This has been a wonderful day of discovery of the very different and the familiar all at the same time. We attended three different church services and were welcomed at all three. Each one moved us in a different way.
We started this journey when Joe Burden and his Mom, Carrie Marie, took us to the airport for the first time....very excited and ready to take up our job. Joe had a very important message for us and wanted us to keep this Bible verse in mind as we traveled:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-7
Imagine our surprise when that was the lesson for today's sermon at the Episcopal Cathedral for the Diocese of Liberia. The priest quoted the passage from Philippians and the message is simple. Be thankful for what you have, and before all else, give thanks to God for your blessings. They are many.
This is a wonderful prayer for us all, but seeing Liberia for the first time, it is difficult for me not to want everyone here to ask for more. It is a struggling country with much to offer and so many wonderful people, but there is much hardship.
After the Cathedral we visited St. Peters, Caldwell. Oh, what a welcome
we received and how joyful their celebration was for us, for their
church, and for God! They were thrilled with the school supplies we
brought. Thank you, VBS! And, the excitement of the day was our eyeglass
assessment...we did not have enough time or glasses to satisfy the
need!
Your missioners are charmed by their hosts! What a joy to celebrate Sunday and special times with all of the parishioners. Tomorrow is the first day of our workshop. Pray for a full attendance, and God's guidance so that we can surmount any communication barriers and answer the needs of those who have come to be with us.
Jaq and the Team
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