On the Plane....plus some random thoughts from RV

Kelly just called from Cotonou where Becky and Payton are at the airport, heading home to their T - O - N - Y and B - E - N - J - A - M - I - N (I was really impressed with Payton's ability to spell!) It has been a great week with them...so much packed into a few short days. They blessed us so much. Becky spoke encouraging words over us every day. Such words are not easy to come by in these parts. That's one of the things we miss so much....we miss being a part of a community of people who speak blessing over one another. We're looking forward to that as we return home soon.

ADOPTION "UPDATE": Rather than a court date, we were told by our attorney that the Tribunal president would like to talk to Ega personally. We are all scheduled to go on Friday at 8.00a . . . pray that Ega's consent will be clear to this man and that there won't be any more delay. We are praying that rather than scheduling a subsequent hearning for next week, that we'll just take care of the adoption hearing then and there. We're asking that God make known on earth what has already been declared in heaven!

I was blessed today to have some help watching Jonathan and Lael so that I could get out of the house to visit some believers in their home. I was on foot (Kelly has truck in Cotonou), so I got in some much needed exercise...time to clear my head and pray out loud to my God...except for the half dozen elementary kids who heckled me the entire 20-minute walk to Kaiteme. Now, I know I'm supposed to revel in a "Jesus-Model" mentality where I love having children following me wherever I go...but it was not fun today. But I have matured some over the years....today I just kept walking and praying, not being so bothered by their obvious (?) lack of sensitivity that I was trying to have an alone-time with God (in years past, I have gone from, "wow, this is just like Jesus must have felt to have all these kids shouting my name" to "scram kids - beat it - you're bothering me - go home!"....)

Anyway, I arrived at my destination of the village of Kaiteme (ky-uh-tim-ay) where I visited Ega (Lael's birth father) and a newly baptized believer named Doto. It just happens that they were together when I arrived! Ega was in the middle of offering him counsel on a situation going on his life...offering him a new perspective on how GOD sees the situation. I was blessed that Ega was the one offering the counsel. As well, Doto told me that last night, Ega had gathered together several new believers for some intimate prayer for their journey of faith...love seeing the on-going maturity in this man. Doto left after an hour and Ega and I spent the next 3 hours talking about all sorts of things. It was a blessing to me. We got to recall our friendship history, brainstorm on how to help a man in a desperate financial situation, pray together and shared a couple of soft drinks together. As I walked home, the 20-minute walk seemed so short because I was thanking God so much for my friendship with Ega.

The past couple of days, I have been especially blessed by the live worship DVD by Hillsong, "Mighty to Save." It is so good! Kelly and I have loved their live worship albums for over a decade...we love the live DVDs. It is so cool to escape from the aloneness of this place and worship our Savior alongside thousands of other worshippers. One of the things that blesses me about Hillsong is how many original songs are birthed out of their own congregation. What a testimony to God's activity and a testament to the leadership's effort to equip the body for works of service.

I'm somewhat jealous of people who compose songs....believe me I have tried to write worship songs of my own but they never go anywhere. Even Ega reminded me today of a song that God gave him when he was studying the story of Cain and Abel (to my credit, I was the one who taught him the story?!!!) Anyway, I have a lesson that I am preparing in my heart...it will be the final lesson I give to the Aja people. I don't know when that day will be to deliver my sermon, but we'll talk about the family of nations on their knees in worship at the Throne of God! I love hearing the Vision of what the angels shout to God in praise (Rev 7.11-12)...I want to share those same sentiments in a song here...I just can't compose the melody. I'm praying God gives it to someone else so I can share the song when I give my "farewell address".

I have to be honest and say that since I did not grow up in a fellowship that permitted DANCE at all, much less as an expression of worship....well, I have not always appreciated the artful expression it is. On the "Mighty to Save" project (Hillsong), there is a worship song called "None But Jesus" where a group of authentic worshippers express their praise in dance. I have not always enjoyed the "dance teams" on all the Hillsong projects, but I have been blessed by the expression of this group. Of course, too, the Aja people are excitedly expressive in their dance as they worship God...nothing like Hillsong, but still an expression of what's in their heart!

One other lyric that blessed me tonight from the "Mighty to Save" DVD...standing before the throne of God declaring to our Father, "I know that you love me." Simple words of truth. Powerful confidence and reassuring faith. That's good worship.

Kelly will return tomorrow with what I'm sure is a full camera of photos taken the past couple of days at the beach and today's farewell to B&P. Check back soon for those!
I'm sure you're all ready for some thoughts from Kelly for a change......

-Randy

* Can you believe it's already March???!!!