By: Megan Wimberley

     If you are currently taking a political science, english, psychology, or education class you may have had the opportunity to hear Joseph Kabui or Ruth Kamau, Joseph’s wife, speak about cultural issues.
      Joseph and Ruth are both from Kenya. Joseph graduated from Kenya Baptist Theological College. After he graduated he became a professor there. Joseph has also pastored the Tigoni Baptist Church in Kenya. Ruth has worked at Tigoni Baptist Church as a worship leader. Ruth attended Wayland at the Kenya campus.
      About two years ago Joseph and Ruth moved to Indiana, with their two daughters, to further their education. Joseph is pursuing a degree in religious studies, while Ruth is pursuing a degree in education.
      They were in Plainview to work with Wayland and First Baptist Church to share their experiences. They also spoke briefly in chapel before heading back to Indiana to continue working on their degrees.
      I was given the opportunity to speak with them one on one during their stay here and was interested to learn the differences between our cultures. Some of these differences I found funny, for example, in Africa if a woman smokes she is considered a prostitute, because prostitutes are the only women who smoke in Africa. I laughed at this obvious contrast to the U.S. culture.
      Some of the differences, however, I found to be sad. In Africa it seems that people care more about each other, they take the time to talk to each other, and not just the simple “hey how are you, I’m fine” bit. Ruth explained that she would know every person who lived within a mile of her, as well as knowing how those people were doing. Often times I feel that the only way I know about the people around me is because of gossip rather than relationship.
      It also seems that in Africa there is a softer, slower beat to life. Ruth did express that she wished the people would feel a little more urgency because it was not uncommon to wait in line at the bank for two hours while the clerks took their tea break, but it does seem that the lack of rush leaves people the time to reallyget to know one another.
      Another thing that I found interesting was that the church services in Africa last longer. Joseph explained that Sunday was set aside as a day of worship. People just planned on it being that way, so they weren’t expecting to go anywhere else.
      Also, often times, people would spend an hour walking to the church meeting and would feel that it was a waste to spend only an hour at the meeting and then walk an hour back.
      The main thing, though, that I got from Joseph and Ruth is that we need to slow down and get to know people. We need to remember to leave a place in our life for other people and not just ourselves. I can’t help but feel that the African culture is one of quality rather than quantity, and I think that we can all take something from that.