Sunday Worship and Wrapping Up!

                                                                                       

Good Sunday Afternoon Everyone!
We've thought about all of our friends and family worshiping in church today and we are praying you are having a wonderful Lord's Day. Our last day of this mission trip has been just as exciting as every other day that we have been here. Our first service was out in Gerhardsville in a field next to the supermarket. We had about 35 in attendance after Pastor Cliff made a few trips in the van to pick up some people-otherwise, everyone walked to get there. Many young moms with babies and young men were there. Again, the praise and worship was very lively and we knew some of the songs. Dave, Keith and Wanda got to teach Pastor Albert a new song (Blessed Be Your Name) and then sang it with him during the service. Julius preached on the passage where Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law. His message was about the Presence, Power, and Purpose of God in your life. After the message, 12 people prayed to receive Christ! We really stand in awe of what God is doing in South Africa-through the wonderful servants He has in place here. After Bev's delicious lunch of chicken picatta it was back to Laudium for their 3PM service. We probably had 40-50 in attendance for this service. Again, the joyful songs (some in languages we cannot understand) brought our hearts to such a tender place to receive the message Pastor Julius brought. Several women came forward to make decisions and Bev, Cyntia, Mona and Wanda each got to pray with some of these women. What a time of refreshing, learning and growing for all of us!

We were talking today about something we hadn't blogged with you about yet and that is the driving issues here. First of all, you drive on the left in this country. The person you don't want to be in a 10 passenger van is the front seat passenger-it looks like the headlights are coming straight at you! So, Keith decides he needs to try driving on Friday coming home from the wild life preserve. Of course, about that time it's starting to get dusk and it starts raining. We were pretty nervous but he actually did good for a rookie according to Cliff. It was kind of scary when he nearly flew through a toll booth w/o stopping and when he cut it kind of close when he passed on the right on a 2-lane road! But God covered us with protection and we're all fine. Dave's thinking he wants to try it tomorrow before we leave-guess it's a guy thing. Another issue are the round-abouts and the speed bumps-the worst place to be in a 10 passenger van is the back seat especially when you're tired or haven't had a "pit stop" in a while! I know we have a few of them in Phoenix, but here they are everywhere! Oh yeah, the traffic lights are called robots-isn't that interesting?!

Of course we want to show you many more pictures during our presentations when we get back but want to show you a little of what we are experiencing through these pictures. Can't wait to be with you all again and see our families-thanks for praying for them as well as for us while we were away. See you soon! the Africa Team

Our worship site in Gerhardsville.
                                                                                
Dave and Pastor Albert rehearsing a song for the service.

Mercy holding a friend's baby.

 Wanda, Mona and some of the worshipers today.

Dave, Keith, Pastor Gideon and Pastor Joe.