Emmanuel - God with Us

I turned up at church late. I admit it was tactical. I wanted a slight lie in and church starts at 9.30. I arrived at just after 10 and by the look of it, a fair number of others had made a tactical decision also.

The reason for the tactic is simple. I am used to services being 1 hour long in Scotland, but in Gatenga, they start at 9.30 and finish around 1.15pm.

Most of the service is in Kinyarwandan, and so for the length of the service I am provided with a translator. He is Emmanuel. His name meaning God with Us.

He is very skilled at interpreting, at least as far as I can tell. Emmanuel has been my interpreter most times at have been at church, and we have become friends.

In addition, a new innovation at the service, is the Kinyarwandan song book, which I sang from, which of course means I can sing in Kinyarwandan now! Not got a clue what the words said but it was great to be able to sing to God.

In Scotland, hands are often shoved in pockets during services, but in Rwanda there is considerable use of them - to bury your head in your hands when praying, to greet and to say goodbye, to cuddle and welcome, to indicate fellowship and friendship, to challenge the audience during the message, and of course to praise God for his great goodness.

Scottish men do not raise hands to God. We are completely unable to do so - is that not right Fleming! 7 times I have been here, and 7 times I have kept my hands where they were supposed to be - by my side. So there is no reason to change a genetic pre - disposition to frozen arm syndrome - is there!

Just do not expect me to do it at Chryston Church - that would be too far!