Friday, April 8, 2011

Some things...


I just want to start by saying those 72 dollar cleats you read about lasted about a half hour before they ripped. Taylor wore them to play soccer just two days ago, and the sole ripped from one and they both ripped on top where his foot bends. Sigh. God must be teaching us something, but we’re not quite sure what yet.


Segue. Taylor has been playing soccer! He goes to the college almost every day now and has met a lot of new friends up there. They always ask him to come back and he is getting a lot of exercise. Good news all around. I’m not sure all of his friends know Jesus though, so pray he can minister to them.  Patrick is one friend of his. He speaks fluent English, so it’s very easy to communicate. Taylor found out he is Catholic and his dad owns a bar. While looking for a new pair of cleats, Taylor found out that Patrick has a girlfriend and, Taylor being Taylor, asked him straight up if they are sleeping together. They aren’t. Hallelujah. Tomorrow they are going back up to Kadutu to see if he can get another pair of cleats for CHEAP. Not 72 dollars. Patrick ought to be able to help him out.
Some of Taylor's soccer buddies - local kids

On Saturday, Taylor and I got to have some R&R with our friends from Food for the Hungry. We got to swim in the lake in the afternoon and had a barbecue that night. It was fun and relaxing. And we really like to hang out with American friends every now and then, get a small taste of home.

Sunday was quite a day. As you know, we’ve been working with Sopo’s choir. Well, Sunday was the big day where we actually got to sing and dance with them! We had a blast! Taylor started them off beat boxing, then I came in with the chorus (in English) of How Great Thou Art, and then the choir sang it in English, then we all sang in Swahili, then Taylor got the whole church to sing in Swahili with us! It turned out really awesome. After we sang, they asked us to stand up with the choir for their next few songs and dance with them. That was hilarious. We had only practiced dancing with them one time, so we really didn’t know what we were doing. We are really good at following though. So we stood in the back and did our best. I think we pulled it off.

Taylor also got to preach on Sunday. He did so great. He preached on loving your enemies. He told the story of the taxi driver charging us extra, and how we should have paid him more than what he asked for and told him and showed him the love of Jesus. He preached on how it’s against human nature to love sinners, to turn the other cheek. He did an awesome job. Ed translated for him, and I think he did a good job, too. But again, I don’t know Swahili. So who knows what he really said.

Taylor preaching, with Ed translating

Sopo’s wife cooked us a delicious meal of chicken, rice and beans. We stayed and chatted for a bit, but then the rain came to we had to make it back down the mountain. Ed was sliding all over the place driving back in the mud, but don’t worry, we didn’t slide too close to the sheer drop off on our left side. Seriously, straight down. We made it
back safe and sound.

Next week is a busy one for us. Sunday we are traveling with Sopo’s choir to another church. This morning at practice, they asked us to teach them a new song. It was Taylor’s idea to teach them “Awesome God”, and I think it was a very good choice. I can’t wait to hear them sing that song. This choir is SO good, and the recordings we have from last Sunday won’t do them justice. Hopefully they’ll be able to learn this song good enough before Sunday. Hopefully.

Next Tuesday we get to go to an orphanage with Holly. I’m a little nervous I’ll come home with an African baby of my own. Just kidding, that would take too long and it’s way too expensive for us at this point in our lives. But it would be cool. I’m excited to see these kiddos, but I think it will be a heavy experience. It will probably break our hearts, but I can’t wait to just love on them. We all know they need some lovin’.

Sometime at the end of the week (the dates are still unsure) Taylor and I get to speak at a youth conference. And actually, I think we’ll be helping plan it and playing games and such, too. I think we are both going to have a lesson ready and be ready to talk about the things that work with the youth in America. Just giving the people ideas and such. It should be a good time. We are also going to a youth prison to play games with the kids who are in there, and some of kids that are in there are in there have done nothing wrong. Literally, nothing. They are just in there because there is no one to speak up for them. They have no way of getting their case resolved and getting out. They are just put in there and forgotten.  Pray that we have the right words and we say the things they really need to hear.

The week of the 18th is when our “bonding” time starts. We get to spend five days in a Congolese home, living the way they do and working with them. We are going to be spending our nights at Ed and Brenda’s still, just because we aren’t sure how safe it will be to have us there at night, but we will be with them bright and early until the sun goes down. I’m a bit nervous for this. It helps some that we get to stay in a bed back at the house, but it’s just going to be way uncomfortable for me. I know, God didn’t call us to be comfortable, he wants us to do things that are hard. This will be hard… for me, anyways. It will be a good experience and it will be a growing one. Pray for me. I’m not sure for what specifically, courage maybe? Just pray.

The week after our bonding is the week we leave. Bittersweet. But we’ll address that when the time comes.

Thanks for reading. Lots of prayers needed here. Thank you for praying for us so far, just keep ‘em coming. :)

1 comment:

  1. We are praying and continue to pray for God to use you, mightily!! We love you and look forward to hearing your recordings! Love, Mom & Dad Clinch

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