Sunday morning was clear and bright. Our work teams piled into the Blessmans' SUVs and we drove to Zebediela, a small town to the north. We were going to Sunday service, and I was excited. I was curious to meet some of the local people here in South Africa, and to see just what a country church service was all about.
Plus Karen was going to give the sermon, and I couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say.
As we drove into the churchyard in Zebediela, we saw a building that is a work in progress. There were brick walls and a strong metal roof, but no doors or windows to keep out the rain. And no floor either—just dirt under our shoes:
Jim Blessman explained that the construction work gets done as $$ comes in, and the congregation makes use of what they have in the meantime.
Fortunately, this part of South Africa isn't cold, so the windows are not missed. But as Lisa noted, it can get loud inside during rainy season—-at times, she said, you can hardly hear the preacher with the rattling of the rain.
We went inside and met the church pastor, Brother John. He had a gentle manner and a big smile:
We had some time to chat with the congregation before the service started. Greg joked around with some of the kids:
Soon the seats were filled, and the kids got quiet. The ceremony started with a short prayer from Simon, the young preacher who was leading the service that day:
Words were sparse, but everyone got a chance to sing. The kids came shyly forward to share a hymn:
Several groups of women spontaneously stood up to share their songs:
You can click on the photo below, then the same photo that appears in the link, to get a feel for the music we enjoyed in church that day:
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| Sunday Service |
Karen gave a terrific sermon. I remember she talked about the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It seemed a perfect theme for service that day:
Brother John thanked us all for coming:
Afterward, we gathered in the yard to talk. And everyone asked to have their picture taken. It was a beautiful Sunday morning in Africa:
5 comments:
Fun to read-- what cute kiddos!
Mary
Interesting to hear about their worship service! When it rains, do they put up tarps over the beams? Thank you for posting :)
What fun to relive it all! Today is a beautiful Sunday in Southern California -- but our hearts often return to South Africa. THANKS, Thanks, thanks for these posts and pictures -- it was a great trip and we're so glad we got together!
karen
Good job Laura. I wish I could have gone with you.
Pat
I'm so glad you're enjoying the blog! It's amazing for me to relive such a fantastic trip, and fun to share it with all of you.
@Mary: Thanks!--the kids were the best!
@Jess: The church has a strong metal roof so the rain can only come in through the sides--but I imagine in a driving rain they must get a little wet!
@Karen: You're welcome! I'm so glad we shared such a great trip together--and am really looking forward to the next one.
@Pat: I know you'd enjoy it--I'd love for you to come on an eye trip with me some day!
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