A lot of people here think my name is Mercy.
It would be really touching if this was a name people gave me because I was just so especially merciful, but really it's just the fault of some cultural differences and my accent.
Here in Uganda people put their surname first when they introduce themselves. So, for example, if your name was Paul Yates, here in Uganda you would say that your name was Yates Paul.
I still introduce myself with my first name first and my last name last (old habits die hard, I guess!) so people assume that my last name is my first name. With my thick, nasal North American accent, Massey comes out sounding like Mercy.
Still, it's a good name to aspire to.
One community made me a welcome sign with their interpretation of my name on it. It's the thought that counts! I told the women in another community that my name meant "cow horn" and that made things much easier. The Karamajong certainly have a word for cow horn!
5 comments:
That's awesome:) I love it. Well I think Mercy works for you too although I love my Keren. Hey I just heard a message from you the other day- I had NO IDEA you called! Can we set up a time? Love you friend! xoxo
Mercy Louise Keren...perfect name for a wonderful gift...you my dear are a gift from God. A wonderful representation of the heart of God. Thank you Keren for being willing to go through the "hard stuff". Psalm 91.
I came across your blog from another blog (Hi!) and had to comment because when Dan and I were in Haiti, I went by my nickname Missy because Marissa was to hard for people to remember. Little did I know for a few months that everyone thought my name was Merci and so they were calling me Madame Merci. I wondered why people would chuckle when first hearing my name but didn't know until one of my ESL students demonstrated my name in English; Mrs. Thank you. And then followed that with "Thank you, Thank you." How we all laughed as we muddled through that!
Uganda, we have friends who frequent uganda... more specificaly Kampala.
That is so sweet they call you mercy.. it does fit you very well.
I think it's a great name for you!
I didn't know until JUST NOW that people introduce their names backwards! Agh! That is why we were so confused all the time! It should have been obvious, I guess, but I could never understand why, when we were in Sudan, everyone kept calling Keith by our last name and calling me "Mrs. Keith." So obvious now. Thanks for clearing that up. :)
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