Archive for July, 2007
At four o’clock in the morning our family begins waking up. Each one in turn takes a bucket bath and dresses into their school uniforms. By seven o’clock they have left for school in a taxi. The very first morning that I slept in our new home, I was awakened at six in the morning by the gonging of the neighborhood church bell. The next thing I heard was a rooster crowing “cock-a-doodle-doo”, then the chirping of birds with their high pitched voices.
“What a perfect alarm clock” I thought as dawn began shyly creeping its ways into the African sky. Suddenly, the entire heavens seemed to burst with praises and melody as the church was filled with the orchestra of drums, sassas, singing and harmony. The scenario reminded me of my childhood days in Cote d”Ivoire, West Africa on Christmas Day. “What a great way to start off the day,” I mused, “just praising Jesus!”
July 25th, 2007
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church; Gary and I have both been warmly accepted by our new church family. One Sunday our Liberian brothers and sisters waved banners in the church proclaiming, “Welcome Brother Gary and Sis Ruth! “Up front they crowned each of us with an African robe, sliding them over our American clothes! They beat their drums, clapped, and snapped our pictures. Then they asked us for our responses. Gary expressed his gratefulness in words, while I responded with an African dance. Everyone cheered.” Now you and Gary are truly African!” the elders declared.
Our new church has many ministries. While preaching the Word of God is of utmost importance, the church also has a ministry to the deaf and dumb. This group of people are highly intelligent and very diligent workers. There is also the outreach ministry led by Enoch Glaybo, who travels to different teaching points around the country of Liberia helping new believers start churches. This Sunday Gary and Enoch had the privilege of participating ” in the small teaching point at Kakata. Enoch preached while Gary gave his testimony. It was a very rewarding opportunity for Gary.
The church has other ministries besides–a small clinic, a school, and a tailor shop where outfits are custom fitted and sewn. I hope to have several Liberian dresses make for myself, as they are a lot cooler than my American clothes! Our new church has very godly preachers and teachers, who love the Lord and make it their goal to preach the Truth. We also have a very lively choir who love to sing and dance! Oh how I enjoy worshipping with my new church family!
July 25th, 2007
It is awesome to HEAR evidence of God’s Spirit moving over the land of Liberia. Music about Jesus booms in the streets, marketplaces, and in neighborhoods; from CDs playing in taxi cabs to radios in the hands of young people, to daily church gatherings (morning, noon, and night.) No one seems ashamed to loudly play music about Jesus Christ. What a blessing these dear Liberians are to me.
It is also awesome to SEE evidence of God’s Spirit moving over the land of Liberia. Young people are responding to the love of Jesus Christ. Yesterday in Sunday School, five to six teenagers committed themselves to follow Christ and allow Jesus to be their “boss man”. Three of those boys were from our new home. After church these same three boys, plus one more, gathered on our front porch to hear more stories of Jesus’ love. The new boy who is age 26, asked me if I would please share more with him every day, for two hours a day. Wow! How hungry these Liberian young people are for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Even highly educated men and women in Liberia are hungry to know God in a personal way. The other day while using my computer at the Royal Hotel, God gave me the opportunity of sharing Jesus with a former government official who is a Sunni Muslim. Later, when Gary and Enoch came to pick me up, they too shared Jesus with this highly educated man. Our conversation ended with the Holy Spirit prompting him to give us his email address and phone number so that he could hear more about Christ
PLEASE PRAY..
July 25th, 2007
We’ve settled into our new home with our new family. It’s a cement house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Nestled in front is a soon -to -be shop where Doris Glaybo can start a business. At present the floors are all dirt, except for the master bedroom, which Enoch Glaybo have tiled for us. We have our own bathroom (courtesy of our good Liberian friends) while eleven people share the other bathroom. Yes, that’s right, we are a family of thirteen!
Right now we are using candlelight at night and hauling in our water from outdoor hand pumps. Meals are cooked in an African coal pot and all is devoured by evening, as we have no refrigeration. Actually, with such a large family of hungry children, we have no problem eating every morsel of food by nightfall!
It is a joy for Gary and I to be living with such a wonderful family. Two of the boys are in their twenties and three of them are teenagers. The two girls are both teenagers, while the youngest two are boys of ages six and nine. Then of course, there are the parents Doris and Enoch Glaybo, as well as Gary and I. Everyone in the family has their designated chores: washing clothes by hand, hauling in water every evening, cooking on a coal pot, washing dishes, and ironing with a coal iron. The oldest boy tutors the two small boys .
Every afternoon our home is filled with joy as the children and young people come home from school. It is so much fun to be in a lively home again—full of chatting, laughter, bustle, and joking. Visiting lasts into the evening as folks sit outside under the African moon to cool down their bodies. Then they bathe with buckets of cool water, and settle down for a short night’s sleep.
July 25th, 2007
Next Posts
