Two Host Family Experiences

I was able to stay two nights in the homes of families of the congregations we visited on the weekends. The first night was in the small village of Lassa. We arrived for a fellowship meal with the EYN #1 Lassa congregation and afterwards we were told to wait outside and someone would come and take us to their home for the night. I was the first person to leave the church. I guess you could say that I was snatched up immediately! I went with a woman named Hajara and the first thing she asked me was, “can you trek?” and I said, “yes!” So we trekked (walked) for about 20 minutes to get to her one room home that was on the outskirts of town. Everything she needed was in this single room. There were two beds, a television (although there was no electricity to use it), cooking items in the corner (the kitchen itself was on the front porch). We went in (after leaving our shoes outside the door) and started getting ready for bed. Hajara offered me a wrapper (a piece of cloth to wrap around myself) to wear to take my bath that I accepted and I put on. Then she walked me out to the ‘toilet/shower’ which is a small space with cinderblock walls, no roof with a hole in the middle. I was able to wash up under the stars that night and I loved it. I felt free. We then spent some time talking with one another about our families and our lives. Hajara is a mother of four and her husband lives in Lagos with the children while she is working in Lassa, many hours away. She hasn’t seen her family in two years but is hoping to spend two months with them soon. We then looked at her photos that she has of her family and friends and colleagues. I could tell that those people were very important to her. In the morning, Hajara heated up some water so that I could take a warm tub bath, which consisted of me dumping water on myself and it felt so wonderful to do just that! We then trekked back to the church greeting many people as we went because I’m sure they were somewhat surprised to see a young white woman walking down the street!

My next experience of staying with a family was extremely different but at the same time similar. It was different in that I stayed with the family of John and Esther and their daughter Awa who is my age. We left the EYN Polo church in Maidugari in a Mercedes and drove across the city to their home. We drove through the gate at their home and inside I saw a large, ranch style house. We sat outside and enjoyed the last of the day light before the generator was turned on for the evening. I was immediately ushered to Awa’s room, where the TV had already been turned on. If people had televisions, they were always on to show us as a way to show wealth to those who visit. I waited there while Awa heated up some water so that I could take a tub bath before going to bed. After cleaning up I went out to the living room and we sat down together for a late meal before sitting down to watch CNN. John and Esther both had the opportunity to study in the states in Kansas. John attended McPherson College and Esther went to a nearby university. They have six children, five boys and a girl. They were incredibly warm and welcoming to me. Now I can say that I have a home in Maidugari.