The joy of gardening is that after some weeks of tending your young plants- watering, weeding and waiting you first see blooms and then the tiny fruits began to set on as the pedals fade and fall off. I have experienced this joy many times as I watch the developing church in Guinea Bissau. Let me give you an example:
Every Saturday evening here in Catel we have a singing. Children from the ages of 5- 15 gather at the church to have a good time singing gospel songs. It can get to be a bit rowdy, even chaotic with loud drumming and high volume singing. Groups of friends drift in and out of the gathering, side conversations are going on, and the young people having a generally fun, informal interaction.
In the past months three young men have spontaneously taken up leadership for the singings. Momadou and Alfredo have been members of the church for less than a year and are still young in their faith journey. Victor, a gifted singer and drummer, the third member of the team, is only 14 years old. He has yet to make a public profession of faith, but he is clearly on track towards Jesus. His eyes and face practically light up with joy as he leads in singing and drumming.
I, the gardener full of optimism and anticipation, sat on the sidelines, awed at the work of the Spirit in the lives of these young men standing behind the table in front of the meeting room. The singing opened with Alfredo offering a long prayer for the meeting. Alfredo is the only believer in a family deeply involved in witchcraft and drunkenness.
After about 20 minutes of singing Momadou gave a word of knowledge to the audience, appropriate for the age and faith level of his listeners. Momadou comes from a family of refugees several of whom are active in the church. Then Victor lead in teaching three of four new songs. With the singing of a couple more songs Afredo also offered a brief encouragement to allow the words of the songs to sink into the hearts of the singers and begin to change their lives as they learn to know more about Jesus.
The meeting ended with the leaders bowing their heads down on the table in front of them and all three praying aloud at the same time. Some in the audience also joined them praying aloud. And it was not a short prayer, it covered the waterfront.
The gardener also was praising God for this youthful but fruitful garden.
BJF Nov. 23, 2010
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