Earlier this month, we got to experience another African first. Ryan’s assistant had his first baby boy, a very handsome fellow. As is the custom in this part of the world, they hosted a baby naming ceremony, which we were happy to attend. We began by attending his church, one Sunday about 2 weeks after the baby was born. A portion of the Sunday service was set aside to allow he and his wife to share, sing, and announce the baby’s name. For many folks, this is the first time they share the name with anyone.
Our friends are actually transplants from Nigeria, which is obvious from their outfits in this photo.
After the service we went back to the family’s house, where they had a big meal prepared to share. Our friends had at least 70 guests. We were invited to sit inside the house to eat, but most folks sat just outside the house under a giant tent. I didn’t mind sitting inside for a little while because that meant I got to hold that beautiful baby while the family was busy greeting guests and making sure everyone was getting food and drink.
Isn't he the cutest?
The inside of the house was a bit small for the crowd that was weaving in and out, so the kids quickly made their way outside. Our hosts had invited drummers who were kind enough to drum us from the car to the door of the house with great eagerness. After the kids piled back outside, they found the drummers quite entertaining.
It was a pleasure to spend a few hours helping our friends celebrate the birth of their first baby boy and it was fun getting to experience a different aspect of the culture here.
