Ash Wednesday

Le 9 mars   Growing up in New England, we children used to say after we received our cross, “How’s mine? Oooh, yours is HUGE!”

All of us, no matter how small the cross, were clearly sporting ash on our foreheads.

Leading up to Ash Wednesday in Africa, I was wondering just how it would go. If their skin is dark, and the ashes are dark… Well, I just had to wait and see what would happen.

As luck would have it, our school as well as the other primary and secondary schools in the area, decided to have a joined mass at the parish to celebrate this mid-week holy day. Primary school means lots of children. Rwandan children, particularly in areas like Gisenyi, absolutely love muzungus. I always get waves and smiles and “good morning!”s when even walking from the house to school.

A church packed with children meant all eyes on me – even though I was in the back half of the church during mass.

As I went up to receive my ashes, I could hear some little voices saying, “muzungu!” Please, Lord… let me receive a small cross, I thought.

Sr. Gisele marked my forehead with a cross of ash, and as I turned to go back to my seat, I felt hundreds of little stares on me – in awe. I literally thought I was going to lose it at this point and break out into a big Barry laugh, but somehow I restrained it and instead settled with beaming from ear to ear.