interprets the plenary session on Biblical interpretation,
led by Loren Johns, professor of New Testament
at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary.
"EVERY STITCH A PRAYER" Create beauty with cloth purchased in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a way of learning about Congo, building relationships, and praying for these new friendships and our common well-being.
According to Mennonite World Conference membership:
- There are about 524,000 Mennonites in North America.
- There are about 592,000 Mennonite in Africa.
The two countries in the world with the largest numbers of Mennonites are the USA and DR Congo:
- There are about 387,000 Mennonites in the USA.
- There are about 220,000 Mennonites in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
YARDS AND YARDS OF CONGO CLOTH!
A day of connections
Suzanne Lind sends this lovely report of the send off for Marie-Jeanne and Gaston last Sunday!
It was a hot, dusty Sunday morning. Mama Cisca and Suzanne made their way through many, many crowded streets and alleys full of children, little tables covered with food and other items to buy, trash and brightly dressed church-goers, to Bondeko church. After all the planning and preparations, it was time to say goodbye to Marie-Jeanne and Gaston!
About 50 people met in what will eventually be the church building. For now, lengths of cloth define the small worship space under the high roof. Neighbors' voices mingle with the sounds of worship and their laundry becomes part of the décor.
John and Danile Martens of Silverwood Mennonite Church were also there, with John's brother Phil and his family -- all visiting sites where John and Phil spent their childhood years. They were warmly welcomed by church members who knew their missionary parents years ago. How surprising to have two CCC Michiana Friends of Congo members at this important service in Kinshasa!
It was a truly "Mennomenical" (Mennonite + ecumenical) group: The church belongs to the Mennonite Church of Congo (CMCO), John and Phil grew up as missionary children of AIMM missionaries who worked with CMCO churches, the guest pastor (Pastor Mattieu Shimatu) is from the Evangelical Mennonite Church of Congo (CEM), Cisca represented the Mennonite Brethren Church of Congo (CEFMC) and Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and I was there from MCC and MFC and CCC! What would we do without acronyms!!!
I told the story of how Michiana Friends of Congo, and then the Congo Cloth Connection, got started, with a wonderful translator imitating my intonations and gestures in rapid sequence. I went into some detail about how determined we are to find ways to know more about and have more
relationships with Congolese Mennonites.
Then I told about Chris Nofsinger's visit to Kinshasa and her passion for Congo cloth, and showed the photo of her with her cloth. I talked about what a wonderful surprise it has been for all involved to see how the beauty of cloth, color, design, sewing creativity provides such a fun and exciting way to learn and pray. Heads were nodding, everyone smiling, so pleased to hear what a "ministry" their cloth and their creativity can have.
I told about Pittsburgh and the display there then stopped and said,
“But how could we have a whole big display of cloth and information about Congo without someone from Congo there? Oh! We had to invite a Congolese seamstress!"
And I pointed to Marie-Jeanne, who beamed her brightest smile, and everyone broke into whoops and hollers, laughter and clapping.
I talked a bit about the itinerary for Marie-Jeanne and Gaston, where they would be staying and some of the activities planned, and a bit about CCC committee members. Showed a picture of Nina in the river baptizing (Tim in background). Also a photo of Nina in Pasadena with Reverends Komuesa and Shimatu (who was sitting right behind me -- I hadn't known he would be there, but of course he was really pleased). Also a picture of Nina with Sylvia Shirk, who will be a translator. The congregation got a big kick when I said,
“Although Marie-Jeanne and Gaston will have translators with them for presentations, when they stay in homes they will have to use their English.”
The grand finale was to show the quilt Chris made and Florence folks knotted for Leya. This was the perfect way to underline once again the "each stitch a prayer" theme. People were very moved. I concluded,
It was all great fun and I think gave an idea of what Marie-Jeanne and Gaston may experience.
After church yesterday, Mama Manjina, assistant director of BOMEN workshop and the one who was so upset when I first mentioned buying the dress that Monique was making, told me she had brought me a gift.
