“The women remained confined within their husband’s houses” – a missionary moment

As a team of six, we set out to the mission field for our field experience as trainee missionaries after our training. On arrival, we were warmly received by the team of missionaries already working there and we joined them in their field conference. After the conference ended, we split into two teams. My team was sent to a village called ‘Awala;’ we were to stay here for 6 weeks.

My experience in the village was exciting, but I was shocked that the women did not come out to the public but remained confined within their husband’s houses. This means they couldn’t come to you but you could visit them. They pride themselves in Islam and would not accept any other faith. One of the days, the two brothers with me decided to mould mud blocks to assist the missionaries in putting up a small building. I decided to join in and this became news in the entire community. One after the other the people came to watch a the woman moulding blocks – they were amazed.

One major shock was the fact that although they kept their women from public view they had no midwife to attend to their pregnant wives. The only medical personnel that came to the village for their health needs and also to assist the women during delivery was a man from a neighboring village. This is a people that kept their wives away so as not to be seen by other men; yet, they expose them to a strange man to help them during delivery. It was difficult for me to understand.

Another shock was that they do not believe in educating their children. In their opinion, Western education will corrupt their Islamic heritage. I tried to reason with one of them, a headmaster in a government school, but he was of the same opinion. I tried to make him understand that educating their children, especially the girls, will help the community in the area of healthcare, if some of them go into nursing to take care of their women’s health instead of exposing them to strange men from outside the community. He agreed and promised he would try, but I’ve not heard from the man again. I don’t know if their children now go to school.

Missionary with CAPRO Nigeria