Easter in Africa

           The morning of Easter Sunday, us girls woke up extra early to climb the water tower before dawn.  Cindy was there too and we sat for a while just soaking the scenery in and listening to songs of praise.  Cindy read Matthew 28 and we reflected on Jesus’ resurrection as the sun rose. 

Expecting a big crowd for the Easter Sunday service, we set up chairs outside under the trees.  It could not have been prettier outside.  We began with worship, mostly in Tonga, but our team did go up and sing “Amazing Grace.”  Randy preached with Hildah translating and it was an excellent service.

LOVED Mama Tembo's Easter outfit  

Phillip and Misheck all dressed up for church 

            Afterward, we walked to the river for baptisms.  40 people had attended the meeting on Wednesday, eager to be baptized, and on Sunday it actually ended up being 45 total!  The river was packed with everyone from church.  Even those that the climb was strenuous for (one man missing a leg did hiked down the bank on crutches) made sure to be there.  Papa Tembo, Wes, and Blu each baptized three people at a time.  To see the expressions on each person’s face when they came out of the water was awesome.  Ages ranged from 6 to 60.  Some of the New Day kids were baptized and Cason too!  It was amazing to witness and you could feel everyone’s joy and excitement. 

Walking to the river 

The trek back 

            Once back at New Day we were (a little) sunburnt and worn out form the trek.  Darbi, BLESS HER, invited us over for strawberry punch and carrot cake that she had made for her family for Easter.  We helped Blu stuff eggs with candy for their kids to hunt and spent some time relaxing and enjoying the day.

            That afternoon, we did a fun art project with the kids that Pam Sewell had suggested.  We had been saving hallow eggs for the past 2 weeks in order to do it.  All the egg were filled with paint and the kids each got a canvas and three eggs.  They would throw the eggs at the canvas to make a splattered, abstract work of art.  They had a blast doing it.  There was a learning curve as we realized you have to throw the eggs pretty hard and fast for them to really break and the paint splatter well.  It was just as fun as it was messy.

The team helping with the art project

Gertrude

Luumono

Kelitah 

The aftermath

That night we had English Worship, singing songs at the fire pit under the stars.  Miranda shared an amazing devotion and others shared their testimonies and stories from the day.  I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was an Easter Sunday we will never forget.

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised form the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” – Romans 6:4