Today, Ash Wednesday, I "sat on a death." I went to the home of a Fulani woman whose husband had died. He was in his 30's and unexpectedly left behind 3 small children.
There is much to learn from a culture by the way they live but also by how they respond to death. While the other tribes around us wail loudly, flailing their arms about in dramatic theatrics when someone they know dies, the Fulani are reserved. They strive to be dignified. They are also hopeless and fatalistic: "What can we do? It is Allah's will."
As we sat with the women on the dirt floor of the house, my mind and heart lingered on the phrase "ash to ash and dust to dust" for today is Ash Wednesday. For my non-liturgical friends, this means it is the first day of Lent- the season of preparation before Easter.
Many of us are uncomfortable with Lent. For a long time, I looked down on it as the kind of works based practice from which Jesus has freed me. But the true emphasis of Lent is not what I can do (give up bathing, chocolate, Youtube, etc). Instead, it is preparing for the celebration of what He did. Before I celebrated Lent, Easter would often sneak up on me. I spent more time thinking of marshmallow birdies and a new dress than the awe of Easter. But before we can celebrate the resurrection, we need to remember the cross and the reason Jesus was crucified. Lent is a chance to remember the dark before the dawn. To sit with our sins. To appreciate the need for a Savior. To remember that there are still people in need of the Savior.
Really until this year, until I "sat on a death," Lent has always been about me, me, me. But as I sat with the family of a man that returned to the dust, my heart was heavy for them and our other Fulani friends that only know darkness. Oh how I pray they will come to know the joy of the Easter resurrection.
This Lent, as you reflect on Easter, please join me in praying for our Fulani friends.
Lori, thank you for telling us about your experience today, and especially for tying it in to Lent. The observation of Lent has never been part of my personal or church experience, but a week or so ago I had marked on today's calendar square, "first day of Lent," as the result of a radio program I had just listened to. Was afraid to commit to giving up something for fear I wouldn't be disciplined enough to stick to it, and honestly had not given it a lot more thought until reading your blog today. Thanks to your comments about the true emphasis of Lent, you have now given me a special focus for each of the next 40 days. Joining you in prayer that your Fulani friends will come to know the joy of the resurrection should also center my thoughts during this season of Lent where they belong, as you so eloquently described: on "the cross and the reason Jesus was crucified...to remember the dark before the dawn...to sit with our sins...to remember that there are still people in need of the Savior." I look forward to this new experience of preparing for Resurrection Sunday. I'm so glad you take time to share not only your experiences, but what God teaches you through them. God bless the three of you ~ Miriam
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