Well

Liz and I travelled to the County of Princesa Isabel yesterday to take part in the official inauguration of the new EAB/ACEV well in the Saco dos Pintos Community. We left home at 1.30 pm and got to the community at about 4.20 pm, which is in an area with beautiful rock formations with some rocks unbelievably precariously balanced on top of others. Having chatted to the local folk, and our projects team, we walked to the well's water tower where I was asked to offer a prayer of praise to God for the well with lots of local folk all around. Everyone burst out in applause at the end of the prayer.

We then all walked back to the centre of the community where all the folk gathered round in a large circle for the start of the thanksgiving service. Pastor Gersé, who leads the first EAB/ACEV church in Princesa Isabel, started by leading us all in a couple of hymns which he accompanied on his guitar. Then Liz was asked to do the Bible reading and this was followed by me preaching the Gospel. 

I preached on "the earth is the Lord's and everything in it". (Psalm 24:1). I linked this to Genesis 1:28 (the cultural mandate) and Genesis 2:15 "caring for the earth". I then jumped to Matthew 13 and the Parable of the Sower, discussing which type of "earth" or "soil" we are, as far as receiving the seed of God's Word is concerned. The 40 or so people present sat with great attention hearing the Gospel. Once I had finished our social worker Marah Danielle asked who didn't have Bibles and Bibles were presented to them. I noticed that one young woman had been touched by the word and received a Bible with great joy. We pray that she, and many others there, might become a Christian.

Once the service was over we left after a final chat. The earth road at the start was very bumpy but we bumped along in our jeep full of the joy of the Lord. Once we got on the asphalt road we took it steady, at about 50 mph, as you never know what animals you are going to face. It was nice to get home and have a good shower before curling up in bed. Thanks for all your prayers on behalf of our travels carrying the Gospel of Jesus.