Laughter

When you think of laughter, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s good jokes, funny movies or remembering good memories with friends. In my cultural schema, laughter is something that takes place when something strikes you as funny and when you are amused in some way.

I am learning that Moru people laugh when they are startled by something. For example, I have been in the market several times when a fight breaks out. Usually these fights are between two women and they take place in the “greens section” of the market. I don’t ever get the full story, but I think the fights are usually over someone wanting a particular type of green and being angry when someone else gets the last one. The whole scenario is odd to me, however, what is the most confusing is the response from the people in the market. Everyone who is nearby starts laughing loudly and everyone who is far away runs up to observe and then join in with the laughter.

Something similar happened in the market yesterday and I happened to get swept up in the midst of it. I was walking through the “green section” (apparently this is a hot spot for drama!) All of the sudden, people started RUNNING and pushing me- forcing me to run as well. Being swept up in the movement, I ran until I could pull off and figure out what happened. Immediately, everyone around started laughing. I, however, was far from laughing. I stood there (once I was to safety), with a very confused look on my face, trying to figure out what the heck had just happened. Soon, everyone who was not in the stampede, walked over to see what the cause of the running way (while laughing, of course). At first, someone said that there was a snake. However, we learned a couple minutes later that it was not a snake, but rather a boy (who had a disease which effects you mentally) throwing rocks at people. Regardless, everyone around found it to be hysterical and continue laughing for a few minutes. Meanwhile, I was almost in tears from the confusion and Will kept asking me if I needed to sit down for a minute before biking to my friend’s house.

I am still trying to figure out why people laugh in these situations. However, it has made me think about my own personal reactions to situations. What habits do I turn to in order to not deal with what is really happening in a situation? With what happened yesterday, I turned to confusion and protecting myself rather than concern for the person who was mentally unstable enough to throw rocks at people. I did not stop and pray for that person or even inquire more about what happened. I simply just wanted to protect myself and leave the market so that I would not have to deal with any more unpredictable situations.  When I am not swept up in the situation, I also have the tendency to simply ignore what is going on so that I don’t have to deal with it.

So, I am learning that whether my tendency is to laugh at unpredictable situations or to turn away and ignore them, the heart issue is the same. It is a heart-posture of indifference. I don’t want to be a person who is indifferent. I want to be “prepared in season and out” and ready to pray and intercede on behalf of others in the midst of alarming situations. Whether you laugh or walk away from the situation, you are being a passive by-stander. God is not a passive God and I do not believe that He calls us to be passive either. I am trying to find the line between intervening appropriately in a situation and getting involved beyond my ability. I don’t know where that line is yet, but I am praying (for myself and for the people of Mundri) that the Spirit will lead us to know how to not just be by-standers when it is appropriate for us to stand up for what is right and intervene.