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Day’s Journal
Yesterday I asked you to pray
that, in the last minute rush that always comes, I would be able to set
aside the many thoughts whirling around in my mind and truly worship. If you prayed for that outcome I have to
tell you God was faithful in delivering it to me.
I purposely slept as long as
possible this morning knowing that this day really would not end until the
early morning hours of Tuesday morning when I arrived back home. So it was 7am when I got up and began my
final packing. I had packed the
large suitcase and delivered it to the SN Brussels office in Monrovia
yesterday. So what was left was all the items that had to go into the 2
carryon bags. My room, like my
office, can never be big enough as I simply expand to use the space
available. So it took a while to
gather and pack the many pieces of paper that I’ve accumulated along with
the electronic gear.
I drifted over to Christine’s
porch when complete and found her preparing for her Sunday morning devotion
with her family and Shadrach’s family.
Paul and Elizabeth joined us there as well. Also, Joshua Milton-Blahyi
again joined us. Come to think of
it, 15 year old Christine joined us too and, with 3 Christine’s in
attendance, confusion was taking hold.
Christine had chosen a chapter out of Leviticus regarding the rules
for making the peace or fellowship offering. I think it was chapter 3 but am not
certain. Anyway, I remember wishing
that she had picked something from the New Testament about the love of
Christ since we had Paul and Elizabeth with us and they really were not focused
on relationship with Christ. (They
should be on Christ overload by now since most everything in Liberia has
overt Christianity connected to it in one way or another. Staying at Christine’s is something like
taking up residence in seminary.)
So, to top it off, Christine asked Paul to read (she is always
working with a plan) and he launches into cutting up lambs and goats and
what internal organs and areas of fat are to be cut off and burned to
present a pleasing aroma to God, etc.
Inside I’m shaking my head thinking that Paul and Elizabeth are
going to run off the porch screaming.
But Christine, ever the teacher, began to quiz us about what we
understood, didn’t understand or gained from the scripture passage. Slowly she began to move the focus from
the Old Testament to the New Testament and, you guessed it, Christ. How we no longer have to make animal
sacrifices since the Perfect Lamb became our sacrifice. How we could have peace and fellowship
with God through Christ. How He had
also become our sin sacrifice allowing us to come into right relationship
with the Heavenly Father. It was
beautiful.
You really need to take a
Dramamine before you spend time with Christine as she can change directions
at the drop of a hat and will stop numerous times, sometimes in mid
sentence, to provide a teacher’s insight to one of the children. “Sit up straight and talk with authority,
that’s a yes or no question not a discussion, you didn’t answer the
question I asked, did you sleep in those clothes, did you bath this morning…”. It can be hard
to stay focused. Right in the middle
of the devotional time she stopped and had Abigail, Meshac
and Abednigo stand up and say their Bible verses
that they had memorized for this week.
Each stood up and said, “My Bible verse is from the book of “X”
verse “X” and it says…” It was so
impressive. Each verse was
meaningful and different from the others.
Little Christine, age 3, was asked if she had a Bible verse to
quote. “No.” So Christine said, “Stand up and I’ll
give you one.” So little Christine
hopped up and Christine said, “God is love.” “God is love,” repeated Little
Christine. Everyone clapped for her
just as we had for each of her siblings.
We read and discussed the
scriptures for at least an hour. My
driver came and my first church service of the day began to close. We went around the porch and everyone,
including my driver who had joined us, gave a prayer request to the
group. Help with a Bible study he is
leading for Shadrach. Health and strength
for Peter. Assistance with the ex-combatants
that he’s working with for Joshua.
Concern for family back home for Elizabeth and Paul. A generator that burns less fuel and an
accountant for the Normans.
Reconciliation among special friends for me. “Rodney, please pray for us… but first I
will pray for you and Joshua,” says Christine. And for the next 5 minutes she enters
into deep, meaningful prayer for everyone on the porch, for her country,
for her relationship with her staff and several other issues. She is praying with conviction and
emotion and with more than a faint touch of the African-American Pentecostal
pastors back home. It was meaningful
and worshipful to me and I had the distinct impression that God was
listening. After that I prayed for
each of the specific requests mentioned earlier.
