Sunday -- A Blessed Day Indeed!

Downed tree

We got a very early start--leaving the house at 6 am for our 5 hr. trip. Our vehicle was loaded. There were 11 people plus the personal belongings of the 8 that had been at the pastor training for 2 weeks.   We dropped off one pastor on the way and then visited the congregations of two other pastors that were "kind of on our way" for a "quick hello" and to bring greetings to their congregations. We were treated with warm welcomes--singing and dancing, handshakes and smiles. Then we were finally on our way to our destination--Nsanje--where the roads kept narrowing and getting rougher as we neared this southern mountain village. We were within about 30 min. of being at the village when we encountered a huge tree that had fallen across the road. We were able to clear a path--chopping down a small tree and clearing away brush just wide enough for the vehicle to pass (up around to the left in the picture).

We were a little late getting there but found members from several "area" Church of Gods (some coming from as far as 50 kilometers--31 miles--on foot) as well as some other denominations in the local area, all singing and waiting under a HUGE Mango tree. We were seated at the front (in chairs) and greeted with everyone coming by to shake our hands and/or curtsey.
Then they took their seats on the ground around the base of the tree and the sloping hillside. During the introductions we were told we were the first white people to ever put foot in their village. [Wow! Kind of makes one feel like a "pioneer"--making a road where there isn't one--setting foot where "one of our kind" never has been... :)]

Prayer time

Some choirs sang and then Art shared a message that was translated by a delightful young man, Emmanuel, then a time of prayer for various needs.

Art preaching, Emmanuel translating

"Shaker" - Instrument

Again we were greeted again by adults and children alike, all filing by with a handshake/curtsey, then fed a meal and were on our way back to Tammie's home in Blantyre. There were some men working on the big tree across the road when we came back through and wish you could have seen the looks on their faces when we just went up and around on the path we had cut earlier in the day. ! ? :)  As we all chatted in the vehicle going home, we all agreed, it was a VERY GOOD day and we all were VERY BLESSED by the day!

Guitar