African Desert Spring Journal: Masai People (11. Nov. 2007)

Masai boys with their toy cow

       Today, I went to the church early service at 7:30AM to 9AM. Then I saw a tribe of Masai man. He is very tall, I thought that he is more than 190 cms. I feel that I am so glad that he came at church. It was so encouraged my heart for reaching the tribe of Masai.

       I asked mama Teddy about Masai people, she told me that Masai tribe people who are smelling, they don't wash themselves, they like to fight one others, they always wear the same kind of clothes, keep their traditional lives. Then she continue to tell me, when the Masai people die, they put the died bodies on the tree, the a pile of grasses over then and burned up. And then they leave to other place, they never come back the same place again. They don't have a good home, the little huts are for sleeping, they are so tall, but they live the small huts. I think that they must be humble enough to live the house without electricity and water.

      They love to care their cattle, if someone touches their cattle, the Masai men will kill him. They treat their cattle, it is more than themselves. They are the warriors and they always like to jump. Even they have a lot of traditions. I believe in Jesus who loves them and reach them for Gospel.

       I heard from mama Teddy about the Masai people are not good at all. But we are all sinner and short of glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Jesus loves lost as Masai men, women and children.

       Later, I discover that many shops hire Masai men to be the security men. Because they are the mighty warriors, no Africans can fight with them. I love wear the Masai women who made my ear-rings, bracelet, necklace ... etc. And many Masai men, women and children who are Christians. Many Masai men became the pastors or bishops who serve the Lord. They keep to wear their clothes, living the bad conditions, they are very rich, one man has many wives and children who live in peace.

      I had one Masai man who asked me for marriage, he will give me 3,000 cattle. I said to him and his friend, "No, thanks!" The funny thing, they keep traditional living, but each men got three different Sims and carried them. They only walk with the sticks, but I have seen many Masai by mini buses from Mikese to Morogoro town, Morogoro town to Mikese, I lived in Nane Nane in the middle between Morogoro town and Mikese village. I love Masai boys and girls who are very handsome and beautiful and because God sees them worthy in His eyes, not eyes of mama Teddy.

Recently, I discovered that all Masai men and women who have to take one or two teeth in front of buttom row. Nowadays, you need to put on one tooth, it will cost a lot of money, but their teeth have been forced to pull off with their culture and tradition. And Masai men need to cut their arms and legs, it approves their courage and showing them as men, not boys. When their daughters marry to someone, their father receives one daughter for 12 cattle, those daughters gave away, they can not return to their father house. And the Masai men have all power, if they are the fathers in their household, they have the decision makers. The women are things, they can sell by their father for cattle. How sad to see it?

I think that the women have any right as men in any society. So I spoke one Masai father for his daughters, they will have the good eduction, but his Christian father answered; "He will lose those cattle." I am so grateful, I am a Taiwanese woman, not Masai daughter, and I choose and decide my life, then I don't need my father to choose or decide for me. Moreover, I am a mature lady, I can choose my life to be best, even I fail, and I will stand up again, then again. I make my own choice, not my family. But my dearest Jesus and I decide my life. It will be better with God than any man. I praise Him for all. (4. March. 2011)