“Privacy please” – a missionary moment

As fresh-on-the-field missionaries, we were placed with a local family to observe their culture. The father spoke some English, and went out with my husband for a while. The mother, who did not speak English, left me at home with her daughter, who also spoke no English. I had none of the local language. Before she left, she obviously instructed her daughter to stay at home.

As soon as the mother left, her daughter began to leave the house, and, feeling responsible, I tried to prevent her. She adamantly insisted, and when she left the house, I followed her. She was unhappy about this and motioned to me urgently: “go back, go back!” but I persisted. Eventually, she came close, looked in my face, and then squatted down. The poor girl needed to go relieve herself and I would not let her do so in private! Shamefaced, I returned to the house, and she came back within a few minutes.

When her mother came home, the girl told her what had happened, and they about fell over laughing. I couldn’t help but join. Years later, that family and I still joke about my misunderstanding whenever we meet. I speak the language fluently now. That experience gave me a good reason to learn quickly!

-Kenyan missionary to South Sudan