Church tidbits

Last week we began the official process of purchasing land for the new
church in Bendele. We have been looking at a certain piece of land that
seems to be very well-placed, yet the price has been way too high.
Finally, the owner has came down to about 20% of the original price and
if the paperwork goes well, that land should become church land. We have
been praying for months about this, and we are excited to see progress.

Last Sabbath at Dabgue, a lady was walking down the road and happened to
hear us singing. Curiously, she came in and sat down. Afterward, she
told me that she believes that God brought her to hear a message from
Him and thanked me for sharing. My talk was on studying the Bible:
1) First, we recognize that Scripture is the source of truth. It is truth.
2) We ask the Holy Spirit to give us understanding. Since people wrote
Scripture under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it makes since to
ask Him for help in understanding what we read.
3) We compare spiritual things with spiritual and build truth on a
foundation - not just on one verse.
4) Before we read, we commit to obedience to whatever God asks us to do.
Then, whether we find the change in our lives to be easy or hard, we
have already decided the path of happiness: complete surrender and
obedience.

In another village, Kasire PahKoulieng, a small minority group had a
meeting and decided that we were not welcome in their village. Yet, we
have been asked by others to be there and to continue sharing and
teaching. With prayer, we made an appointment to meet the village chief.
Upon arrival at his compound, we were given a seat on a palm log under
the mango tree. Many others gathered around to witness the outcome of
this meeting. As I explained our project and what we could bring to his
village, the old man seemed a bit gruff at first. But soon he smiled and
turned out to be a pleasant man. "The doors are open. You may come to
this village any time you want. And if you have any news or something to
share, please come by and visit me."

All around us people are hungry for truth. Often we face challenges, but
truth always moves forward with opposition because the devil knows his
time is short. Be courageous. Share your experience with Jesus with your
friends and neighbors. When you face difficulties, double your efforts,
knowing that even though our time is short, it is truth that triumphs in
the end.

Culture

Today my husband and I went to a funeral. Franco's brother died. After
going to the burial site we walked back to where everyone was gathered.
There were hundreds of people sitting on mats. The women and men don't
sit together. So I respectively went to sit with the women even though I
would have preferred sitting with my husband.

While sitting on the mat with the women I talked to Naomi. "Why wasn't
Franco a the burial place," I asked. "He is looking for a goat because
he has to feed all these people," she responded. She told me that
actually Franco was there but left right after they lowered the body
because he was in a hurry to find a goat. Franco and his wife have to
feed all these people. I looked around with amazement. Everyone here,
hundreds of people, are waiting to be feed, and that's the
responsibility of the dead person's family. Why? That is terrible. The
family is the one that is hurting the most yet they have to carry this
burden.

I also learned from my friend Bronwyn who lives with Franco's family
that last night the mother of the dead man was up and down throughout
the night. Visitors were coming and coming. The poor mom was so
exhausted that she eventually decided to just lay down on a mat to try
to get some sleep. But the people just kept coming, they would even go
over and shake her awake just so they could shake her hand.

Sometimes it is difficult for me to understanding some of the culture
here. I believe that some things about Chadian culture are good and some
things are bad. That is true about every culture. Today I think I saw
some bad culture. It is so sad to me to see what the family has to go
through when one of their loved ones dies. Not only do they go through
the heartache of loosing their loved one but they also, at the same
time, have to be hosts to hundreds of people. They don't have to feed
hundreds of people the day of the funeral only, but they have to feed
them 3 days!

Another Funeral

After walking down the sandy paths to find the older brother's house, we
find that the casket has already been carried away. The graveside
service was scheduled for ten o'clock in the morning. Although events
are nearly always late in African culture, this event was early. It is
not yet ten o'clock, yet the burial is already happening.

Today, Franco's 24-year-old brother Boaz is being buried. He was feeling
fine Sunday morning and attended church in Ndjamena where he was
attending school. Then he vomited and was dead within a couple of hours.
Hundreds of people have converged at the cemetery and the casket has
already been lowered into the hole. Several guys shovel dirt and pack it
down with the handles of the shovels.

I see my friend Aaron, one of the older brothers. He had come the day
before to ask if we had any scrap metal to make a grave marker. We
helped him cut and weld a little sign. Now Aaron puts it into the fresh
earth. We make eye contact. He motions for me to come talk with him
briefly. After the people leave, could I stay to sing a couple songs and
pray together?

The dirt is now arranged over the grave and the men call for a basin of
water. Two women carry it over and set it on top of the fresh mound of
dirt. The men splash the water around and wash their hands and feet, and
in so doing wet down the fresh mound of dirt.

Now a woman's choir arrives, each with a branch of leaves or seed pods
in her hand. These are the female relatives of Boaz. At the lead, a
woman carries a tall stick maybe 8 feet tall. Attached to the stick is
money they have donated to the family. This is their way of showing that
they love the family.

Most people leave, and there remains about 8 people. We clasp hands,
encircling the grave while Aaron leads out in a song. It was a typical
African song, simple melody, repetitive.

"One day he will be in Paradise
One day he will be in Paradise
There, he will be happy.
There, he will be healthy.
One day he will be in Paradise."

We sang this song several times. Then he said, "We will sing one song more."

"For our brother, it is finished.
For our brother, it is finished.
For my brother, it is finished.
For my Benjamin, it is finished.
For my Benjamin, it is finished.
One day, God will come for you.
But for my Benjamin, it is finished."

Families here often call the last-born their Benjamin. It is not his
real name, but a way to refer to the last child born. It was a touching
moment as he changed the words of the song from "our brother" to "my
brother" to "my Benjamin."

