April 3. Must have rained all night last night, and rained into the morning this morning — a total of 1 3/4 inches.
Wan came to work on the window trimming, just before I finished laundry. So I had him take out the clothes for me and turn off the generator. As I was hanging up the clothes, I heard the sound of wood cracking. Oh, oh! I checked each clothesline post, and found that one was rotten at the bottom. I called to Wan, and he came with another pole and braced it temporarily. Ayetsa happened to be around, and he went and got some new poles. After the clothes were taken down, he started taking apart the old clothesline and building a new one.
Gibson also came. He helped frame the windows. And Beni came and cut firewood today.
After laundry, I think I worked on some on lessons for school. Was thankful for a little bit earlier nap today. This afternoon was quite busy, and the rains started again, so Serah didn’t come this afternoon either. Worked a little bit more on lessons. Cut Daddy’s hair. Made chocolate cookies. Prepared veggies for tomorrow’s dinner. Got supper. Daddy helped by sweeping the kitchen floor and cleaning the bathtub. After supper, I finished getting the pot of veggies ready and put it on to cook. Did the dishes. Put away the cookies. Printed out a picture for a school visual and printed a couple lessons.
Daniel is here working on translation.
Tomas came to get kerosene as Jokapet is in labor, ready for her baby to be born.
"They took Jesus, and led Him away." John 19:16
He had been all night in agony, He had spent the early morning at the hall of Caiaphas, He had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; He had, therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted Him. They were eager for His blood, and therefore led Him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well may Salem's daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also.
What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce Him guilty; God Himself imputes our sins to Him, "the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all;" "He was made sin for us;" and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon His shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that He carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon His shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether He carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon His head, confessed your sin, and trusted in Him? Then your sin lies not on you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and He bears it on His shoulder as a load heavier than the cross.
Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid. —Morning and Evening
April 4. Rain again last night but not nearly as much.
It was a blessing to be able to talk to Christy and Connie today.
Nuanda preached the first meeting today. Had Matyu translate for him. Nuanda is back on a full schedule. The first meeting was very long, as he had lots of toksaves (announcements). We had just a short time for lunch, and then Daddy preached the second meeting, finishing up the general outline of Romans. He had Tomas translate for him again. It was going on 2:30 when we got home, and a little after that when we got to nap. Epekio came in to get some baby clothes to take to Jokapet. Epekio had a finished afghan to give her. Jokapet gave birth to a baby boy last night.
Slept a little longer than I hoped to at nap time. Woke up and saw that it was 3:40. I had told my teacher helpers to come at 3:30. So I got dressed quickly and went out to the kitchen to get a drink. Saw Lilian and Tania going away so hollered out to them. Mailin hadn’t come yet so I met with just the two of them and gave them assignments for tomorrow. Gave them papers for Mailin, and they said they would go up to see her. Lilian and Tania had just left when I saw Mailin come around the back of Nuanda’s haus kuk. So I went out and told her that we had finished meeting and the other two planned to come see her. So she said she would go back up to her house.
After that, I worked on rearranging the schoolroom a bit so my desk is more out of the way. Got visuals together for tomorrow’s Bible class. Put teaching material on chalkboard.
It was after 5:30 when I came in to get supper.
This evening, Daniel is here again working on translation.
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2Corinthians 5:21
Mourning Christian! why weepest thou? Art thou mourning over thine own corruptions? Look to thy perfect Lord, and remember, thou art complete in Him; thou art in God's sight as perfect as if thou hadst never sinned; nay, more than that, the Lord our Righteousness hath put a divine garment upon thee, so that thou hast more than the righteousness of man—thou hast the righteousness of God. O Thou who art mourning by reason of inbred sin and depravity, remember, none of thy sins can condemn thee. Thou hast learned to hate sin; but thou hast learned also to know that sin is not thine—it was laid upon Christ's head. Thy standing is not in thyself—it is in Christ; thine acceptance is not in thyself, but in thy Lord; thou art as much accepted of God today, with all thy sinfulness, as thou wilt be when thou standest before His throne, free from all corruption. O, I beseech thee, lay hold on this precious thought, perfection in Christ! For thou art "complete in Him." With thy Saviour's garment on, thou art holy as the Holy one. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Christian, let thy heart rejoice, for thou art "accepted in the beloved"—what hast thou to fear? Let thy face ever wear a smile; live near thy Master; live in the suburbs of the Celestial City; for soon, when thy time has come, thou shalt rise up where thy Jesus sits, and reign at His right hand; and all this because the divine Lord "was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." —Morning and Evening
April 6. Yesterday evening was so busy, I never got time to write in my journal. And some of yesterday’s events have somewhat passed from my memory. School went well.
