Today I went to two very different church services. The first was a powerful reminder of the reality of sin in the world and in my heart and the power and hope of the empty tomb. The second was at a local Sudanese church. I followed the sound of the drums and music to find the room. I didn't understand a word of what was being sung, but I couldn't help but clap and move to the sound of joyful worship. I was there to hear my pastor give an update on his recent trip with WHM to Sudan and to be introduced to the church. Pastor Kevin asked me to quickly talk about my call to Southern Sudan. I stood up and really didn't have any idea how to convey what God has be doing in my heart over the last five years. I talked a little bit about how a conversation with Michael, a missionary with WHM, gave me a vision and desire to serve God in Sudan, and how I would be working to provide clean drinking water in the name of Jesus Christ. As I was talking, I kept thinking that I wasn't really conveying how big and faithful God has been in my call, or the heart of the vision for Southern Sudan. Michael and his family's prayer, and now mine, is that as communities receive food and water in the name of Jesus, they will see this as a sign of God’s gracious kingdom at work among them and that many will be drawn into that kingdom through faith in Christ. Well needless to say I am not known for my public speaking skills, but when I was done talking the people were so excited and clapped louder than I have ever heard clapping in a Presbyterian church for what God is doing in their country. (that is when I realized how silly it was to be worrying what I was saying, because it is all about what God is doing) Kevin then started to go over slides of his trip to Sudan. As he was going over slides, I could hear people saying that they knew the places in the pictures, and then someone recognized one of the men in the pictures. A beautiful dialogue started about what God is doing in Sudan and His faithfulness. Kevin told stories about the things he saw in Sudan including a parade of women who were praying for the gospel to be proclaimed in Haiti because they heard that Haiti needed the gospel. Well if I thought the clapping after I talked was loud, after Kevin spoke and prayed there was so much excitement, encouragement, and hope. I am sure this is just the first of many conversations that I will have with the Sudanese church, and I have a lot to learn from them. They were a true encouragement to me as I start my journey to Sudan.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
He is Risen
Today I went to two very different church services. The first was a powerful reminder of the reality of sin in the world and in my heart and the power and hope of the empty tomb. The second was at a local Sudanese church. I followed the sound of the drums and music to find the room. I didn't understand a word of what was being sung, but I couldn't help but clap and move to the sound of joyful worship. I was there to hear my pastor give an update on his recent trip with WHM to Sudan and to be introduced to the church. Pastor Kevin asked me to quickly talk about my call to Southern Sudan. I stood up and really didn't have any idea how to convey what God has be doing in my heart over the last five years. I talked a little bit about how a conversation with Michael, a missionary with WHM, gave me a vision and desire to serve God in Sudan, and how I would be working to provide clean drinking water in the name of Jesus Christ. As I was talking, I kept thinking that I wasn't really conveying how big and faithful God has been in my call, or the heart of the vision for Southern Sudan. Michael and his family's prayer, and now mine, is that as communities receive food and water in the name of Jesus, they will see this as a sign of God’s gracious kingdom at work among them and that many will be drawn into that kingdom through faith in Christ. Well needless to say I am not known for my public speaking skills, but when I was done talking the people were so excited and clapped louder than I have ever heard clapping in a Presbyterian church for what God is doing in their country. (that is when I realized how silly it was to be worrying what I was saying, because it is all about what God is doing) Kevin then started to go over slides of his trip to Sudan. As he was going over slides, I could hear people saying that they knew the places in the pictures, and then someone recognized one of the men in the pictures. A beautiful dialogue started about what God is doing in Sudan and His faithfulness. Kevin told stories about the things he saw in Sudan including a parade of women who were praying for the gospel to be proclaimed in Haiti because they heard that Haiti needed the gospel. Well if I thought the clapping after I talked was loud, after Kevin spoke and prayed there was so much excitement, encouragement, and hope. I am sure this is just the first of many conversations that I will have with the Sudanese church, and I have a lot to learn from them. They were a true encouragement to me as I start my journey to Sudan.
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2 comments:
Oh Christine, that is so exciting!! :) I can't help but be filled with joy hearing about your experiences of God's faithfulness. And it's so neat to hear about Pastor Kevin's trip to a place that is now foreign to you, but it will become home, as it has been to your new Sudanese friends.
I LOVE your tag line on your blog, under your blog name. :-)
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