It’s a Sunday morning and Jan is asked to preach in a church in Northern Dakar. It has been raining last night and our street is covered in water. The children put on their rain boots that match their Sunday’s best fashionably well. It appears to be a good choice: almost all Dakar turned in to a collection of mud and puddles…
The rainy season is off to a good start this year. In many parts of Senegal the farmers have been waiting eagerly for some rain. But Dakar is not build for heavy tropical rains… We have been without a single drop of rain for the past 10 months, one would almost forget what rain feels like! Houses and roads are totally unprepared for these rains: the sewage floods and roads become inaccessible. When it starts raining it pours heavily and when you happen to be on the road at that moment you’d better be ready for some loooong traffic jams…
When we arrive at the church about 50 people are already present and gathered outside the main building under a corrugated tin roof where the worship services are held. As the prayer starts, drops of rain start falling on the roof. We pray for the country, the city, the neighborhood and the rattling of the rain on the roof becomes louder and louder. The “amen” of the pastor is drowned in the loud noise. Some church members put buckets in strategic places as the choir strikes up a hymn. The director is not easily distracted even when water is dripping heavily on the choir she continuous singing cheerfully. Preparations are made and one by one the church members squeeze in the living room. Snug as a bug in a rug the community continuous the worship service inside. Fortunately Jan preaches long enough for the rain to end, and we leave the church for a dry (but muddy) drive home.
If you like to support the church in Northern Dakar for the repair of the roof, click here.
