Our Sunday has been a full day. We left the house this morning about 9:30 for an hour drive to Towane-Ngundu. A small community with a wonderful church.
As we drove up we heard people singing (just warming up mind you. We met the preacher and one of the leaders of the church. They escorted us in, in front of course, but Sherry on one side and I on the other. It is how many Zimbabwean churches operate. There were about 45 adults and 40-50 children in church. The building (I forgot pictures) was a nice block structure with stucco. No paint and a polished cement floor.
The service began, as all we have attended here, with singing. After things got going the congregation began to dance and sing. All ages participate and some come to the front. After a several songs the lady who teaches the children brought them all to the stage for perform memory verses and take their turn in dance. Some were excited, others not so much.
The service was sprinkled with scripture readings, in Shona, and prayers, also in Shona. We had communion and a time of offering. The preacher lead those meditations. I am not sure if he always did it or just because I was there. He did a very good job, especially with the offering. One more prayer and then it was my turn. I did a combination of the two Ephesian sermons I did before I left Shelton with a touch of the four stories sermon from last week. Before I began I went to the first row of little ones for fist bumps. They then escaped for kids’ church. I went to the stage and demonstrated that I have been learning while here. I did my dance moves. Fortunately, Sherry didn’t have her phone ready so there is no photographic evidence to prove the masterful moves these feet possess. Those two things got the congregants engaged and away Alone (my translator) and I went. 45 minutes of sermon and translation (or more, I am not sure). The message was well received.
The church then split up into men and women groups for Sherry and I to teach. As my assignment here is stewardship I led an hour discussion on principles, motivation, and a couple of other aspects of stewardship. Several asked some great questions for clarification. Sherry went about the same length though I have no idea what she talked about. Maybe she did her grace thing she did in Dinhe, but I didn’t ask.
Those discussion groups ended and it was time to eat. When guests come, especially to speak, it is the tradition to have a community meal. To not accept it and rush off in considered rude. Not wanting to be rude, we stayed and ate. We had chicken, rice, and a tomato relish for the rice. We got rice, others sadza. It was a fine meal. One of the cultural things is when a younger person serves an older person, like delivering a plate of food, they bow low and lift the plate up. I am expecting similar treatment when I return home.
The day there ended with Sherry, Alone, Alone’s wife, and I accompanying a family to pray for their mother who had a mild stroke recently. The man who asked us to pray for his mother was 83 and mom is over 100. We all all gathered in a small hut, sang a hymn (Upon the Solid Rock I Stand) and I prayed for her. From there he headed home, One fun moment was watching a troop of baboons cross the road ahead of us.
We are now back ‘home’ resting, eating, typing, and preparing for tomorrow. We will see what God has in mind for tomorrow.
