"Go to Church!"

In America we hear people say 'She went to church on that song!' if perhaps the woman really got into the music, or 'He went to church on that chocolate cake!' if he ate it with vigor and enthusiasm. I attended a church service today, and this congregation 'went to church!' on that service. The African style of holding a church service most certainly originated the meaning of this slang term in the states. The entire service is a celebration; a loud, vocal, clapping, preaching celebration. It was supposed to start at 10 am and last until 12, however, there is a thing here (accepted but not always appreciated by the locals) as 'African Time', which means to add an hour- to an hour and a half- to every meeting/beginning time. Each day of teaching was supposed to start around 9, but began at 10 or 10:30- it's so different than American clockwork organization, but I LOVE it! I'm generally late for most things in America, (really all things accept work). When I did my first show in college, I vividly recall being reamed out by my director for my tardiness of 6 minutes. Here, they are relaxed saying 'I had to do something first' and it's accepted and adopted as normal. So church today began at 11:10 instead of 10 am and went well past 1:00.
The service began with music (which I LOVED!). The National language of Uganda is English as of the last ten years, so the schools, churches, stores, etc. are really pushing to use the language, and with pretty good success; so, naturally, all the sermons and songs from today's service are either translated (with a translator) to English or sung in both English, and then Swahili. I recognize most of the songs, and can sing along with the English, but the song books do not include notations (I could help with that! but I suppose we should take it one step at a time ( : )
When it comes time to the communion, I am a mess.
For me, I am noticing about myself, that I tend to walk through every day here with wide eyes, and an even wider smile, open to the new things that are offered to me. Then at some point in the day, the intake reaches a certain level, and I overflow. The entirety of my day is slightly overwhelming- in mostly wonderful ways- but it becomes exhausting. Today, my first day off since I've landed, is spent with the same wide-open approach, and while I contemplate whether or not to accept this gracious communion offering of juice (Christ's blood) and flat potato bread (Christ's body), I absorb the loving and open behavior of the people with their fellow 'brothers and sisters'. I wait until the end of the impromptu communion to see if there will be enough to go around the thirty person congregation since we, Mzungus, have joined. As I said previously, the rarity of food here is my biggest struggle, so while I am observing the tiny amounts of juice (1 cup total) divided into the tiniest plastic communion valves, and a tin the size of my palm filled with tiny pieces of bread, I wonder, with some issue, whether there will be enough.
There is enough, so Kelly and I walk up hand-in-hand, as I am surely making everyone uncomfortable with my tears, to take our own communion. We place the bread into our mouths first, and then the thimble-sized juice, as I try to swallow through my shaking breath. We are getting an array of looks consisting of smiles, glares, and also simple observers- each with a mixture of thoughts behind his or her countenance.
I obviously cannot know for certain what their thoughts are, I can only say thank you, with my hand on my heart, to make it clear what thoughts are behind my tears.

Tonight we're going to the restaurant, Two Friends, once again- for THE WORLD CUP! How cool to be in Africa for this event. There is a pride throughout, even in Uganda, to have such an event held in there communal land of Africa! Exciting!

Tomorrow we go to our second organization, TAOST!
More soon,
Love,
Carly