christmas: burkina style.
5.1.15
four days, two churches, five services, nine baptisms, four meals and countless hours of visiting.
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we spent time that we would have been using to sleep, crammed into a small, cinderblock church full of dust and people and small light and dust.
we watched as friends and brothers and sisters in Christ become new creations as they openly showed their love and devotion for Christ by being born again.
dust again filled one church, and then another as Christ was worshipped again by his people. not as we would with bowed heads and quiet prayers but with the stomping of feet, clapping of hands and shouting praises to the Lord on high.
meals were shared and kilos of rice were eaten. practically the whole village suddenly appeared when the word got that food would be available…
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christmas, like most things, looks different here. instead of a time of rest and reprieve, it's a time of pouring out. but He is using new things to fill me up, and water my roots as i continue to settle into the place where He has me.
2 notes
That... that sounds like so much...fullness. What could better define that meaning of Christmas than the joy of the out-pouring that you just described? This is so, so, so beautiful. Its late here and this was just what I needed to read before bed. God is amazing. Keep fighting the good fight of faith, girl! You inspire me.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like the most beautiful way to celebrate Christmas. So, so different from anything I've ever experienced - and yet, at it's core, it's still the same. Praising God for what He's done for us. I love that :)
ReplyDeletei love nothing more than comments, coffee and chocolate. so be a dear and leave a note…