Sabbath Unrest

We make it a point here to take sabbath days once a week. In a place where it's often hard to find rest, quiet, or to really relax, it's important to be intentional about getting the rest we need.

Some folks go to coffee shops, swim, or visit with friends. I usually just go to our team center to hide from the world and disappear into books, music, my journal, and the internet for a day. I need to get my head out of the slum in order to really relax.

Alas, some days you just can't quite really escape.

Last week I had a wonderful sabbath, just relaxing at the team center all day. But then, when it was time to head home to go to bed in the slum, I realized I had a little work I ought to get done. A quick phone call and a couple of emails later, it was already past 10pm. Our outside door gets locked between 10:30 and 11 so I decided I'd hurry.

About two thirds of the way home a couple of women turning out of an alley recognized me and yelled hello.

"Are you coming to the birthday party?"

Oh right, the birthday party. That kid from church. That birthday party which I was definitely not headed towards.

"Come on! We'll show you the way."

So off I go, down some back alleys, twisting and turning into rows of small one and two-room brick houses. Up some stairs to a room full of people I mostly sort of recognize from the church I've been to a few times.

Of course I'll eat some chicken and rice and dessert at 10:30 pm, after I've already eaten dinner (the polite thing to do). Of course I'll sit with you and chat in a foreign language while I just want to be in my bed.

After sticking around long enough to be polite I headed out. Except, now without my kind church-lady guides, I didn't know where I was (despite being all of 5 minutes from my house). After 5 minutes of confused wandering I found my way back to familiar territory and headed home.

Only to be stopped by a kind older gentleman to have a deep conversation about souls and breathe and God and where people came from. At 11:20pm.

Did I mention that people here eat late, stay up late, and generally don't mind that they're keeping you from bed?

I eventually made it home after 11:30, where my roommate unlocked the outside door for me.

All that to say, life here is full and good and planning to have a restful day doesn't always mean I will get one in the end.