Shaking it up at church

Our church service this morning was, shall we say, LONG. I think it
comes of a cultural need for participation. Multiple choirs, multiple
songs per choir . . but also in the prayer requests, there are just a
LOT of people sick or with problems they want to share and pray
about. As community grows and deepens, it takes time. Musunguzi
preached powerfully as usual, from Acts, challenging each member to
share the Gospel themselves. As he said, Dan Herron and Alan Lee came
here in 1986 and sat in Alinga's kitubbi and told us about Jesus. Are
they here now? No, but they don't need to be, because they taught all
of us. It was a great illustration of the way Paul and Barnabas
planted churches in Acts 14, and a sweet look back on our
predecessors. Later he also said, you only heard the gospel because
those men came far from their homes out of love for us, and that is
why missionaries are still here among us, they love our people. A
soothing moment for my frazzled missionary heart . . .

But the real excitement in church today was an earthquake. It sounded
like an explosion, the whole church shook, everyone jumped up from
their benches and looked around, then a few seconds later there was
another less intense rumble and shaking. Many of the congregation ran
outside. I made my kids go. It is the prudent thing in an earthquake
to NOT be in the only building for miles around that is large enough
to kill people if it falls. I know Paul did an excellent
construction job, but I'd rather observe the strength of the walls
from the outside . . . However nothing fell down and everyone hugged
and laughed to cover their fear, including me. Then we came back
inside and sang two vigorous praise songs. The danger energized the
service, and the preacher later used it to illustrate the nearness of
Jesus' coming and the importance of standing for Him.