MISSIONER NEWSLETTER – ADVENT 2024
Gabe Hurrish, South Sudan
The African concept of family offers lessons in love, resilience, and connection.
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” – Psalm 133:1
RIWOTO, SOUTH SUDAN—It is said by my African friends that a marriage in the West is between the man and the woman, but a marriage in Africa is between the couple and the entire community. It is a community affair and will be so for the rest of their conjugal lives. I have even seen families at four-day gatherings keep typed minutes to make sure everyone is on the same page with decisions made.
One thing I have learned in all my years working in Africa is that the family is the number one priority. All else is subjugated to the needs and wants of the family. Family in Africa does not only mean spouse and children—it extends to several distant relations who could be known or unknown at the time of marriage.
Also, at any level, there is a strong desire for harmony, whether in the family unit, the extended family, the circle of friends, or beyond to the workplace and relationships in the community.
In the words of the first elected female leader in Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who served as the president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018:
“There is much Liberia has to learn from the industrialized world of the West. But one thing the West can learn from Africa and the developing world, one aspect of traditional African culture I hope my countrymen will never lose, is the awesome support of the extended family system. In Liberia, as in all of Africa, parents routinely help their children care for the grandchildren—not just temporarily, not for a few hours or for the night but for weeks and months and even years.”
When families come together, there is delight and joy from early morning to late nights.
The African context of family is a bit different from other places. One who earns is expected to take on a role of supporter of not only immediate family members but also for extended family and even unto friends. It is a stress, but it shows how tight-knit the family unit is.
Many husbands and wives are separated during the year due to the exigencies of work. People travel to neighboring countries in search of jobs. Christmas becomes a special time for reuniting with family members, discussing issues, establishing relationships, advising the youth, and of course, bringing home support for all the needs.
Despite all the hardships and challenges Africans face on a daily basis, the Christmas holiday is perhaps the one time in a year that they forget all that and relax. When the family is united, there is delight and joy from early morning to late nights. Dozens of people will sleep in one little room as everyone crams into whatever space is available. Laughter, chatting, and discussions are heard in all corners of the homestead. Cooking is non-stop. Needless to say, sleep is not a priority. A steady stream of visitors need to be accommodated at any hour of the day. Even passers-by are invited to join in the revelry.
They have a saying in Africa that goes something like: “You have to get it all out! Don’t leave anything behind! Then you will leave satisfied.” This is the situation I have witnessed time and time again.
I too have learned the joy of family. So many people have been generous to me and my mission over the years. I am truly blessed to have such faithful and generous family and friends. You don’t find such attitudes in many other countries of the world. I thank God for all those who have such giving and loving hearts for family—and beyond.
I wish you and your family a most holy and joyful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Love and prayers,
Gabe
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Gabe Hurrish works in parish ministry at St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Riwoto in the South Sudanese state of Eastern Equatoria. He has served as a Maryknoll lay missioner in South Sudan since 2018.
