Nazo came to the house at 6:00 this morning. Luckily I it was not before we were stirring around. We intended on getting a head start on hanging the razor wire but it was raining so I was sewing. He said that he had come early to let us know that he would not be coming to work today. He said that one of his neighbors died last night and that he was going to go to the cemetery and help the family do the burial. There are no designated grave diggers. Everyone that is available goes to the cemetery to help out. The Muslims use the cemetery for adults; children are buried near their houses. They carry the body to the cemetery in a community coffin. The grave is dug in an “L” shape. Once the grave is prepared the person is removed from the coffin and placed in the grave with their face facing east. The grave becomes their coffin. The men use cement blocks, large stones or sticks to close the portion of the grave that the body is resting in. Then mud is mixed and that part of the grave is sealed. After they are satisfied with the grave the hole is filled. It will take a large portion of the day to get a body buried because all the family heads come together to decide the best plan of action; where the body will be buried; who will carry the body to the cemetery; who will inform the rest of the family and on and on it goes. Most people are buried within 24 hours.
Nazo wife is still helping to perform the funeral of her aunt. They are going to go to another village to celebrate the funeral. Nazo needed money to send with his wife. She is responsible for buying part of the food and cooking for those that attend the funeral. Nazo said that he was lucky because this is the eldest aunt in her family and if at any time during his wife’s life her aunt had taken her to her house to live the funeral would cost him even more money. He would have had to buy a sheep and a cloth to send to the funeral in addition to the money for food. The funerals are killing the people! Everyone is so poor and yet they are expected to help with the funerals of everyone in their family.
Only a hand full of mothers ventured out in the rain this morning. Only 2 of the caregivers that get formula for orphan child came. Of course it did not help that today was the day the schools and government offices took off for Founder’s Day. Some might have thought that we were closed for the holiday.
Meri (one of the interpreters for the Child Center) and her 2 year old daughter have colds. They were coughing and wheezing all morning long. I tried not to touch anything that they used because I don’t want to get it.
Have a great day!
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
