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  • Writer's picturerheckroth94

Finding Humanity in Senegal


Sunset from the roof of my house in Fatick

There are many things that have led to me falling in love with Senegal. The indescribable African night sky, my incredible host family, my ever-patient coworkers, the delicious food (here’s looking at you, Chebu Jen), but what I have fallen in love with most is the Senegalese culture of acceptance. Now I feel like it is incredibly important for me to take the time to distinguish between tolerance, and acceptance. Recently, I’ve noticed that these two words are often used interchangeably. Even if its unintentional. There are many who take pride in describing themselves as “tolerant people.” Whether that be tolerance of different types people or of different cultures. But I wonder, how often do those who claim to be “tolerant” actually engage with different people and cultures on more than just a surface level? When we take a closer look, I argue that mere tolerance isn’t enough. I believe we can strive for better. Webster’s dictionary defines tolerance as “the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behavior that one dislikes or disagrees with.” Now I want to be very clear, I am not against “tolerance”. I still think it is a very important trait, but what I’ve noticed living here, is that the Senegalese have taken this notion of tolerance one step further to true acceptance. That is what we should all aim for. Acceptance and inclusion, rather than mere tolerance, is where I want to set my bar.


For those that might not be aware, (I was clueless before moving here) Senegal is majority Muslim country. Exact numbers differ, but an upwards of 95% of the population identifies as Sufi Muslims. Now what I’m sure many of you might be wondering, or even assuming, is if my goal for this year is to convert Muslims to Christianity. I want to be as clear as I possibly can: my goal as a missionary is NOT to convert any Muslims to Christianity. Everyone has a right to find salvation in their own way. In fact, after living here for a month, I feel confident in my belief that there is so much more that I could learn from the Senegalese (Muslim and Christian alike) about loving thy neighbor, one of the truest Christian values. Islam looks incredibly unique here in Senegal, not just by U.S standards, but by other other Muslim country’s standards as well. The greeting “As-Salaam Alaikum” (peace be upon you) is used by Muslims and Christians alike. Who wouldn’t want peace to be upon them? While the call to prayer can be heard five times a day from mosques all around the city, interfaith marriages and families are as commonplace as the horse-drawn carts that fill the streets.


My first week living in Fatick, I was invited to participate in Tamkharit, a holiday celebrating the Muslim New Year, with my coworker and her Muslim neighbors. I was welcomed, as a complete stranger, into their home to celebrate a holiday that I had previously never even heard of. Yet, I found myself intertwined in the fabric of their lives for this particular night. I was handed babies to entertain, while their mothers and siblings got dressed up, encouraged to eat much more than my stomach would allow (“Naami, Naami!”), and thrown into countless Senegalese dance circles. Through it all, I was shocked to discover, that not once was I ever made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. The children laughed with me (or maybe at me) as I tried to learn how to dance, the mothers graciously made sure I didn’t get lost as we wandered around the streets late at night, and of course, always made sure I wore enough mosquito spray.


Of the 13 or so countries within the YAGM program, Senegal is the only placement in a predominately Muslim country. Because of this, we have participated in multiple Islamo-Christian workshops and training sessions. Coming from the United States’ current culture of islamophobia, or at best, a surface level tolerance, breaking stereotypes and introducing a new way of viewing and interacting with Muslims and Islam was a major goal of these workshops. One quote that stuck out most to me was from a Muslim woman saying “I love Christians because I am a good Muslim.” Here in Senegal, faith isn’t hereditary. It is a conscious choice that each person makes on a daily basis. Oftentimes, children end up choosing a different religious path from their parents. However, these situations rarely end in disownment, but rather in a beautifully simple conversation:


"Is this what you truly believe?”

“Yes.”

“Ok. Whatever you do, be strong in what you have chosen.”

What is so striking about Senegalese culture is that regardless of a person’s beliefs, humanity always comes first! Holidays are celebrated together. Greetings are shared across religious lines. Religious practices are respected by all. A place around the bowl is open to anyone who is hungry, regardless of if they pray to the same God before the meal is served. The acceptance of people as fellow human beings always takes precedent over their religious or political beliefs. If you’re anything like me, this seems like a strikingly easy concept to understand and accept. But if that’s the case, then why does actually living by these concepts feel so unfamiliar?


As difficult as it is to admit, I felt more welcome celebrating a holiday that is not in my tradition, with complete strangers, in a country where I do not know the language or culture, than I have in many Christian congregations back in the United States. I felt more comfortable sitting down around a bowl of food, split between eight people I’d never met, who I couldn’t communicate with, than I ever did choosing a place to eat in a school cafeteria. Why is this? What is it about the Senegalese that allow them to actually live by the tenets that we in America so often claim to have? How can I take what I’ve learned about Senegalese culture and integrate it into my life in the United States? Will the strong individualistic nature of American culture even allow for such integration to take place? What can we do in our daily lives to cultivate more acceptance of others? What would that look like? Taking the time away from our desks at lunch to go eat with coworkers? Or maybe, rather than putting in headphones as we sit at the local coffee shop or on the bus, we can commit to leaving ourselves open to conversations with strangers. These are all questions and ideas that I am still grappling with. If you’ve been following my blog posts thus far, you may have started to notice a trend. I often don’t know the answers to most of the questions I pose. But if there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it’s that it’s ok to not know the answers. Most of the time, it’s enough just to sit with the discomfort that the questions bring and allow yourself the freedom to wonder.


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