Trip Report (III)

Shashamane, 29 August 2021

THE MASS IS COMMUNITY.  

At 7:30 in the morning the church of our Mission was teeming with people -- the mass is a fundamental opportunity for interaction by the local population.  Try to imagine being welcomed into the church by festive singing, dancing, vibrant colors, and participation of the faithful for the entire 2 hours of the service.

We ask ourselves why the mass should last so long.  Being here allows you to quickly understand why:   gathering together, under the same roof, is a celebration, provides visibility, and creates bonds.  In other words, people really want to be together in church for all that time and how can you not agree with them?  They need to experience a couple of hours of tranquility, breaking away from the bigger picture.

Living the mass here means continuing to gather together even after the end of the service, where thoughts of their daily hard work can be left behind for a moment among the serene gazes of the participants, the curious smiles of the children, and of those we already know.

Now we are ready to confront the week ahead!