Phone Concert

I hate singing in front of other people. It scares me to death. What if I don't sing well? What if I mess up? What if people don't like my voice?

I also dislike phone calls. I prefer to have a conversation with someone in person whenever possible. And in Portuguese or Kimwani? Are you kidding me? Half the time I'm left guessing at what the other person said because of noisy backgrounds or muffled voices.

In light of these confessions, I'm really living in the wrong country. Mozambicans love singing (and dancing) and making phone calls. They wonder why I don't call them more often or give me strange looks when I get nervous about singing. 

The other day I gathered up enough courage to call Mama N, a precious friend from Pemba. Her exuberant response tumbled out of my phone when she heard my voice. How long it had been, and how am I doing, and when would I be back in Pemba, and when could I show the Jesus Film to her family, and she had forgotten how to sing the songs we used to sing at the Mwani fellowship. I tried my best to answer the torrent of questions.

She repeated her comment about the songs several times until I realized how important they must be to her. Pulling up the three Mwani songs I have on my phone I pressed play. Nothing happened. I couldn't be on the call with her and play the songs at the same time. With a sinking feeling, I realized I only had one choice: sing the words myself.

I braced myself and started singing the first song. My voice shook with nervousness. On my second time through, though, Mama N started repeating me. Heartfelt joy saturated her voice as she sang the words. I broke into a grin. The second song came out with more confidence and again she joined in on the second round. It sounded beautiful.

Fears forgotten, I launched into the third song, but our phone concert came to an abrupt end. The call dropped. Silence descended. However, nothing could squash the elation bubbling up inside of me. I've only seen Mama N once since leaving Pemba in April and yet her hunger for God is as strong as ever.

I hope to visit Pemba in November and will do my best to see her while I'm there. She seems so close to the kingdom. I long to see her take the final step and believe in Jesus for eternal life.