After a prayer in Nantchere and one in French, it was done and we
returned to the older brother's house.

There, I sit down on a tarp with a group of 50 or 60 men. Melody joins
the group of women. We sit and talk. Then we get up and leave. Back to
welding for now.

Scorpion

Months ago, scorpions used to share our house. We used to use a
flashlight any time we got up to get water or go to the bathroom. Melody
still does, but I have grown tired of using a flashlight and often just
feel my way along. I haven't seen a scorpion or centipede or snake on
the floor for months.

Last evening after dark I was thirsty and decided to get some water.
This time the Holy Spirit said, "You should grab the flashlight." I
thought, "I don't need a light; we don't have scorpions here anymore."
The thought came more strongly: "Jonathan, grab your light." So I
grabbed the light, and as I pulled up the mosquito net to put my feet on
the ground, I shown the light on the ground. There, right in the middle
of the floor, was a scorpion, stinger poised. I would have probably
stepped on it had I not used a light. Immediately I thanked God for
saving me from this little beast.

Listen for God's voice. Heed it. He is even interested in the "small"
things of your life.

An Open Door

For almost three years now we have been helping a mother with children
at a small village 10-12km south of here. Her husband is gone most of
the time and does not take care of his family. Wendy Roberts has been
the primary one to take interest in this family, because one of the
children in particular was severely malnourished. Over the years, he has
grown more healthy because of Wendy's work.

Recently, we have started weekly visits at her house and around 50
neighborhood children gather around to hear Bible stories and to sing
songs. Normally we go after Dabgue church, as her village is only about
3km further down the road. Last week, however, a message was sent to
inform us that we were not welcome at her place any more and that she
did not want us to come. "Is this message true?" we wondered together
after the church service was finished. "She didn't seem hostile at all
last week when we were there," we remembered.

The decision was made for just Frederick and I to go down that week and
check things out. When we talked to the woman, she expressed her
concerns. Other people were spreading gossip about her and giving her
trouble and she became scared. The chief of the village said, "You have
foreigners at your place each week. If trouble happens, you are
responsible. They have not come and talked to me yet."

So we happily agreed to return and visit with the chief. Any time a
foreigner enters a village to do something more than pass through, it is
customary to announce his presence and intentions to the chief. This we
had neglected to do.

We brought the matter before God in prayer, asking that His will be done
in all of this. These troubles are only complications from the Devil to
distract and disrupt the work. We sensed that God was still in control
and were not concerned.

After finding the chief not at his home Thursday, Frederick and I
finally arrived at his compound to talk with him Friday morning
(yesterday). The chief seems to be a kind man and welcomed us warmly. As
I explained our mission to him in French, Frederick translated into
Nantchere. The end result was his thanking us and saying, "Any time the
Word of God comes to this village, I will not hinder it. You have an
open door. There are people in this village who are unhappy that you are
here. But others are happy. We do not force people. If they want to
worship the trees, they can worship the trees. But if people want to
come, maybe I can help arrange a place for a church someday. For now,
you may meet there under that big tree." Before leaving, we thanked the
chief and invited him to visit our meetings sometimes.

Praise God!

Today, swarms of children enthusiastically followed our moto as we drove
into the village. More adults came than usual. Even the chief's wife
came and listened to the story and singing.

At the end of the service, a man by the name of Joseph approached me. He
would like to attend our church. Normally he is busy teaching elementary
school Sabbath morning, but he wants to rearrange his schedule so that
he can worship with us. He also wants to help with anything he can to
set up a church. If we need help transporting benches, he can help. His
brother wants to come. "You are teaching things that no other church
here teaches, and I want to learn more!" he said.

The chief's wife has been sick for 8 years and came to ask us for help.
We pray that we will know what to do, but we do not know a solution at
this time.

A cripple boy asked us to fix his crutches. He has outgrown his crutches
and they are too short for him. We told him that we would try to get him
some more wood to fix his crutches.

Please pray for this new outreach project. We have more open doors than
we know what to do with. We desperately need more workers. The work is
great, yet we do not know how long we have. Let us work quickly in times
of relative peace and ease!

The Nightjar

I was showing one of my masons my bird book for Africa, and several of
the birds that I had recently identified. We looked at shrikes and
herons and ducks and other birds, and he recognized a number of them.
When I flipped to the page of Nightjars, I commented that I often see
these sleeping on the runway at night. These birds like to fly around at
dusk. During mating season, the males fly around with a long streamer
off of the trailing edge of both wings. We identify them by silhouette
usually.

He replied, "Ahhh, those birds are very dangerous. My parents taught us
that we must be very careful about these birds. It's the problem of
their eggs. If a horse steps on the eggs, the mother bird will return
and see horse prints. That is no problem. But if the mother bird sees a
human footprint, and if it was that person who broke the eggs, the
mother bird will come for revenge. She will bite the children in your
family and they will all die. That's what our parents taught us."

Sand Viper Inches from my Foot!!!!

I am so thankful to God this evening. With a sigh of relief I walked
safely into our hut.

As my husband and I walk home from our walk this evening we are talking
and enjoying out time together. Nearing home, suddenly I hear the sound
of hissing in the grass right next to my foot. "Sand Viper!" My minds
quickly reacts and I run away barely escaping my closest encounter of
getting bit by a very deadly snake. Whirling around I shine my
flashlight on the snake. Jonathan, my man quickly gets a brick and kills
it.

We have seen many of these sand vipers before and this evening we have
decided from now on to exercise even more caution. We are going to stick
to the bigger roads from now on.

Praise God for His protection yet again!