Yesterday I found that I was going to be preaching at Pastor Peter’s Church which is on the mission’s property. Today I asked Pastor Didier what time the Service started. He told me that it would start at 5:00 pm. “How long am I to preach?” I am sure you know what his answer was.
The Service started on time with just a few people present, but they just kept coming until all chairs and benches were filled. About fifteen or twenty minutes into the Service more chairs were brought in for late arriving children. At 5:25, Pastor Didier motioned me toward the pulpit with a wave of his hand. He stood to my right interpreting the sermon into French. Pastor Peter to my left giving the people the message in Swahili. I preached for about 35 minutes and then sat down though I could still see to read. The sermon was followed by what I hoped was warm applause. Did that mean that they were glad to have me sit down, or did it mean that they really appreciated the sermon?
As Pastor Didier and I hurried toward the car to go to Lubumbashi for unfinished business, he told me that the people wanted me to preach for an hour on Friday night. “The will come one half hour early,” he said.
Ball-loons
To be an instant celebrity about all I have to do is open the door to the guest house. Adults stop to visit, even though we can not understand one another. The conversation goes somewhat like this, “good morning” even though it may be mid-afternoon. Next, I am fine how are you. Then we stand there not knowing what to do next. I usually find a reason to go inside and close the door in a very short period of time.
About dusk I had tossed out a Frisbee for some older boys; needless to say it soon became a game of Frisbee Keep Away. The older boys were playing against the younger. Little children to young for such activities got balloons.
When it was so dark I could hardly see anything, I went to the door for some now unknown reason. As soon as I opened the door it was almost like having a quartet singing, “Ball-loons.” Four little boys probably in the five to seven year age group were letting me know what their heart’s desire was.
I waved them on to the porch where there was light, went to the bedroom shelf and got each one a ball-loon. Their eyes danced as they each took a blown up balloon from me They squealed with excitement as they ran off into what appeared to me to be an impenetrable darkness holding on to a treasured ball-loon.
THE STREET INTO TOWN WAS CLOSED THIS MORNING…
Pastor Didier attempted to buy food for the today’s Pastor’s Conference, but was able to travel only so far and found the street was closed by burning tires. I am in Lubumbashi in the province of Katanga. Katanga is a very rich mining area. Unfortunately the local population sees little of this wealth. The right to mine goes to an international high bidder. The soil containing the minerals is exported to another country where the wealth is extracted from the dirt. It is my understanding that China and India are greatly involved in the mining industry. Apparently there was a dispute between the local government and the mining industry. Which side burned the tires is knowledge which I do not have.
My question is: will I be able to fly on Monday?
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