Easter in Zambia

It was certainly a weekend full of festivities here.  Church services Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights were followed by a 5 a.m. Sunday morning Easter sunrise service, 9 a.m. communion service, and 10:30 a.m. Easter morning service.  The Easter sunrise service was particularly neat since I remember going to these as a child (and being disappointed by an 8 a.m. "sunrise" service in the States that was after sunrise and inside!).  It was neat to be there with mostly women and be reminded of how the women were the first ones to the empty tomb and the first witnesses to the Resurrection.  This is a culture in which women are definitely second to men in priority, and the culture of first-century ancient near east was no different.  So the honoring implicit in the women's primacy in this central event of the Christian story is particularly special.

All the services involved much singing and rejoicing.  There were some culturally specific ways of celebrating that were unique.  The women go to the sunrise service wrapped in sheets (or old mosquito nets!) to commemmorate the linens which had wrapped the body of Jesus that the women found forsaken in the empty tomb.  I forgot mine, but I did manage to remember to borrow a scarf to wear to cover my head so that I would be allowed to participate in the communion service later.  I come from a church tradition often associated with head coverings - Mennonites - and some people in my home church do wear coverings, but I had never worn one before.  It was an interesting experience, thinking of doing something I don't consider necessary to partake in this community's celebration of faith in equal standing.  Then again, I wear skirts every day (something I don't think necessary for women) so as not to offend and to participate in the local community's life as much as possible on the same level...

After the services, we went over to the Thumas for lunch, which included some visiting friends.  We ended up chatting for the afternoon and went home briefly only to join up with Abby and Heidi, two other expat young women, to go for a walk to see the sunset.  So the day which began before sunrise ended with the sunset - altogether, a very satisfactory day.  :)  Pictures to come.