes peace. The cloth is saved as a burial cloth I believe for the mother to symbolize her daughter was married when she dies. This bowl is brought when the husbands family comes to the brides house & knocks at their door & they say they have come to bring peace & they noticed a rose in the garden & wanted to pick it. Then they come in & they are given cold water. Then "false brides" greet the husband's family & they are asked is this the rose you saw & they will say no until the real bride appears. The calabash bowl is something that grows on a tree that is dried out & used for this ceremony. It is carried by a young virgin child on the father's side & given to the bride. I got this info from my day workers & another married woman here & I probably didnt get everything corrert but this is close I think. I love the symbolism & I think it is a wonderful tradition.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The House of Jesus for the Disabled

We met some people at the House of Jesus for the Disabled recently in front of a store & they invited us to come to their place. There are 64 people living together most have some sort of physical disability. One couple just had a baby boy and as I was invited into their small tin shed I felt concerned looking up to their ceiling seeing daylight coming through because the roof is not solid, knowing the rainy season is coming starting in May with July & August being the heaviest months where the rain is 35 inches each month. One of the men living there is an artist & I posted some of his art here. I am amazed he is able to do art in such a difficult environment with survival being your main priority & art supplies not readily obtained. He had a small room the size of a closet where he showed me his art & I think this was where he slept too. He gave me a beautiful beaded necklace another artistic talent he has too. I so enjoyed talking to him about his art & seeing his art & felt a bond with him sensing his love for his work.

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Sahr

One of my Favorites, Sahr is from the Kono tribe I may be spelling it wrong but he must be the first born b/c the family will name their firstborn Sahr. He had casts up to his groin area & now they are below the knee. He has lots of nicknames, James my dayworker who is from the same tribe calls him his paramont chief. He now is at Hope Center an off site house run by Mercy Ship for those who don't need full hospital attention & he was called the Chairman & now he is called King Obama. The Center is actually called by the locals here Obama City, so that is how he gets his title and his crown. He has an amazing personality with the best smile in the world. He was abandoned by his mom & had to beg for food many times & then I think he was helped in some manner, the whole story hasn't unfolded. But he is a survivor ! He is 12years old. In my wildest wishes I'd love to take him home! He is a joy to be with & most appreciative!