Allah kareem, wa hita an-nass kareem

Generosity is a value I have underestimated for too long.

This past weekend E and I were taken under the wing of another extended family and invited to their home, as well as on a whole journey to visit sites important in the history of this region. I can't even begin to express how kind and generous the friends we're making here are . . . but I'll try (and please enjoy E's slideshow above!).

Very early last Friday morning we arranged to meet up with a new friend and visit his hometown of AylafoOn. Many miles after the crowded buildings of the city disappeared, we rolled into a dusty, relaxed, sunny, community where many influential Sudanese who work in Khartoum actually live. Before we got there, I wondered why on earth would you choose to still live in a rural village if you have a good job in the city!?! But that was before we got to AylafoOn to see for ourselves.

The pace of life, for one thing, that far out of the capital ,is much more at ease. We were greeted by our friend's inlaws into their spacious spotless compound where we sat and debated politics for an hour or two before heading out an excursion they had planned for us. We did not expect the whole family to be in on our weekend activity, but they were! And it was great (again, see slideshow above).

After the requisite "barid" (remember what that is?!) we headed out in a minivan-ivan to see all of AylafoOn and the surrounding notable sites. Our friend's father-in-law was a history teacher, so he had much to say all along the way. We visited the sacred tombs of some of the founders of the region - one of whom lived at least 147 years - and heard stories about an amazing gift that lent protection to the bearer while he explored and eventually settled the land in that area.


Next we headed to a someone in our group's sister's aunt's home for breakfast. Luckily we were coming into town just as the inhabitants were celebrating a wedding. We were able to wish the groom 1000 congratulations on our way. We were shuttled into another spacious, airy compound where they sent me to sit with the women and took E away with the men on the other side. We broke the fast with our fellow (or in my case, lady) journeyers for the day. All of us eating out of one giant platter on which were little dishes of olives, cheese, eggs, white bread like hot dog buns, sweet spaghetti, ta'amiya (like falafel), and some meat and veg stew.


When that was done, we rejoined our other halves and got back on the road, out to visit an historic site marking a spot where the Sudanese battled the British at the end of the 19th century. That trek was hot, but interesting, and we listened attentively to our expert guide - who kept telling E he could get himself an additional wife from the town if he thought he was interested.


Then we were off again to see the Nile as it irrigates the land and provides the agriculture for the vast majority of the country.


Then on to see a Qur'anic school to which families across North and West Africa have been sending their sons for centuries. We visited the tombs of the founders of this site as well, and saw the eternal flame that has been burning in the same spot for almost one hundred years . . .

Throughout this long and eventful day we were constantly attended to by our friends and their families. "Have you had enough to drink?" "Are you too hot?" "Are you tired?" "Did you understand?" "Would you like another barid?" "Are you having fun?" etc. They were so thoughtful we managed to be comfortable for the entire trek, even in the midst of temperatures nearing 50c.

In the car on the way back into the city I was thinking to myself about an expression you hear all the time here, "Allah kareem." It means "God is generous/God will provide," and it dominates the mentality of this culture. "We make do with what we can and God will take care of the rest." This attitude can be manifest in the best and worst of character traits. On the one hand, there is no drive for people to "bootstrap" their way up from one standard of living to another. This can lead to a feeling of hopelessness and dead ends. On the other hand, there is a deep sense of trust that whatever one gets in life is just the right amount. Life will never be too hard for a person or too easy so that she might get weak and lazy - just right. I can share what I have with you because God has given me enough. This basic emphasis on trust has created a culture of utmost generosity and welcome. Makes me wonder if we didn't place so much value on self-made people who bootstrap their ways up socio-economic ladders, how different American culture might be.

In Sudan, God is most generous, and the people here are too.