Being white covers a multitude of "sins"

Fortunately, i was feeling a little better today, so thought i would try leave the house and go to church. I don't often go to the local church, but being Easter and being bored out of my mind (since everyone else went away for the long weekend, but i was too sick to move) i decided to try it. I tried to dress suitably and wore a long skirt. I thought i'd try get there a little late and leave a little early cos i'm not well yet...

So, this being Easter, i expected something a little different, but not what i saw. The church is usually about a quarter full with adults, a quarter with kids and the rest empty space. But this morning the kids weren't even allowed inside because the church was overflowing with adults! And to surprise me even more, they were all wearing these black robe-type things with large white collars and a broach.

So here was me: late, with no seat and wearing a pink and white striped jersey in the midst of the masses of black. So i thought to myself, maybe if i take off my pink jersey and put on the black cardigan in my bag, i might be able to blend in. Then it struck me: who am i kidding?!! I stand out like a sore thumb no matter what i wear!

Later, i got sent to sit at the front and had a "translator" allocated to me. Then it was communion - never done that before in this church. I don't know what they gave me to drink but it definitely had alcohol in it and it didn't taste like anything i'd ever had before.

After some forced dancing - everyone is tightly packed, so if the people next to you are moving from side to side, you have to too - the announcements started. At this point i had been there for over 2 hours and was hoping the sermon would start soon. Half an hour later the announcements were still going on and i was beginning to consider that maybe i had missed the sermon. And then, i was asked to introduce myself and greet the church like a good guest. And like a good (but sick) guest i complied, without mentioning all the times i have been to this church before (and never had to introduce myself).

As the announcements continued, the lady next to me (my "translator" had gone MIA by this stage) whispered that it was the end of the service. So yay, that was good news, but no, i could not leave yet as it was lunch time (late lunch may i add). So then was the challenge of trying to refuse a large plate of food. My legitimate excuse of being sick and having no appetite sounded rather lame, but since it was the truth, i stuck with it for several offerings of food.

After it seemed like i had watched everyone else eat for a socially appropriate amount of time, i decided to say my goodbyes and sneak out. Not that one can sneak out when one is an umlungu wearing a pink jersey and leaving early. Oops! Sometimes it pays to be white...they might just decide i'm strange and forgive me...