AN ODE TO HATS AND TOPLESS LADIES

 

A group of folk from a couple of churches in the North of Ireland were involved in translating the Bible into one of the 6,800 languages spoken in our world, so they made the trip to the Ivory Coast, to see one of the small Christian communities there who still don’t have the Bible in their own language.

During their visit, deep in the jungle, the locals began to sing and dance to demonstrate their appreciation of the ‘Masungus’ (white men) who had come so far to encourage them in their faith.  African people have a wonderful way of making you feel welcome and the folk from the Cote d’Ivoire are no different, except that in this case of the ladies offered the traditional welcome, usually it’s the children. Now, brace yourself, this community was so rural that the ladies didn’t cover all of their bodies – if you know what I mean. The term ‘topless’ gives the wrong impression in our culture, but you can imagine that as they danced, well, they were fairly animated – it was a rare sight as they freely bounced around on the red earth and sang their beautiful songs.

In an effort to promote their work in that country, a video was made of the highlights of the trip. It was shown far and wide in good old Ireland, to groups with broad minds and some with narrow, until one day it got really narrow, and my friend was taken to the side after the ‘Certificate 18’ showing; “I noticed something about those African women”, said the observant, deep thinking gentleman. “They were worshipping God, but they weren’t wearing hats.”

Now is that about the funniest thing you’ve ever heard? Or is it sad? I’m reminded of another friend of mine who had recently become a Christian. She was finding some spiritual nourishment under the teaching of a certain Belfast minister, so at the end of the service she approached him telling him how his teaching was helping her and that she’d be back, and of all the uplifting things he could have said, he said, “Well, maybe the next time you come you’ll wear your hat.”

A lady trying to find her way in her newfound faith; a group of happy, grateful African ladies, selflessly honouring foreign visitors, and they both get a slap in the mouth because they don’t fit the tight religious mould that crucified the Master. God help us!

You know the older I get the more I’m convinced that when some Christians go to work on other Christians, Satan takes a holiday. We can crush, dishearten and discourage far better than he ever could.