In English we ask "What is your name"... I don't recall ever asking someone in English "What are you called". But in many other languages that is exactly how you ask a person's name. As I look back on the years of my life I have been called many names - each name reflecting its own season and purpose. The names of my life have always associated themselves with my calling at the time. The nerdy names during my engineering days, the childish nicknames as a young one, being called "mama of children" when I began working with orphans and street kids, being called Mama Joseph when I gave birth to our son. In the streets the street children call me teacher when they don't know of my other names. It is a badge of honor to be called teacher - they know that I have something to offer them, something greater than food or money...We are "called" in ways that correspond to our calling.
Names have a great importance here in Africa; they should have importance in each culture. A child is born with a name, given many more names in a lifetime and each one holds a special significance. Much like the biblical accounts of genealogy - African traditions follows... your name(s) tell your lineage. Wherever you go and introduce yourself you continue listing the names until someone recognizes one - a connection is made - a new relationship is formed. My husband was taught at his father's knee until he knew by memory his name - his history - Paul the son of Alex the son of____, the son of_____, for 50 generations into his past... (although he memorized the tribal names of his ancestors rather than the modern names). That is one long name, one long history, one long reminder of who you are and how you are called. It reminds me of the story of Roots (by Alex Haley) in which the parents are always reminding their children - This is where you came from - these are the names of your story - this is your calling.
I reflect on the name my husband was given at birth - Mahamba (one who sows seeds). As an infant his father took him to be dedicated at the local church and he was given the name Erasto (one of the Apostle Paul's students). Many more names were given in the streets and at school. Eventually when he was baptized as an adult he chose a new name for himself - Paul - the name most people use when they call him. I am humbled to think of how each of his names have mirrored his circumstance - Paul is a fitting name for the present.
The day we brought our baby boy home to meet the family we were given our most current names - Mama and Baba Joseph - and this is our newest calling, to parent this child of joy. When we chose his name we tried to imagine the calling we wanted for his life and named him accordingly. Likewise we thought hard about the name when we started our NGO. We named it Kwetu Faraja (our comforting home) and the name drives us to honor it, represent it, fulfill its meaning.
Our names identify and shape us. They have meaning and purpose. They remind us of how we are called and what we are called to.
Names have a great importance here in Africa; they should have importance in each culture. A child is born with a name, given many more names in a lifetime and each one holds a special significance. Much like the biblical accounts of genealogy - African traditions follows... your name(s) tell your lineage. Wherever you go and introduce yourself you continue listing the names until someone recognizes one - a connection is made - a new relationship is formed. My husband was taught at his father's knee until he knew by memory his name - his history - Paul the son of Alex the son of____, the son of_____, for 50 generations into his past... (although he memorized the tribal names of his ancestors rather than the modern names). That is one long name, one long history, one long reminder of who you are and how you are called. It reminds me of the story of Roots (by Alex Haley) in which the parents are always reminding their children - This is where you came from - these are the names of your story - this is your calling.
I reflect on the name my husband was given at birth - Mahamba (one who sows seeds). As an infant his father took him to be dedicated at the local church and he was given the name Erasto (one of the Apostle Paul's students). Many more names were given in the streets and at school. Eventually when he was baptized as an adult he chose a new name for himself - Paul - the name most people use when they call him. I am humbled to think of how each of his names have mirrored his circumstance - Paul is a fitting name for the present.
The day we brought our baby boy home to meet the family we were given our most current names - Mama and Baba Joseph - and this is our newest calling, to parent this child of joy. When we chose his name we tried to imagine the calling we wanted for his life and named him accordingly. Likewise we thought hard about the name when we started our NGO. We named it Kwetu Faraja (our comforting home) and the name drives us to honor it, represent it, fulfill its meaning.
Our names identify and shape us. They have meaning and purpose. They remind us of how we are called and what we are called to.
