Going to the Funeral

I attended the funeral of our neighbor's baby on Wednesday, and I thought many of you might be interested in hearing about how funerals are done here. Generally, funerals are done quickly, because there is no way to keep a body cold, and embalming is not done. Out in the bush, they are usually done next day. Here in town where we have a mortuary, it might be a bit longer to give relatives time to arrive. A proper funeral at a church is generally not done for a baby, though there were about 20 people at the burial service. Inside the tiny house, the mother and grandmother (the only family members besides the father) lay in a separate room on a straw mat with their bodies and heads covered with a cloth. Meanwhile, in the main room the pastor and an elder from the church preached a sermon in Portuguese, with translation into Makua. I only heard part of it, and it had to do with death being the enemy, along with some wierd ideas about how the child had gone to the enemy. The baby's body lay on a mat in the center of the room, and people could come in and uncover him to see him and say their farewells. I was invited in to sit beside the mother, and I sat there for a few minutes, then moved to a space on the floor beside the wall so that someone else could sit beside the mother. Several songs were sung, and then it was time to go. The fire which had been burning outside the house door (which was always kept open) was extinguished. The baby's body was placed in the arms of a member of the church and a cloth was tied around his neck, which then covered the baby completely. He walked to the open truck, following someone holding up a large wooden cross, followed by the mother and grandmother, who were draped in cloths and supported by a female friend or relative. The father followed. The baby's body was placed on the floor of the truck, and those who climbed in the truck sat around the body. The rest of us climbed into an open panel truck and we drove slowly in procession to the cemetery. People sitting beside the street stood up as we passed and children hid behind lamposts, covering their eyes. Children are not allowed to attend funerals until they reach the age of maturity (circumcision for boys, a ritual for girls) because of some fears about the ancestors.

At the cemetery, a prayer was said, songs were sung, a few words said, and two men stood in the grave while the body was passed to them under a sheet that covered them and the grave completely. A few small items belonging to the baby were passed in to be placed with him, and he was covered with a straw mat. Then each of the mourners threw in a handful of dirt, and the body was covered with dirt. Two candles were placed on either side of the cross which had been inserted in the dirt, and the mother and father each lit one. At the house, each of us paused to wash our hands before entering the yard (there are some traditional beliefs about this) and the mother and grandmother were escorted to the outside bathroom to take a bath and change their clothes (more traditional beliefs). Meanwhile, the food which had been prepared while we were gone was dished out. This is a poor family, so it was just beans and rice. After the meal, the guests were free to leave.

This morning, on the third day, about 8 of us went to the flower ceremony in my car. First we met at 5 am at the neighbors house for prayer, then drove to the cemetery where flowers from my yard were inserted in the dirt all over the grave. The candles were lit again. After a brief prayer, we returned home. At the house, the church elder preached briefly about David and his response when his baby died. I'm still trying to sort out exactly what he meant concerning that. Then each of us was invited to say something and I was asked to pray. Then we left. Now, anyone who was staying with the family during the official time of mourning could leave, and neighbors need no longer visit daily to sit with the bereaved.

Such is a Christian Mozambican funeral. I was pleased that the church elder echoed my words after I spoke, reiterating that the baby is safe with God and that we are sad because he is not with us. He also emphasized that he hopes the family will turn to God for encouragement. Sometimes we hear very strange ideas taken from obscure passages in the Bible and it was good to hear some solid ideas. Please continue to pray with us that this family will return to the church and not become bitter.

Cami