Blogger's note: RAD sent this entry with the following note: "Ivanildo, I don't have some of the necessary pics that would help this blog entry as I was working and Chad was doing the picture taking. Sorry. Also, there was no blog entry for yesterday. I've been getting a pretty bad cold and I just couldn't pull my energy together to write anything. Sorry, RAD." We forgive you, brother.
08-12 blog
It's our final day in the village of Pama, and we had a great morning in church and yet another overwhelming pouring out of love and hospitality from the Pastor and his family as he once again invited us over to his home for lunch, this time after church. I can't remember if I spoke in an earlier blog of a conversation I had earlier in the week with Pastor Gaston but as we were walking out into the fields to work one day I was telling him about how much we had appreciated having lunch with him earlier in the week when he just sort of blurted, almost without thinking but more in a state of pondering, "Pray that I might have enough money that we could have you in our home again."
Wow, that was a striking thought for me. When was the last time, in fact I know it's never been, where I asked someone to pray for me to have enough money to be able to feed others? On the menu today, antelope, some sort of pumpkin meat paste, rice and of course, gozo. I'm pretty sure that no matter how it actually taste, it will still taste heavenly because I know the heart behind it.
Today at lunch we are scheduled to meet with the Pastor, and the orphan care director/school master here in Pama. Something exciting about this meeting is that the family of four14 sent us over with some love gifts to help and assist the work here, and today I'll be seeing that through.
However, what has really struck me today has nothing to do with the village or the people of Pama, it has to do with the members of our team. Today is our packing day and we've been sort of talking amongst ourselves to Tom throughout the week if it would be all right if we left some of the clothing that we brought from home. Today is that day.
What has full-on blessed me today, even after sitting through a two plus hour church service on a wood bench, unable to understand a single word that was said or sung, was the excitement that I saw on the faces of our team as we raced to our trunks to pull out everything and anything that we could leave behind. People stacking shirts, shorts, socks, pants, towels and even shoes on the table. It was like we were taking up an offering and while none of us had much money to give, we were elated to give what we could, namely our stuff that we had brought with us.
First item of business? Exactly how many more days do we really have left so that I can have just enough clothing to get me home. Words of Scripture filled the air, "Remember what RAD said, 'to whom much has been given much is required" Clearly, each of us felt rich in comparison to all that was around us and our only response could be that of sharing and giving freely, out of a care and concern for the people, no guilt required. It truly was a joyful experience.
And if all this hasn't been about as much blessing as anyone team leader could stand in one day, only to see a truck arrive from Yaloke with the supplies we needed to be able to show the Jesus film here on our last night.
We converted what had been our soccer and game playing field, a field about the size of a real soccer field that was entirely cut by hand, one piece of grass at a time with a machete! Is that cool or what? Anyway, the screen went up, the generator fired and we had lights and sound and the crowd began to gather. As sort of a warm up film and because it wasn't completely dark when we started we watched a film on animism which seemed to be a real crowd pleaser.
Once it was over, the field was packed, children, teens, and adults sitting, standing wherever they could in order to be able to hear and see what was going on. Team assignment for the night? Mingle and pray. There were many people who came with whom we had been interacting all week so some of us sat with our new friends, while others sort of hung in the back bathing the field in prayer.
I myself saw a group of individuals stand, yes stand for over two hours as they intently watched and listened to what was being portrayed in front of them. Also in the crowd a very special invite had arrived. If you remember earlier in the week I mentioned to you about our night guard who was a Muslim? He has been guarding us and our camp every night that we have been here and tonight at our invitation he has come to watch the film with us.
Only the Lord knows what is happening in his heart, and since everything we are hearing tonight is in Sango, we simply pray for him and the church here in Pama as they endeavor to live out their faith in the village.
What a reminder to me about how there may very well be people in different places praying for our church in Wooster that we might bring the light of Christ to someone they care about. "Lord, might Wooster Grace continue to be a place where people can meet Jesus and grow in their walks with Him. Amen"
Until tomorrow . . .
RAD from the back country
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