Sunday in Malabo

Sunday morning I walked out of our house at about 7:30 am to start breakfast at the Deals kitchen. As I walked across the yard I heard singing. I heard worship songs with deep African harmonies. There were no instruments. No drums. Only voices on the wind praising the Lord early on Sunday morning. It was a splendid moment and it was all mine.

We had a great day Sunday. We divided up about half and half for church service. Benny preached in Pastor Carroll's church in Moca and Ms Gail translated his sermon into Spanish for the congregation. Pastor Carroll translated for Pastor Gary in another church. I went with Pastor Gary's group. It was at the same church Marsha, Joyce and I had gone to the day before for the wedding. They had left all the decorations up and it was a very festive atmosphere.

Service started at 10:30 am so we got ready and were waiting around at the house for time to leave. It was 10:10. 10:20. 10:25 and we were still at the house. Pastor Gary asked Pastor Carroll if should go ahead and leave and Pastor Carroll said, "No. Church starts at 10:30." The church was about 10 minutes away so we left promptly at 10:30. Now one might think that if you are a guest at another church you'd want to be on time or even a little early. Not in Africa. We arrived to a packed house with worship in full swing. The music was lively and people were clapping and singing praises to the Lord. We were met at the front door by a woman in a beautiful green geometric style designed African dress with a matching headdress who led our team down the center aisle right up to the platform! We were all treated as guests of honor.

We sang a few praise songs: some in Spanish, some in English. Announcements were made in Spanish, translated into English and then into French. We were all introduced to the congregation and then it was time for the offerings. Yes I said 'offerings.' The church's pastor, Pastor Sam announced the call for the tithes and recited some of the same verses that Pastor Gary quotes at Glad Tidings every Sunday morning and it occurred to me that all over the world, in Ocoee, FL, and on the other side of the world in Malabo, that God's children are obeying Him in paying tithes and also depending on Him to meet our every need.

An usher brought a white box on a stand and set it in front of the pulpit. It was announced that the offering was for tithes. The music started and starting with the back rows people filed out of their row and lightly danced to the rhythm of the music down the outside aisle to the front where they passed in front of the box and dropped in their tithes. After they passed the box they went up the center aisle dancing all the way back to their seats. Row after row came down until the whole church had given their tithes. Now I really like lively worship songs and these were great! We clapped and sang when we could and even moved our feet a little. It was hard to stay still! and it was really hard not to join the tithe line. I know I wouldn't be able to dance quite like they did but I think it would be fun to try. Maybe next time.

Once the tithes had been given, we sang a song and the usher brought the white box out again. The whole process was repeated for the offering and then there were two more processions for missions, one from the men and one from the ladies. The men brought money for the box and the women did too but they also brought gifts of eggs, bottles of water and other staples. It took a long time and I don't know if it was a special way of doing things because we were visiting or just their Sunday morning practice, but it surely was joyful giving.

Pastor Gary did an excellent job preaching on the necessity of perseverance and how we can keep on going because of the good promise of what is to come and how we can come through it in victory because the Lord is on our side! During the sermon a lady got up a few times and walked down to the altar and then went back to her seat. From where I was sitting I couldn't see what she did when she got up front. I thought she was coming to get a Kleenex. I found out later that the custom is that if a preacher or a singer blesses you by what has been said or sung, you bring up an offering and drop it into the white box. Pastor Gary had at least 5 offerings brought up while he was preaching. Pretty good, huh?

We had a great altar service and I had opportunity to pray with two precious, young, African woman. Well, they were younger than me, anyway. We prayed and we cried and we prayed. When it was time to go we hugged and held hands. It was a great time in the Lord. When church was over we visited with the people and took photos and then went back to the house to meet with the other half of the team and get some lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon was a little rest for some and a little handyman stuff for some of the guys. The girls part of the house needed a little work on the water and electrical stuff so a few of the men worked on getting us set up for the rest of the week. Evening brought a trip to the airport to try to get the other suitcases but with little success. Two more bags were retrieved but there were still a bunch more to be gotten today.

Before dark someone yelled into the house for us to come outside and look at the bats. Of course I was the first one out the door! I couldn't believe my eyes. With one look up in the dusky skies I saw hundreds of huge (really, really big!) fruit bats. The sight was amazing and while most of them flew pretty high up, some swooped a little lower giving us just a hint of a shiver of fear! I loved it.

I left my pups in the good hands of the people at the kennel while we are gone and I left my chicks in the good care of Cody. I miss them all but the Lord is so very good to me even in the little things. Pastor Carroll and Ms Gail have a really sweet dog named Pretty and sometimes she licks my toes! It's not as bad as it sounds and she does it because she likes me. The Deals also have some yard chickens! One white hen has two little white chicks and another dark chicken has about 6 babies. There is also a colorful, Bantam rooster who has no sense of timing whatsoever. He usually starts crowing about midnight and then just gives us a booster crow to rouse us out of sleep every couple of hours--but I don't mind at all. He reminds me of home--and my chicks--my pups--and ultimately of my family and friends. Even though we have a great time doing good things and have unique, once in a lifetime experiences, to quote Dorothy, "There's no place like home!"

The day ended peacefully with some of the team sitting around the table, snacking and talking about the days events and laughing about good times we'd had in the past. We talked about our lives at home and what's going on there. The guys made their way to their side of the house and we girls headed into our part to settle in for the evening. The busyness quieted down and the girls and I prayed for little Noah's successful surgery. Lights out and we soon went to sleep ready to start fresh again on Monday.

Lord, everything doesn't always go well and circumstances and situations on our trips are sometimes hard and uncomfortable and inconvenient and it isn't easy for me to always adapt. I know I don't always cope as well as I could, but I feel very blessed to be able to do such interesting and exciting stuff for you! Thank you so much for the African pup and the chicks. Thank you for thinking especially of me. I love you with all my heart.

Suz