E-kiji ngai?=What's Your Name?

Mazungu Maasai Day 2- Sunday
Exhausted from the previous day, Steph and I woke up late around 8am. Martha announced she'd just watched some neighbors slaughter 3 goats for the occasion, outside our window. In a new place, everything took a little longer to do, ironing clothes, making breakfast, practicing violin for church, cleaning up the house...Many people began arriving outside our house and at the church compound next door. We prayed together with our country directors before the day's festivities began. (It is an incredible gift to pray with your bosses. Knowing that they too are seeking to live to God's glory in all that they do is such a privilege!) Daniel arrived with a script for us for the house dedication. We practiced it until we had it memorized. Around 10:30 we started hearing the singing. A procession of people, dressed up for the occasion, led by Pastor Steven sang their way to our door. After arriving at our front door pastor Steven knocked 9 times (we're sure he had some reason for nine---maybe 3 3s) and asked to come in. We responded, "Entijingu, kitishipata tenebo te nkarna Olaitoriani, Yesu Kristo" -Come in, we are happy together in the name of our lord Jesus Christ. A mass of people streamed into our living room and we led pastor Steven and the elders into one room at a time. Each room was blessed with a prayer (in Maasai) specific to the activities and objects in the room. After each room was blessed (including the bathroom) we went to the main living room and knelt for a general blessing prayer over us as the community surrounded us in a big circle. It was a great encouragement to see the extent to which this community valued God's blessing and work in their everyday lives.
Part two was the tree planting. About 5 local olive tree-lings and 4-5 small bushes were then planted around our house. Each was planted by a different person/group, including ourselves, Ron and Martha, the pastors, the children, the women, etc....After the tree planting we headed to church. The building was already starting to fill and Steph, Ron and I were given seats in front of the congregation with the elders as Ron was giving the message and we were reading the scriptures. Then came the choirs. Choir after choir entered and sang their songs. Each one was admonished by the pastor (the second pastor, Julius) to sing only one song. Very few listened to him. The singing and accompanying prayer lasted for an hour or so. I was already starting to get hungry.
Finally, it was time for our part in the service. We were called up with Ron and Martha to sing a song and we sang "Come thou fount" in 4-part harmony. To the delight of the crowd we sang the last verse in Maasai (O to grace...) and were soon joined by most of the congregation. The church was now almost completely packed with people, many standing, and many others peering in through the windows. It reminded me of Zacheaus climbing a tree to hear Jesus speak, seeing little heads pop up and down outside the window to see what was happening. After a warm round of applause there was more prayer, more congregational singing and then our second part came, reading the scriptures for Ron's sermon. The congregation was stunned that we read in Maasai and literally cheered after each phrase. Even after introducing the passage I got a full round of applause!
Before Ron's sermon, we then had our naming ceremony. The Maasai were anxious to give us "Maasai names" so that we would be fully part of the community. They praised our efforts and intentions to work with the community and named me "Tobiko" -he who stays- since we are staying for 3 years, and Steph "nalotuesha" -she who comes with rain, since it has been a very good rainy season. We were given various Maasai ornaments including an orinka (ceremonial club), necklaces, and bracelets. The service had now lasted a solid 3 hours and Ron had yet to speak. I was getting really hungry.
Ron's sermon was on grace and our salvation based on grace not works. After it, Pastor Steven (who had been translating for Ron) continued to add his own sermonette reinforcing the message with his own flair. There was an alter call, more singing and prayer. As the service wrapped up, we walked out the church into the normal recieving line. Every person greets every other person, which means about 300 "Meisisi Yesu"s (praise Jesus). It was a lot of hand shaking (and head bowing for Steph).
Finally, around 330-4 we got back to our house. Dinner was to be served soon, but we soon realized that our house would be full of church elders and other interested parties and this would not be a quaint mealtime chat. Steph and I stood in the kitchen, giving chairs to more senior community members and enjoyed our spinch/goat/rice/chapati meal. Around 530-6 the festivities started to die down. Ron and Martha left for Nairobi to beat the dark (since driving in the dark here is a challenge) and Pastor Steven was leaving. Now another set of interested children and women took the others' places to surround us physically and bombard us with questions to test our language. Fortunately, one of our age-mates helped us clear people out and at least set some boundaries as to showing us respect and privacy. We continued to talk with some guys our age who hung around for most of the evening. it was not until the evening when our house was again our own and we were free to russle up some dinner and process what had happened.
It was a long day to say the least but we certainly felt all of your prayers as we were truly blessed by this community and had grace and patience to appreciate their joy upon our arrival as a blessing and not a curse. Our day ended with a quick call to Steph's family and a crash to sleep. So ended day two of our Najile adventures.