A VISIT TO BOMEN SEWING GROUP...
Suzanne Lind concludes her visit with the women of the BOMEN Sewing Group in Kinshasa. But she will return on Sunday, June 12, when the congregation blesses Marie-Jeanne and Gaston before they travel to the United States. (They will be landing in Detroit on Wednesday, June 15!)
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 Or I should graciously have withdrawn from the conversation.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.
No comments:
Post a Comment