Burial tradition

After the burial, a family meeting was scheduled for the following morning, Monday. We could not cook that night but one of our relatives brought food for us to eat. We ate and slept but my aunt could not sleep well because of Grandpa's passing away. She only ate bread that night too.

The following morning, which was democracy day in our country here, the scheduled meeting held and we were told that the father and cathecist of the church would collect some amount of money for the service they rendered [preaching] during the burial.

I was surprised. How would a person collect money for what God has called him to do? He was paid and we were also told that we would cook for all the neighbours, choir, men of the house, wives of the house and some on. This was to cost not less than an estimate of $200. They said it is the tradition in our hometown whenever a very old person dies.

This tradition is very very irritating to me. How would a group of people expect me to cook for them when I just lost my beloved one. They gave us the estimate of 200 people to feed. Can you imagine that? If my loved one had not died, won't they eat in their various homes? This is barbaric.

Is this the tradition in your hometown too?

The family later agreed to postpone the cooking to a more convenient time, never to have time again.