Our Journey Thus Far: March 12th

This morning we didn't do a whole lot, there was not a morning service because they ended yesterday.  We ended up only going to one the whole week, well actually Mom and Dad went to two.  I didn't mind not going because the benches were so incredibly uncomfortable, and it gave us extra time to sleep.  It is weird how our bodies react to jet lag, it is going to be interesting coming back because we will gain 5 hours.  If it wouldn't be daylight savings time in America we would gain 6 hours.  They don't have daylight savings time here.  So we walked to the seamstress to check on our dresses but she didn't have them done yet, so she told us to come back later in the afternoon.  She called then and told us that she would have them ready at 6:30 tomorrow (Sunday) morning since we wanted to have them for church.  Then a man from church picked us up and we went to his house.  I still haven't learned his name!  I feel so bad for just referring to him as a man.  But anyways it was a very, very bumpy ride there.  I don't know if I have mentioned yet but the roads are in awful condition here.  The ones that are paved have potholes half the size of cars everywhere.  Which results in weaving all around the road to avoid them. So often times people are driving on the wrong side of the road..or the middle of the road.  They don't really pay any attention to the lines either, in America a road that we would use for a two way road, they use the same size road for 4 or 5 rows of cars weaving everywhere.  Sometimes you hit other cars but you just keep going if it's not too bad.  It's kinda like bumper cars at the fair, or at least that is what it reminds Nat and I of. haha  The roads that aren't paved can be even more fun because they are mostly on hills and have deep ravines carved into them from the heavy rain.  There have been quite a few times when we have been going to church that our bus has slid around in the mud.  So back to going to the family from church's house.  So we arrived at the house (they have open sewers here by the way) and we walked back this little alley over some sort of liquid...water? sewage?  I couldn't tell, either way it smelled bad.  Then the man's wife came running out and hugged us all as well as their one daughter.  They welcomed us inside to their living room.  They had a couch and a few tables there.  So we sat down and then they gave us some fruit salad and crackers to eat.  Their hospitality was amazing, in America people would be so ashamed to have people over if they lived in a place like that.  We have barns and tool sheds that are way more elaborate.  But, these people were so thrilled that we came, and we were thrilled to have been invited!  The father told us that he wanted us to see what the inside of a middle class African house was like since we have been staying at the missionary compound.  It was definitely and eye-opener.  Then he took us to the evening service at church.  It was once again very awesome!  Probably about 300 more people came to Jesus! Yay!  Then the Bishop spoke, his message was called The Second Wave.  It was about what happens after people begin to press in for more of God, and about expanding the vision for the church, as well as the times and seasons of God.   I took 3 notebook pages front and back of notes, so it is kind of hard to just summarize in a few sentences.  But just to explain, the first wave carries a breaking anointing and opens new territory, it makes a way where there is none.  Then the second wave redefines the vision of what God has begun, it accomplishes more than the first, it renews the burnt-out and the next generation takes the front line.  The changing between the first and second wave marks the beginning of a new season.  People can't be satisfied with where they are in God, they can't be happy with just the way things are, if they want to grow!  So I don't know if that makes sense to you reading it, but it really was an awesome, challenging message.  God is doing huge things in this church here! I can't wait to come home and see what all he does in our church!