Musings from Behind the Veil

Last night, I talked about the veiling of women, in relation to the Holy of holies “behind the veil”. I neglected to emphasize that here in Senegal, covering one’s hair is not as religiously associated as it is cultural. Many Christian women also cover their hair, though not as many as Muslim women. Today, I worked up the nerve to challenge my toubab status and wear a head covering. Call it a cross-cultural experiment if you will.

I was intrigued by the various reactions:

-Val’s friend told me I was African. Note, he didn’t say Muslim, demonstrating the cultural significance over the religious one.

-ACI staff outside the Baobab Center grinned approvingly and greeted me very enthusiastically.

-The group of Lewis and Clark girls that was there (about half their group) mostly looked at me like I was a freak. At least one appeared to be smirking. My numerous greetings went unreturned (although this has happened previously as well).

-The Beloit girls smiled, and seemed to brighten a bit.

-Angeline said that the purple was a good color for me. I liked this response because it didn’t in any way suggest what I was doing was bizarre or abnormal. It was as though I were just wearing a nice dress or other article of clothing.

-Addie also said to the four others, “you guys look beautiful”, in accordance with our color scheme. Again, it did not acknowledge anything out of the ordinary.

-Our Wolof professor said I was Senegalese, alxamdoolilay, and rafet na (which means that’s pretty/beautiful)

These reactions represented the embracing of cultural assimilation and experience, and the lack thereof.

What was important to the experiment for me, however, was how I felt. I was a little taken aback by the empowering effect. I felt truly and uniquely beautiful, in a way I never had before. It made me wonder if this is where part of the elegance, confidence and radiance of traditional (and even moderately/mildly traditional) Senegalese women comes from.

I tried to imagine my veiled self in the US. I think it’s sad that all I could imagine is judgment and misunderstanding. There’s a particular aspect of feminine grace demonstrated by making the choice (key word: choice) to veil or cover one’s hair. Don’t get me wrong, I also think there’s a particular sense of beauty and empowerment in the changing of and caring for one’s hair – a highlight, color, cut or style change can be equally confidence boosting in their own special ways. I think about these things daily - to wear a bun, a ponytail, braids, pigtails, a headband, barrettes, clips, straight, curly, long, short, a hat – so why not a veil or headscarf?

And oh yeah, there’s the fact that it’s insanely practical. There’s sand all over the place, and when it’s windy, it gets in your hair and that’s just unpleasant.

I want to clarify one more time that all these positive reactions are nullified when a woman is forced to veil, when she is unable to express herself in the manner she wants to. But when it comes to a choice, I can only say, don’t knock it til you try it!

(Sorry guys, this one doesn’t apply for you)

But here's a picture:

Dear Coffee

Listen, I think it's time we talk. I know you've always been there for me - after rounds of late nights and early mornings, after tough races, iced in the sweaty sun, and steamy on chilly winter days. Your bold flavor rarely lets me down, and always brightens my day. Whether black or in a latte or some sugary whole milk concoction for dessert, you're awesome. You've always been my favorite food/beverage item.

But I realized that I can live without you. Sure, you still bring me delight when I see you again, but we're moving to that just friends stage, I feel. It's true, I've met someone else. Mashed up avocado with melted in sugar on a fresh baguette has stolen my heart. You may say it's not going to last, and while you're probably right, I know you'll take me back. Don't consider it a break up; I fear we drifted apart quite some time ago. I still love you, and I always will. I'm just seeing what else is out there.

Love always,

Kate

Behind the Veil

Being in Senegal, I often see veiled women. Some women wrap their hair, others the veil, and still others a combination. Two of my sisters don't cover their hair (one of them does to pray; I've never seen the other pray), and the other does during prayer, and for the most part in public but I've seen her leave the house with her hair uncovered, so I really don't know. My mom does, for sure, though she's most diligent during prayer and in public.

The question of veiling has been a topic of wide discussion in the last several years, especially with France's move in prohibiting veiling in schools. This has also been an ongoing conversation among the Beloit girls.

On the one hand, I see the point of anti-veil advocates. It's true; there are some women who would prefer not to cover, but are forced to for political/social/familial reasons. And that is an issue of rights. But there are a lot of women who simply want to cover their hair for themselves. They find their hair to be an attractive, unique, and even intimate part of themselves and they don't want to share that with everyone. That's something I think everyone can respect. For some reason, I find the white veils particularly beautiful. It's a combination of feminine grace, purity, and radiance, I think, that I find intriguing, alluring, and stunning all at once.

In our Islam in Senegal course, we talked about the Kaaba at Mecca, the holiest of sites where the most pure and holy would connect with God. Debbie sat next to me and wrote "Take me in to the holy of holies" and I wrote "Leviticus 16-17 & Hebrews 6-7; Christ enters into the Presence behind the veil" Seeing all these women every day, thinking about the rituals required to enter into a mosque, much less Mecca or even still the Kaaba, I find myself in further awe of Jesus' own holiness and purity, and the fact that He takes us with Him behind the veil to dwell forever in the presence of God. It seems my verse of the moment strikes again:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:19-20

I think about the law, both the law of the Old Testament, and the law of Islam - all the things that are "obligatoire", all the things that are "interdit", and the complexity of the rituals - and how, through the law, we are bound to fail. We would never be able to reach the Holy of holies on our own. Ever. But Jesus paid the price on the cross, taking our dark putrid lives with Him, and creating in us new hearts, new spirits, and new lives, bringing us forever into communion with God. And yes, I said forever. Jesus was and is the pure sacrificial Lamb, the Most High Priest who is able to atone for an entire people, not for a month or a

year, but for eternity.

for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. Hebrews 7: 25-28

Alxamdoolilay!

