October 17. Very warm again today with blue sky and sunshine. Turned cloudy this afternoon. The church is praying for rain as everything is getting quite dry.
In Mike’s teaching this morning, he talked about the importance of the husband loving his wife as Christ loved the church.
Didn’t get quite as much done today as I would have liked, but am thankful to have gotten the Sunday school cupboard all organized. Nuanda and Ana and a couple of the children came to visit for a while later in the morning. After they left, I made fish patties for dinner and mixed together ingredients for cookies.
After nap, my hair needed to be washed. Then I only had time to do a few other little things before finishing the cookies. During that time, Miriam came for a brief visit with little Sisaria. Sisaria seems to be a very happy little baby. She smiled and laughed almost the whole time she was here.
“34Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. 35I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:34,35
October 18. Going on 10:00 already. We have had a full day.
I saw yesterday that one of the red lily plants was in full bloom, so this morning, I went out and picked it to put in the meeting room. There were seven lovely red lilies on the stem.
The men didn’t tell Daddy until this morning that they wanted him to preach this morning. He was prepared, however, and preached on Epehsians 4:11-14. He challenged each one (pastors, deacons, all church members) to be obedient to God’s Word and to do their part to help strengthen the church so that God might bless and increase them more and more. There were 33 who came to the altar to pray after the message. We pray that they will not forget the decisions they made and will put their whole hearts into serving the Lord and doing their part in building His church.
After that, Daddy presented David to the church and gave him his ordination certificate which he hadn’t received before. Then Daddy and David laid hands on Amos and prayed for him, after which Daddy gave him his certificate. Then a number of people came and gave Amos gifts.
Mata and Amos had cooked a meal for the church so after the meeting, the people all ate together. The afternoon meeting was quite long as each of the three pastors took time to give a testimony, to express their sorrow about our leaving, and to thank us for coming and Emmanuel Baptist Church for sending us.
Amos has exhibited a very humble attitude in his acceptance of being chosen as pastor, and we trust that he will maintain that spirit.
After the meeting, there were lots of hugs and tears.
The main thing I’ve been trying to do today is get pictures sorted out so our workers who look after the door tomorrow can glue them into scrapbooks. These will be pictures for use in the Sunday school lessons on creation.
This evening, Daddy met with the men again for a short time. Before they started, I showed them all the things that are in the Sunday school cupboard and in the church cupboard. After they were done meeting, we showed them other things around the house that will be left here for the use of the church.
Also got outreach notebooks ready for Esau and for Phinehas and printed a few more outreach lessons for them.
“18And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. 19And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.” Acts 21:18,19