These Days

These days have been full to the brim.

Often I look back just a few days at a time and can hardly remember what exactly we did, except that we were busy! Other times I feel like my brain is so full that I can't find the information I need, when I need it (for instance, staring blankly into space as I try to rifle through the words in my head to extract the one I should know but cannot come up with - in either language!)

We've had some trials.

Two weeks ago, we received a call from the deacon who handles the church's bills because he realized that a whopping $1,200 had been automatically deducted for the monthly water bill. (Normally it should be about $30.) Pedro hurried over to church and discovered the meter running wildly. After estimating that another $1,200 dollars' worth had already been spun since the bill was paid, he shut off the main power source and we have been without running water ever since. We've had church, and prayer meeting, and a Good Friday service, and Easter Sunday - all with no water. No answers were forthcoming from the company until after the holiday, so we hope for resolution this week. Meanwhile we continue to pray this is simply a meter problem and not a massive leak under the building which will entail ripping apart the brand-new tiles and renovated structure of the church.

We've had some blessings.

After the Good Friday service - a first for our church in spite of the water difficulties - a woman who attended all last year and whom we met upon returning from furlough, spoke to Pedro about asking Jesus to be her Savior. Praise God! At that service and the one on Sunday, several of our youth answered a last-minute plea for help and did a great job with reader's theater. Also, one of our young ladies prepared a beautiful song for special music on Easter. After that service, three married couples joined us for lunch to plan for our matrimonios ministry (which begins this week.) All of these opportunities to see our church family in action and work alongside other believers were a great encouragement!

Did I mention we've been full to the brim?

With meetings, and discipleships, and marriage counseling, and planning, and five ministries starting again this month of April. But we are also full to the brim with wonder and gratitude for the privilege of serving Him. I can honestly say there is no place we'd rather be, these days!