Koombaya

We have had one of Alfred’s gospel tapes on rotation in the car since last week. There are six songs on this tape. I have been singing about salvation, jubilation, and exultation for days on end. One of our friends found the CD for sale in one of the music wheelbarrows that’s rolled around town and burned copies for each of us. It will soon be on my iPod.

The last song on the tape is Koombaya. I thought that was a funny song for a gospel mix. I thought the same thing when I went to a performance of the Monrovia City Choir a few weeks ago and they sang Koombaya. But I recently learned that it’s a classic African spiritual / gospel song and that the word “koombaya” is a combination of the words “come by here.”

I think those words are an apt reflection on spirituality in Liberia. Whenever you ask a Liberian how they are spending their weekend, they mention Sunday services. The typical answer to “how are you?” is “thank God.” When I hear colleagues singing in the office, 95% of the time the material is a spiritual (the other 5% it’s Akon).

Spirituality is a fact of life here. God is in control. But the approach to religion is generally not zealous. There’s an almost passive acceptance of God’s presence, which “come by here” really captures. There’s a desire for his company, but we really just want him to swing by for a bit. It’s like he’s a friend that we have a close relationship with.