The Talent Show

Many of you know that I love to dance.  So, when I learned that there was going to be a YAV talent show at orientation, I immediately wanted to perform a dance.  A few friends and I bonded together to create a casual dance with some African and contortionist moves.  

If you want to laugh a little, watch our dance here.

I’d like to tell you about the three men I worked with, as each one of them made me feel loved and taught me something new this week.

Vinnie, a tall lanky man with long dreadlocks and a bushy beard, stole the show.  Raised by a Pentecostal pastor and naturally outgoing, he has no qualms about expressing himself.  Although he is over six feet tall he can easily wrap both of his legs around this head, twisting into a tightly woven pretzel.  Vinnie is not only a contortionist, but is also a farmer, a traveller, and peacemaker.  Passionate about growing local food, he will be serving in New Orleans managing a community garden in an underserved neighborhood.  I pray for his safety.

Martin was raised in Cameroon and moved to the United States eight years ago as a refuge fleeing political and religious violence.  He has lived in Maryland, near DC, for the last few years.  While rehearsing, he showed us some Cameroonian dance moves, which he executed beautifully. 

Presbyterian churches look different all over the world.  As a general statement, church services in African are much more lively.  Martin said that offering is one of the best parts of a service, as people get up and dance their way up the aisle, showing offer their best moves to honor God and give thanks for the talents God has given them.  People dance, clap, drum, and yell out during service.  In contrast, offering at my church is a quiet introspective time when people pass around baskets for donations, while they sit and listen to music.

For several years now I have been yearning for a worship service that combines an intellectually challenging, progressive, figurative interpretation of theology and also encourages people to express themselves in a charismatic way.  Sometimes it seems like American Presbyterians are trying to forget they have bodies.  We tend to intellectualize and analyze our theology so much that we feel scared or ashamed to express our faith in any non-cerebral way. 

You have a body.  God made it.  Use it.  Shake it.

Martin will be working with refuges in Denver.  I wish him the best and know that his calm, compassionate nature will be much appreciated at his site.

Kyle.  If Jesus were a ginger, he’d look like Kyle.  His long, curly, red hair glides along his mid-back, covering his scruffy, torn-up blue poncho.  Kyle, who played percussion for our dance, is a quiet thinker.  When he speaks, he speaks with conviction, often igniting philosophical debates or spreading compassion.  His gently, unassuming presence was a comfort for me this week.  Thank you.

Kyle will be serving in Peru and will not be returning to the United States for a year.

These posts are a reflection of Grace Dover’s current thoughts on simple living, spirituality, and service.  They do not represent the Presbyterian Church (USA), Young Adult Volunteers, BorderLinks, or any other organization or individual other than Grace Dover.