Church. What's church? Who's church? Where's church?
I will leave the theological questions to you and describe a "church" gathering for us here in Africa, as minority Christians.
It's Friday morning. 10am. The veranda is swept. The salon set up with 5 mats with 2 pillows each. The sound of our metal gate resonates through our front yard. "Heeellllooo! Welcome!", Lilias calls out as 9 adults and 3 children come off the dusty street into our compound. Church is here!
The 11 adults, and 5 children (including our family) spend the next two hours in our aquarium-looking salon conversing with our Maker while singing, praying and having an interactive study of the Bible together. We sit in a circle on the floor representing the nations of Hong Kong, the French and German parts of Switzerland, England and America.
We finish with some variety of cake and coffee and spend more time enjoying each other and speaking in English.
Last week we talked about love. God's love. Agape. Undeserved. Unmerited. Pure. Holy. Unstoppable love. Amazing.
I've been thinking about it all week. And that was a good thing, since Ben and Yan have been quite ill. I'll tell you, there's nothing like your baby looking up at you, on his third day of a fever over 102 as if to say "You comfort me, Momma".
The two boys being ill together has pretty much wiped me out, but I am happy to say today they are much better. Yan was treated for malaria, having had all the symptoms, and we don't take risks here.
Ben has had 24 diarrhea-free hours (sorry if this is too much for some of you!), and it gave me a lot of joy to see him eat his first full plate of food in over a month last night (pasta, for you italians!).
They are on the mend. And as I look back, I think once again of how amazing that we are held, sustained and passionately wanted by a God of love. Ahh....sigh....I rest in You, Beloved.
And has this meant rest since I've only gone out of the house twice this week? Well, not exactly. We've had 68 people in our home, actually. And one staying here all week. But, grace abounds!
Thanks to each of you who are praying for us. We need you. And we feel it. "When I am weak, then I am strong". the Apostle Paul