Peter and I quickly left and
took Paul and Elizabeth with us as they had agreed to join the local bishop
for services at the Catholic church.
After dropping them off we headed for Sinkor Evangelical Church whose pastor is Robert
Cuppah. A lady named Erica was
waiting there for me with some passports and birth certificates that I am
to take back to Richard Morris. She
was friendly but in a hurry because she had to get to church as well. Richard’s people are always friendly and
made me feel welcome. I also learned
that Peter went to Richard’s church and sang in the choir. Jerry, the construction guy, was there as
well. The service, my second of the
day, was great. By the way, all you
Southeast Conference football fans, the church there has “SEC” labeled on
everything and two of the ladies on the front row of the choir were wearing
bright orange. One thing that was
special for me in the service.
Robert was praying and he spent time thanking God that Christians in
Liberia had the freedom to worship and prayed for those countries where
they had to worship in secret. We’re
sitting in a block building without air conditioning, screens, in a swamp
which will flood as the rains come and force them to another place… and
there is thanksgiving because of the freedom to worship and prayers for
those who do not have it. It reminds
me that we are never held responsible for what we do not have,
only what we do have. And Liberia
has the freedom to worship. Thank
You, Father.
Peter took me back to
Christine’s after church and went back for Robert who was having a couple
of meetings immediately following the service. (Thank you Robert for sparing me from a
church meeting.) I went back and
laid down for a moment since the generator was on and the fan running. Before long Agatha (pronounced ah-gotha) knocked and said lunch was ready. Christine, ever the planner, asked Paul
to ask the blessing. He stepped up
and did a good job. I can see both
he and Elizabeth warming up to the heavy integration of spiritual life in
Liberia. We ate and enjoyed our
conversation. They had enjoyed the
services at the Catholic church and I was glad.
Robert and Peter returned and
I sat down with Robert to go through a few of the major items that need to
occur before we can make ice (getting the container into the lot is
one). Time slipped up on me and it
was 4pm with my flight leaving at 6pm.
So I grabbed my things, said goodbye to everyone and Peter drove
like a madman to the airport. I
think I mentioned yesterday about the joy of driving that route early and
seeing everyone waking up and starting their day. Well this afternoon was apparently “do your hair” day.
Every other woman and girl we passed had a head full of hair
sticking straight out and another woman pulling on it with a big comb. I know that has to hurt but apparently it’s
just the way it goes.
We pulled into the airport
and the guy at the gate asked if I were departing. I said I was so he routed us down to the
UN terminal. They are doing
construction on the main terminal and it was closed. I thank Robert and Peter and ask them not
to leave until they know I made the flight because it’s after 5pm. I run up to the door and the guard says
the counters are closed and will not let me in. I’ve been here enough times
not to panic… yet. So I explain that
I’m already checked in and ticketed.
He’s not convinced that I can go in so he holds me back and shouts
through the door to see what the deal is.
Finally I’m allowed in and only have to clear customs before being
allowed into the gate area.
Whew! I call Robert on the
phone and tell him I’m in. Inside I
see Christine’s brother, Bill (pastor of Zion Praise Baptist Church, which
I attended last Sunday). He’s going
to Kentucky to visit his family and to speak at some churches that support
a ministry that he leads. He
introduces me to the Catholic bishop that’s sitting beside him. I mention Elizabeth and Paul and he nods
that he knows them. Having arrived
late has one advantage, you don’t have to wait
long to board. We walk to a bus that
takes us to the plane. On the way
back we stop in Abidjan but don’t deplane.
I’ve never been this way before and the flight is a little over an
hour. The flight is about 1/3 full
and most of the people get off there.
Others board but now we’re not much more than ¼ full and I have, get
this, 5 center seats all to myself.
It’s dark and I’m taking a nap (or two). More later.
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Day’s Journal
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