It’s both so good to be here, and so hard also. The boys are lots of fun; Petr is so enjoyable to talk with, and Andrej is so funny and constantly physical– either punching and hitting or snuggling; and still feeling moles!

We were gone from here from 9:15am to 5:30pm. It was truly a day of enduring, but also a very special day. Paul was preaching for both services at a church in a large slum. He had a different message for each service. They sat us all in the first row, and there didn’t seem to be any separation between services. So we sat there from 9:30am to 1:15pm! The whole day was an amazing cultural experience. We drove into the slum on a raised, muddy, one lane dirt road, with water ditches on each side, and little makeshift “stores” lining the road. And there were so many people everywhere! There are very few cars there, so we had to drive through crowds of people. There are large piles of trash here and there with goats eating stuff from them, and some children picking too. We parked right next to the front of the church, which was just on the side of the road. It was constructed mostly of corrugated metal, and wood. Inside, the floor was swept dirt, and the “stage” area was just a 6″ high wooden frame of scrap wood on the ground, and filled with more dirt, and covered with very old, used linoleum. But! They had an excellent sound system– LOUD! The guy on the keyboard was so, so good, and they held the microphone for him to sing too! I know Bob would really enjoy having him to visit and lead worship at Horizon. He is such a good worship leader, he could hold his own in any church, anywhere. And they sang songs we knew, so we were able to truly worship our Lord; as one with all those people.

Paul’s messages were so very good in every way. He’s very good at working with an interpreter; it just flows between the two. He wove personal experiences into lessons with scriptures that proved his points. I felt very convicted, and encouraged, and determined to change some things in me. Paul is truly not at all hindered by the things of this world, and since I know his heart is truly for following the Lord’s leading no matter what it costs him, I was even more convicted. That isn’t to say that I want Paul to be this way, because I want them HOME! The side interest of the services was the many chickens who joined us in the church. One was even taking a dust bath in a hole in the ground! At one point, a couple of them flew up onto a table in the front, and knocked the offering bags off.

After the two services, we were shown into the “office,” and offered a choice of drinks, which they then went to get. Everyone is so friendly, and polite, and pleased to meet you. They truly honor you. The children are so curious to see us and shake our hands, and loved it when we were taking their picture.

THEN we drove within the slum, to a home where we were invited for a meal. The entire “home’ was the size of an average bedroom. Somehow we all fit in there, and were served a meal with at least 10 or 12 different items that they prepared. Amazing! But we sat there on very hard seats for hours and hours, talking and answering questions, until we finally left at 5pm. We needed to go on a brisk walk, three times around the compound here, to feel better, when we got back.