Spicy and Spicier

My BCXC ladies will like this one...

Just when I think it can't get any spicier, it does! The food, that is :)

Also, my family thinks I am awesome at buying fruit. Today, I got a full kilo worth of fruit for 200cfa less than it's supposed to cost. I didn't even bargain. I am also skilled at picking out the fruit, according to them. I think it's just that the fruit man is just amused by the touabab speaking Wolof and buying fruit at 9:30 at night and gives me his favor.

La Belle Cage

"Bien que la cage soit belle, c'est un cage non plus" (Even though it's a beautiful cage, it's a cage nonetheless). Our literature teacher said this today, and it reminded me of a video I'd watched earlier today, at ellerslie.com

In it, Eric Ludy asks what gets us up in the morning, gold or God. Men and women throughout history have put their lives on the line for gold; which of us will be willing to give up the comforts of life for the Lord? Not to say that the Lord will ask you to; it's that you must be willing.

I find it ironic that we often hear people saying, "please just don't send me to Africa", etc, and that's exactly where I've been sent, yet I've given up few comforts. I'd originally listed things I'd given up, but found that it to be longer than what it feels like, and I didn't want to mislead anyone. Instead I'll say that I do have access to clean drinking water, electricity and even internet, delicious and plentiful food, wonderful friends and family, and a church home. Basic needs are more than met, as well as many things that are just nice to have. There are a few things that I miss, but I don't feel like I've sacrificed much at all. But it doesn't matter what I did or did not give up; it's the fact that the will was there - that I surrendered my original thoughts and hopes of a French study abroad and said, "here I am, send me"

And I've found freedom in the dwelling of the Lord; instead of being caged in by desires, my preferences. As nice as they were, I was still held captive by them if I refused to let them go. Senegal has been such a wonderful, freeing experience and a chance to learn more about the Lord and His people.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Although it was pretty un-celebrated here, there are a few points of note:

-My new walk to school friend wished me a happy Valentine's Day

-My ongoing friend sent me nice texts, even after I accidentally ignored him, and then realized it too late to turn around....

-The bakery I like had precious V-Day treats

-I wrote a blog post for apuregeneration about how Jesus is our ultimate valentine

-I explained the origins of the holiday to my family. I still don't think they get it.

This is my version of a Valentine's Day card, with toubab love from somewhere between Dakar and Rufisque

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Colossians 3:14

C'est moi, quelle joie!

Hi. That's me. I was so happy this morning when I went to work that I wanted to take a picture for the blog in hopes that my joy would radiate off the screen and multiply itself unto you.

Today I realized that not only is the bread for breakfast every day thing not bothering me as expected, I look forward to it. Because it's an experience. I wake up and ask Mamy if she passed the night in peace; she gives me money for the bread. I go to the Bitik and am greeted kindly, as I see this man twice a day. He searches for a good baguette for me and I bring it home to Mamy. Sometimes he doesn't have change, so I come back later. Mamy and I eat together before I head out.

This morning, I was wearing my new tunic, tailor-made by a friend from a fabric I bargained for and purchased myself. I got walked partway to work by a second-year university student from an island somewhere near Madagascar who was wearing an Angeline-approved man scarf, and told me I was nice instead of pretty and didn't ask for my phone number. Our Monday morning office prayer meeting focused on Psalm 27, which contains two of the verses that brought me to Senegal. I translated for Josh, who is just learning French. It was tricky because I felt like I was talking over people, but it felt good to be among God's people. I translated a performance review document from English to French so it can actually be used before getting Ethiopian food with Val and Debbie.

We ate a bunch of things we'd never had before and drank real pineapple juice with chunks of pineapple at the bottom. I paused at my desk to pray for a deeper experience of the Lord and asked His blessing on my work. I also typed a quick note on the IVCF facebook page of something I felt God speaking to me for everyone else. I went back to work and typed up a report from the Inter-Senegal mission, and noted that they had worked with Operation Smile to provide surgeries and medical care for children, and had also brought in a trained gynecologist to add to current staff. Also, several interns and medical students at the hospital got saved, as well as some of the patients, one of whom died about 6 weeks later.

I am so joyous over the work the Lord is doing!

I bid the office ba bennen, and headed home where I began to think about my day. It was certainly one of those amazing "why me?" days. The kind where you ask yourself why on earth you are the lucky one. Sometimes it really doesn't seem fair that I'm the one who passes by the little kids on the street begging for food and money and gets to go to an office, to school. Why is it that while I'm at school, there's a maid my age at home doing absolutely everything? Why do I have a surplus of the most incredible friends while others can't even find a single person to call friend? And why, why am I filled with this unreasonable joy, this awe and wonder at the fact that every day seems better than the last, when others I know struggle to make it through just today?

I have an answer for only the last question: Jesus, Lord of all.

For Christ love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 2 Corinthians 5:14

One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Psalm 27:6

You make known to me the paths of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11