Episode 8: A Zeal for God’s House

        A warm summer greeting to you!  This will probably be the last African Adventure for awhile, at least until I come back from my fall trip, departure date to be determined.  

[JON LEFT SEPT. 20, 2013 WITH A ONE WAY TICKET W/ ROB KIRKMAN TO WORK ALONG SIDE THE MEN OF BORONGOLE IN THE BRICK MAKING ENDEAVOR MENTIONED ABOVE. THE MACHINE’S ARRIVAL HAS BEEN DELAYED, SO THEY MAY NOT ACTUALLY START THE BRICK MAKING UNTIL NOV. BUT THEY HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY PREPARING THE LAND, BY CUTTING DOWN TREES, REMOVING ANT HILLS, ROCKS & 8 FOOT SUDAN GRASS & MOST IMPORTANT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.]

     Growing up in America I always thought that if church started later than15 minutes past the set time, it was a big delay. That was until I travelled to South Sudan & lived among a church community that runs on African time. I discovered that a starting time for the service is more of a guideline than an actual rule. The Beth Israel congregation would begin to trickle in around 10 AM. If the service started at 11:30 or 12 we were doing pretty good! "Better late than never" applies there in a real pertinent way. Even with the late start it was encouraging to see our small church building packed from front to back with families by the time corporate praise was lifted up.  Africans express their love for the Lord in a free and beautiful way. I don't think it ever crosses anyones mind what the neighbors in the other pew will think. From my vantage point, it seemed that only the Savior's opinion mattered. African praise songs and Hymns in Madi are sung acapella, accompanied by clapping & often joyful dancing before the Lord. It was natural to close your eyes as you joined in the worshipful chorus & be alone with Jesus.

     The hunger for the Lord is shone forth in so many ways. Testimonies given by people from the congregation, public prayers of healing & strength in trials for brothers & sisters in the Lord, generous giving with very low average income, & not wanting to leave the Lord's house! An average service lasted 4 hours & there was no rush afterwards to get to afternoon plans. Toddlers to seniors sat together for a few hours or longer. 
      An example of this is the day I was baptized with 34 others. There was a preparatory Baptism service, the Baptism itself & a post service which all total lasted for 7 hours. This did include a 2 mile walk one way to the Baptism site & by 5 PM, I admit, was getting hungry & a bit sore from sitting down. Going without lunch, I am sure many others felt the same way. Pastor Michael Levi explained that though peoples stomaches might be rumbling, there were some important things from God's word that needed to be covered & so we were going to continue. People value the Bread of Life so much that they will stay as long as it was being given to them. Our time always ended with some joyous singing & dancing. In case you were wondering, I did join in the dancing, though I had to throw aside my American respectability & be willing to look like a fool for the Lord (my african dancing isn't that good yet!).

    My prayer for myself & for us all is that we would have a zeal for the Lord that would surpass and suspend our own selfish desires.   Rubonga cola nito!  (God bless you!)   ~Jonathan Lueken