This is my son

My friend Segun is from Northern Nigeria, and went to school with my amazing roomate, Jadine. Tonight he came over to eat dinner and chat, and as we were talking I was curious about what his name means. Segun was named because of the condition of his birth, he was severely jaundiced and sick when he was born, but made it thru! He busted through all the obstacles and lived! So he is named, "My God gave me victory". He has quite a few names actually, and they all are full of meaning.

One of the traditions of his people, the Yoruba nation is for the father to speak the names of the children and their meanings. Every morning, Segun would wake up, approach his father (the children greet their parents first in the morning), and kneel before him as he would place his hand on Segun's head and speak his names, no, i think actually he would almost sing them. He would sing his names and what they meant: God gave you the victory. Your God is great.... and so on. He would also speak about Segun's lineage, where he came from, his father's father's life...

So it brings me to tears now to think about how special this is, how powerful it is to have a father speak over you identity, a life giving identity. To know where you come from. To know you are a son.

And in fact, Segun is a son, he is a son of the Living God, who spoke his name long before he had one on the earth. He sings over him and rejoices over him.. and has given him victory...

He says this is my son...