Everyone else said their Bible verse and got a sticker for the chart. For part of English class time, the students were divided into three groups, and the teachers started teaching them a little monologue.
In the afternoon, we had 1.4 inches of rain. Wan and Tomas were here, putting up a roof over the side porch steps. They had to stop when the rains came, but were able to finish a little later. I started bringing things up from the drum downstairs and putting them in the drum in our room, but didn’t get much done before the rain came. Most of the rest of the afternoon and evening, I worked on school lessons. Thought I was getting ahead a little, but there was more to do than I perceived.
Matyu’s group finished checking 1 Timoti 4 last night, and Daniel’s group finished checking Acts 12.
School went well again this morning. In Bible class, we started learning a new Bible verse — 1 Timothy 3:16 — and a new song — B-A-I-B-E-L. The children remembered well the answers to the questions from the sections of the lesson we did yesterday. In tokples class, we started learning to write our first letter — ”a”.
I am a bit concerned that Bonita may get way behind after a while in school. She is very, very slow.
Nuanda is quite sick again. Was very dizzy and fell going out to the outhouse before sunup this morning. He had to call for someone to help him. He has had to have someone with him all day to help him come and go when he needs to. He sent word to Luke to take charge of lotu tomorrow. Then he decided he should ask Daddy to be ready too.
This afternoon, I was able to get the rest of the stuff out of the drum downstairs before the rains came. Now we need to get the drum up to the schoolroom and put the second grade books in it. Serah did come today, and was sopping wet when she got here. I let her wear my jacket home again as hers was dripping wet.
Most of the rest of the afternoon and evening was again spent in lesson preparation and correcting papers. After supper, I did make up some spaghetti sauce for dinner tomorrow.
Daddy put up a light today in the schoolroom, and started the wiring. Didn’t get it finished yet.
Tomas came by to work, but it was already 4:30. He had gone to the garden, then came home and slept a while. Said that Jokapet is still very swollen since having the baby. No medicine the haus sik has given is helping much.
"Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp." Hebrews 13:13
Jesus, bearing His cross, went forth to suffer without the gate. The Christian's reason for leaving the camp of the world's sin and religion is not because he loves to be singular, but because Jesus did so; and the disciple must follow his Master. Christ was "not of the world:" His life and His testimony were a constant protest against conformity with the world. Never was such overflowing affection for men as you find in Him; but still He was separate from sinners. In like manner Christ's people must "go forth unto Him." They must take their position "without the camp," as witness-bearers for the truth. They must be prepared to tread the straight and narrow path. They must have bold, unflinching, lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and Christ and His truth beyond all the world. Jesus would have His people "go forth without the camp" for their own sanctification. You cannot grow in grace to any high degree while you are conformed to the world. The life of separation may be a path of sorrow, but it is the highway of safety; and though the separated life may cost you many pangs, and make every day a battle, yet it is a happy life after all. No joy can excel that of the soldier of Christ: Jesus reveals Himself so graciously, and gives such sweet refreshment, that the warrior feels more calm and peace in his daily strife than others in their hours of rest. The highway of holiness is the highway of communion. It is thus we shall hope to win the crown if we are enabled by divine grace faithfully to follow Christ "without the camp." The crown of glory will follow the cross of separation. A moment's shame will be well recompensed by eternal honour; a little while of witness-bearing will seem nothing when we are "for ever with the Lord." —Morning and Evening