Cell Phone Culture

Cell phone culture is quite different here in Zim. (Geoff - we think you'd love it!) A lot of people in Harare have cell phones, because they tend to be a bit more reliable than landlines. It is unusual to be in a meeting where someone's cell phone doesn't go off. And it's not a reaction of, "oh dear, I left my cell phone on, I'm so sorry." It's just like, "well, I had better answer this immediately and right here." Monday night I went over to our neighbours' to offer them a little farewell gift. In the middle of my prayer of blessing for them, the Major's cell phone went off. So, he answered it (I guess, just in case it was God, giving some sort of response!) Wednesday night, John and I went on a date (it was very romantic!) We saw a movie and so many people answered their cell phones during the movie - having a full conversation. I have a friend named Beauty who is Zimbabwean, but moved to Canada a few years ago; where I met her. Thursday night I went to go visit her parents. Communication was difficult because of language, so I sang a song for them. And a cell phone went off (to the tune of "Jingle Bells") in the middle of the song. Oh yeah, I should have mentioned, no one uses the "vibrate" function here.

Friday night, I learned that my friend's sister was not feeling well. The sister had been staying with them, and was quite sick, so I decided to go pay them a visit. I discovered upon arrival that she had just died. I was told to go into the room where the sister was lying on the bed. I know it's wrong, but I only stayed about 2 minutes in the room. I was feeling a bit faint. It's like you could feel death in the air. My friend was obviously really upset, and it was hard to see her anguish. Thankfully, she had tonnes of visitors. The whole community comes out to support one another. Again, cell phones were a feature. People's cell phones were going off in the room of the deceased. One thing I did find quite significant was that in the family's living room, many people were coming and laying their cell phones on the table - so that they could be used to let various relatives and friends know the news. We all just kind of sat and offered our presence to the family as we waited for the police to come and collect the body. It felt weird to me to have "Auld Lang Syne" or a samba beat coming loudly from a cell phone in the middle of our prayers and songs for someone who had just passed away. Cell phone culture is just different here. Please keep the Jamu family in your prayers/thoughts.