April 4, 2024
We had our beloved friends the Hoiland family stay with us for Easter this year. It was a lovely time in the mountains. We have to soak in the opportunities that our children have to know each other over the years. We were blessed by Pastor Scott’s Easter message. Every year something strikes a different chord in our hearts. God demonstrated His unconditional love for us while we were helpless, ungodly, sinners, and even his enemies. Enemies. We were enemies of a holy God because of our sins…but HE CHOSE US despite all of this. We are justified by his blood, his sacrifice and saved from wrath. We are loved in spite of our ourselves, the ungodly. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life”. Romans 5:10. The argument is that a good man is willing to give his life for his friends, but in this case the perfect man gave his life for his enemies. Would a man in his right mind give his life for his enemies, those who seek to do his harm? The sacrifice that Jesus made of His life shows how perfect His love really is. The depth of the love of God is unfathomable and powerful, as Frederick Lehmann says so eloquently.
The Love of God by Frederick Lehmann 1917
The love of God is greater far
than tongue or pen can ever tell;
it goes beyond the highest star,
and reaches to the lowest hell;
the guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
and pardoned from his sin.
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
the saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made,
were every stalk on earth a quill,
and every man a scribe by trade,
to write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
though stretched from sky to sky.
Modern Society & a Stop-over in Switzerland
We were able to visit family in Switzerland in transit back to the USA. It had been over two years for Emmanuel and me since we had seen Grandma Anita. How lovely to see her new home and community and how she has maintained her mobility getting to and from the store/therapy. We overlapped with Warren’s brother Keith and stayed at an Airbnb in France. We went from Switzerland to the USA and Emmanuel was in school two days later. It always strikes me how society “works”-sidewalks, public services, shipping, rental cars, good roads, etc…We don’t take these things for granted. For example we love public libraries! In Africa public services exist but they are quite limited. Many things have to be arranged through personal contacts. We live in a part of the world where it is not advisable to spend time in an area without greeting the traditional chief for our personal security. There most certainly are NOT Airbnbs in our area of Congo.
Egg Hunts
We have clocked in 3 Easter egg hunts in the last week. Emmanuel loved every minute of it! These egg hunts are contrasted with the usual egg hunts our free-range African chickens lead us on! Although one can carefully design a chicken coop, chickens have a mind of their own. In Africa our chickens like to roost in trees and lay eggs at the base of tree trunks. Every time we wish to cook with eggs, we embark on an egg hunt. Jokes about real eggs aside, we do an intentional plastic egg hunt every year overseas that the Congolese kids just LOVE. Candy and toys are treasures to be cherished as evidenced by Emmanuel’s carefully storing his candy and toys in a massive box labeled “Emmanuel’s candy.” Needless to say, we saved every plastic egg from this year’s egg hunts to be used in Africa.
News from DRC
Almost on a daily basis we hear from our missionary friends the Staffords who continue to work in the village while we are gone. The challenges in that environment are many and the breadth of medical practice very broad. It sounds like they are doing well and taking the challenges in stride. We continue to hear news of our friends, animals and tropical birds back in Congo. Yesterday Emmanuel’s little green parrot reportedly went searching around the house for him. It always feels like a world away when we are here and our hearts are in two places…but what a blessing to be able to go back and forth.
Grasslands Overflowing with Abundance
I love the contrasts of this Psalm as this describe different aspects of God as our Creator. He is all powerful in His creating power, yet fully in control when nature is destructive. He is able to still the waves and even the turmoil of nations. He also cares for the land and its’ animals and brings forth abundance to meet our needs, carts overflowing. Even the beauty of the meadow and the valley shout for joy. What a loving God we serve that He would notice all of these things and want to bless us. Isn’t it true that only God can still the “turmoil of the nations?”
Psalm 65: 5-14
You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
9 You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.[d]
10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
We would love to connect with you during our time in the USA and Europe this summer. We appreciate your prayers and support.
-Pray for Emmanuel’s studies at Grace Academy as he finishes out third grade. Pray also that he would be blessed in playing soccer on a local team and gain skills to give him confidence.
-Pray for Warren’s eye surgery next week and improvement in his visual clarity.
-Pray for us as we re-connect with friends, family, and supporters.
-Pray that we will be a blessing to others and represent Christ to others during our time in the US
Many blessings to you!
Lindsey for us
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