It's a Celebration!

So yesterday, we were invited to a celebration at our language teacher's home. His 5th born daughter has become a lady, so they are having a celebration. This is like the girls rite of passage/coming out party, to let the world know she is available for marriage. This is the second celebration of this sort that we have been invited to in the last month. We arrive at the celebration with both excitement and curiosity and were received with warm welcomes. We were also pleasantly surprised to see the ladies we befriended who live on the path that we walk to school every morning.


As the ceremony began, there were lots of people, and lots of speeches. Then came the time for the young girls to dance, of whom the daughter was among. However, she had to be very serious, and approached with a veil over her head, while the other girls were singing and dancing with joy. The ladies then removed her veil symbolizing that she is now a woman and is available for marriage.

There was then more dancing, a feast to follow, and then more dancing after that. Anxious to get some good pictures of the dancing, I wandered closer to the ladies and young girls. However, before I knew it, I was completely surrounded by the entire throng of dancers, who were prodding me to bust a move. The phrase "Go Big, or Go Home" then popped in my head, as I tried to jump as high as my short mexican legs would allow.

All in all, it was a great experience of a traditional Dinka rite of passage. And just like Veronica Moses Mapuor is prepared for marriage, please pray that God is preparing the hearts of the Dinka people for marriage to our Lord Jesus Christ.