After the worship service she brought me a package: a beautiful dress similar to the one that Monique was making and similar to the one Marie-Jeanne gave me, made of fresh, new cloth in strips of different colorful, beautiful designs which she had made for me! Some strips even had the descriptive stickers still in place, perhaps to underscore the fact that BOMEN does NOT sell/give away dresses made from used cloth! Beautiful lace around the sleeves.
We laughed together and I marveled at its loveliness, its perfect fit, her understanding of just what I had wanted.
I shall be wearing beautiful, loose, cool, colorful dresses for a long time. I wonder if they will provide the much-needed reminder to think before I talk or whether they will allow me to continue to stumble intoquestion-filled situations.
I did promise the BOMEN women who were together after church that I will come to the workshop and ORDER some new clothes for which I will PAY them well!
Last week Marie-Jeanne and Gaston came to the office to pay for Gaston's plane ticket.
Marie-Jeanne brought me a dress she had made for me. It is well made of bright, stiff new cloth, gorgeous colors, big and baggy like I like. I hugged and kissed Marie-Jeanne and we joked a bit about my strange request to buy a dress made of used material from Monique at the Bomen workshop.
Inside I felt awkward, wondering if she wanted me to pay for it. I put the dress on over the dress I was wearing and pranced about the office, showing off to others who were there.
Here is a picture of me in the dress I made standing by our garden gate.
The experience of making a dress with this fabric from the
Congo left me with a sense of satisfaction.
I had not had a sewing project like this for sometime.
I may get inspired to try another one again soon.
This is June and the garden behind me is growing well.
Perhaps the enjoyment of growing food and flowers is also an experience
shared with the women of Congo?
As for the dress... we will see...
Suzanne:
"I realized as this went on that I was making a big faux-pas in asking to buy the dress that Monique had sewn. Though I loved it, this is not how things are done. I should not have asked about the dress. Or I should graciously have withdrawn from the conversation.
"That dress is probably being made using second-hand cloth for training Monique, and they could not possibly let me wear that. Now I don't know what they will do, but I have probably created a situation of embarrassment for us all, and expense for them. They will probably make me something similar from new cloth and refuse to let me pay for it.
"I don't know why I continue to be so gauche in so many situations; probably because I start having fun and forget that formalities are important and that there are many layers of hope, expectation, power and need at work.
"So, we'll see what happens next . . ."
Suzanne has been relating to Congo and the Congolese for over forty years. It gives me some consolation -- and some trepidation -- to know that she is still learning the culture. I am sure all those who meet Marie-Jeanne and Gaston will enjoy that complex dance of two cultures.
I was enchanted with the dress Monique Bapa was piecing together. It made me think of quilts! I recognized some of the cloth she was using. All morning I kept looking at it.
Finally, just before we left, I asked if I could buy it when it was finished, and insisted on trying it on.
Everyone whooped and hollered at this suggestion. Mama Manjina is appalled at my request.
"No, you can't buy that dress. It's just a practice project."
"But I like this dress," I say. "It suits me, it looks like a quilt, I saw Monique working on it, it feels comfortable, I like looser things, this is just my kind of dress!"
Mama Manjina calls Marie-Jeanne.
"Come and deal with this. She is asking to BUY that dress!!
Sort this out, quickly."
"Suzanne, I made a dress for you just like that, but I forgot it at the house.I will give it to you sometime."
Suzanne:
"But I like THIS dress. It would mean a lot to me. Monique, are you making this for yourself or could I buy it from you?"
(Monique just laughed, knowing better than to get involved in something her elders were dealing with.)
Marie-Jeanne:
"Suzanne, we can make a dress for you like this. We were planning to give you a dress as a gift anyway."
Suzanne:
" I don't want a gift, I want to buy this dress from Monique. I know that seems strange to you, but somehow this dress seems very special and just right for me."
Marie-Jeanne: (To the women)
"She wants this dress. She wants to buy it from Monique because she is happy to see how Monique is working here."
(To me)
"Okay, Suzanne. We understand. We'll see about the dress . . . ."