Saturday Recap

Saturday Recap

Some humorous moments today:

- We saw a mouse in our guest house, and Didier smiled and said “oh, don’t worry about the mouse, they are our friends.” He explained if we see a mouse, that’s good, that means there’s no snake. But he said when they have a big rat in their house, he tells Annie “if you love me, you will kill the rat for me.” He also said Annie is the one who kills the snakes around here. We were in stitches laughing, you had to be there.

- I was apologizing that I didn’t have as nice of clothes to wear on Sunday as he does, and he explained, “that’s ok, in my country, if you are not dressed properly, they say ‘you dress like an American.’” Another one that had us roaring in laughter that you had to be there. He says even he is accused of dressing like an American, though he is always better dressed than us.

- Josie asked to take a picture of a large spider on the wall and when I got close it jumped at me and flew straight at me in flying spider mode! I’m not sure if the attacking spider scared me more or Josie’s high-pitched scream in my ear! It wasn’t humorous at the time but as we rehearse things from our trip they get funnier.

Saturday night Didier told us all his stories of snakes and scorpions and even demonic activity that’s happened in the past in this area … all right before we went to sleep :) Spiritual warfare is very evident to them and we have a greater sense of Ephesians 6 than before. But we slept good because we had a good practice session with Gabe and Didier on the guitars, practicing special music for a quartet he was willing to sing with us at church (Amazing Grace: My Chains Are Gone rendition)

Saturday afternoon had a good brief visit from Brooke who is the U.S. Embassy representative from the capitol who oversees adoptions. She came out to the orphanage compound with 2 colleagues and a bodyguard, and did a tour of Didier’s home and the orphanage and we interacted for 10-15 minutes and then she was off. I think it went well and it will be good for future adoptions I think that she was able to see this place and to be here at the same time as parents who adopted through her (via Didier as power of attorney). Thank you those of you who prayed.

Saturday evening we had a good meal with the bourgmester and his wife at their very nice home and some guests, which we hopefully were a good witness to as we don’t know that any of them are truly born again Christians. Our host is very entrenched in politics but has a real respect for pastors and Christians and made a point to show us his Bible that he keeps at his desk. He and his wife are very gracious hosts, and the meal was a fabulous fit for an African king. This was also a very big personal connection for Pastor Didier and for the future of the orphanage, as the bourgmester is the key player in any adoptions in this part of the city, so we praise the Lord for that. His wife’s sister is 19 and plays basketball on the Congolese national team, and is about 6’2”, much taller than most men in this country. She hopes to be able to travel abroad and play internationally (anyone know an agent ? :)

Didier’s has written over 30 songs. This is one he wrote in Swahili when Pastor Duggar’s 11-year-old son died (at Jim Hagen’s church in Idaho). This is the song Didier and Peter sang at my son’s graveside Wednesday, which you can see in the pics from that day. This song is related to Revelation 14:13, translated into English by Didier last night for me:

            I do not know the day of my death (repeat 3x)

            So I need to get ready

            When I go I will go alone (repeat 3x)

            But my deeds, good or bad, will follow after me

            I do not know the day of my death (repeat 3x)

            Whether day or night I don’t know, so I need to get ready

While I’m alive I need to receive Jesus into my heart

So when I die He will take me with Him

I wept as I heard him translate it last night, and have been singing the song to myself over and over again since, as the song in my heart. 

                                       Pastor Peter and His Wife Dorcus Singing Didier's song