Church Gossip

Last weekend when my Zambian mother told me her church section was coming over Wednesday night for a bible study, my first thought was: “What can I do away from home Wednesday night?”  But then she told me that I was welcome to be there, and even encouraged me to attend, (and give an offering when the plate went around!).  So, in the spirit of having new experiences, I decided to have an open mind about the bible study session and attend.  By the time I got home from work, there were already a few men and women from the church section seated in the living room. I took a seat on the sofa next to the other few men who greeted me with handshakes (Zambian handshakes that is).  Soon after I had been seated, more people came to the door and then more people such that the tiny house I stay in, was now filled with about 30 people.  The living room was full, and some people were forced to sit in the kitchen. 

 

The evening began off with the singing of hymns.  Regularly, I would perhaps cringe a bit at the singing of hymns (having actually been to Church a couple of times during Church Parades with the Legion in Tillsonburg when I was an Air Cadet). I remember the singing of hymns to be boring and spiritless.  But the hymns sung that evening were beautifully sung, full of spirit and passion.  Each member of the section knew his or her part/harmony.  The hymns were all sung in Nyanja, which only enhanced their beauty (much like opera sung in Italian, French or German sounds so much nicer than ones sang in English).  The group almost sounded like a well-rehearsed choir.  It was amazing and quite the spiritual experience at a very basic level.  At one point during the hymns, the power went off, but the group continued singing and the power came back on (usually when the power goes off, it stays off for four or five hours), the power of Christ? Hmmmm, perhaps.

 

After the hymns were sang, came the time for the bible study portion of the evening.  I was handed a bible so that I could follow along.  I flipped to the book and found the chapter and verse they were reading and read along as one of the children who was there read aloud.  The theme of the evening’s readings and discussions was gossip and the sin that it is.  The discussion lasted for about half an hour; with most people agreeing that gossip is evil, and is a sin and all should stop gossiping.  I wonder how many of the people there have actually stopped, since here, as in many places around the world, gossip, it seems, is a pass time for young and old, men and women.  I’m sure that I perhaps was a spark of some gossip last night, as most of the attendees weren’t aware that I was staying there.  I asked my Zambian mother if she thought anyone had stopped gossiping after the session, and she was doubtful that anyone actually did.

The evening ended with some more hymns and everyone filing out while singing, into the cool moonlight night that had settled on the neighbourhood, where everyone wished each other farewell and went on their way home.