A Community Excursion to Share a Meal with a Senegalese Family

 

On Friday, March 10, 2023, a group of 12 fellow crew members, and Abdoulaye, an interpreter working with the Global Mercy ship during the Senegal field service, traveled to a region of Dakar called Yoff. The excursion involved visiting a Islamic sacred place and then sharing a meal in a Senegalese home. The Mercy Ships day crew, Abdoulaye, provided a communication and cultural bridge to enrich our visit. Our experience included an education tour of the sacred Layene Mausoleum with the help of the Imam (prayer leader, spiritual advisor, expert in Islamic Law) of the local Mosque. 

We learned about the Islamic faith and importance of the Layene history. During our time in the Layene Mausoleum we joined our Muslim brothers and sisters in prayer. The interior of the worship area was reached by climbing a flight of stairs. Despite being above ground the floors were covered in a deep Sahara sand. The perfect yellow Sahara sand floors were a contrast to the marble and crystal lights in the space. I listened to the ocean sounds and watched the waves while praying for a peaceful world.

As I knelt on the sand floor the ocean views showed waves crashing just outside the mausoleum gate. Despite other ocean waters rising throughout Senegal the Imam told us that the shore does not approach the mausoleum or sacred fresh water well area. Both the mausoleum and well are located within a few feet of the ocean tide. The waves provided a repetitive soothing sound. The rhythmic sounds from the ocean offered a time of relaxation. I knew there was a significant religious diversity among the people praying around me. In the contrast was an awareness of similarities. The power of God's creation heard in the ocean sounds and prayer reminded me of Psalm 95:5-8:

"The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship, 

 and bow down; let us knell before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God; and we are the 

            people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts ..."

           

The photo shows a Senegalese man looking toward the Layene Mausoleum and ocean beyond. Layene refers to a religious brotherhood of Sufi Muslims based in Senegal and founded in1884 by Seydina Limamou Laye (1844-1909). This religious group believes their founder was the reincarnation of Muhammad, and his son, Seydina Issa Rouhou Laye, the reincarnation of Jesus.The Leyene practices include the five pillars of Islam (profession of faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca).

These photos show the Layene Mausoleum and our Global Mercy day crew, Abdulaye, showing us the interior. Photos tell a story when words feel inadequate. May these photos help show the images which caught my attention. We covered our heads in respect of the Islamic Law in the sacred area. Thank you for reading my Global Mercy Blog. Writing about my experiences helps me organize my thoughts and learn while living five months in Dakar, Senegal. The following photos tell the story of our meal with the family.  

Making a Senegalese Meal

Making the Senegalese food started at 10am with the meal being served in the late afternoon. We sat on the floor around table linens and ate with our right hand. No photos were taken during the meal due to our intense focus on learning how to eat in a new way! As the meal progressed I was less messy and enjoyed more food! A typical Senegalese meal consists of rice, fish, chicken, cooked vegetables, spices and fresh tomato-parsley-cucumber. The woman worked together and asked us to help with the cooking. There was lots laughter among us as we tried to learn about their cooking techniques. The women in the photo below, with the turquoise dress, delivered a baby son 10 days ago!

     One of the Senegalese dishes. YUM!

The Women and Children in the Family

The following day I ventured into the busy streets outside of the port where my ship is located. Walking a few blocks brings me to lovely beaches in one direction or the Saturday markets in the opposite way. The garment shops, with amazing Senegalese fabrics, is a favorite place to spend time. Everyone barters for the best price which is a mixture of fun and exhaustion. My Saturday involved the peacefulness of resting on the beach in the shade of palm trees to the busy, often no side walk, noisy journey for shopping. There are no traffic signs which requires the art of navigating the constant traffic. The roads are filled with new and very old cars, colorful small buses, and an occasional horse and cart for deliveries. The city streets are narrow because people are selling everything from food to electronics along the road. I am becoming more comfortable walking on the streets since sidewalks are seldom available. This comfort creates a feeling of existing in the flow of Dakar life. When wandering around Dakar, or the areas just outside of the city, I feel a kindness as people greet and welcome each other including me.

A thought repeated on the Global Mercy ship is that the cultural diversity experienced is not a matter of right or wrong, just a different expression of life. My days are a blend of ship life - a combination of meetings, crew support appointments, worship services, and occasionally being a barista in the cafe, and exploring Dakar when taking time away from my chaplaincy responsibilities on the ship. 

The chaplaincy/counselor role creates a continual reflection with fellow crew about the complex experience of living and working on a surgical ship in a West African country.  Suffering is seen amidst the joys of Dakar life. The spokesperson for our family immersion time concluded our Friday visit with the remark, "Please see the Senegalese culture as rich in community and not just a poor place".  These wise words encourage me to open my eyes to see and ears to hear what God is teaching. The Senegalese people talk about the importance of "Teranga" - good hospitality. In practice, Teranga reflects the importance of treating everyone as a guest with open arms and a seat around the bowl. The grace of giving Teranga to family, friends and strangers is filled with a responsibility to share what one has been blessed with in life. My few months in Dakar is an education around the beauty of Teranga.