African Round Table

As things are winding down here on exploratory visit we needed a session with local church leaders, CRWM representatives and BC visitors. We met together for the better part of Friday night in a healthy exchange of ideas, a lot of questions and some nudges toward mutual understandings about a way forward together. We have all come away with a sense for the complexity of growing a church in an impoverished setting such as this. We are very concious of the need to not repeat the big mistakes of the past and to grow a healthy relationship based on mutual respect and love.
We certainly will be leaving with a sense of deep gratitude for having been able to share with brothers and sisters here the challenge of moving the gospel forward in this remote part of the world. We have seen such passion and dedication for the work that people are are engaged with as a young church. It is has been immensely helpful having Ron Geerlings and Albert Strydhorst with us these few days. I believe it has been really good for them as well to see this young church in action.
This morning we led a youth conference for about 50 some young people who are part of the CRC church. They sat on hard benches to listen to us for more than three hours. No power point, no electric guitars, no film clips. Wonderful kids and wonderfully exhuberant worship.
Tomorrow Joel will preach and we will try to take a bit of a more Sabbath posture. It's been pretty hectic and we need some down time.