A Zambian Baby Shower

This is an entry I wrote a while back but never posted:

Before leaving for South Africa, my team-mates gave me a “baby shower”; my states-side friends gave me an “online shower”, the church in South Africa threw a “stork party” and now my baby has been properly welcomed by my Zambian friends.  In Zambia it is customary to bring gifts for the baby only after he or she is born.  Afterall, there’s a high infant mortality rate, most women don’t know the sex of their baby, they don’t reveal the due date for fear of their baby being bewitched and most of all, Zambians don’t generally presume upon what the future will hold.  So…in true Zambian fashion, the women from our home fellowship group showed up unannounced about a week after we returned.

There were many formalities…I had to sit and let everyone serve me and they got a kick out of calling me “Mrs. Hilty” because now I have three children.  We all chatted and Tristan was passed around – everyone commenting on his size, that he looks like his brother, etc. etc.   Then the oldest woman, Mrs. Njapau exhorted me to give thanks for this joyful experience and that God had answered so many prayers for a safe and healthy delivery and baby.  She opened it up for the other women to give advice.  They discussed everything from hygiene to my relationship with Tim and the kids to not allowing anyone to practice traditional medicine on my baby.

I felt VERY loved and accepted by these women.  It’s amazing how everytime we leave for a bit and then return, we’re received more and more warmly by the Zambians we have built relationships with.  Instances like this make life here seem more “normal”.