For the next 6 days each student (and Colleen) will give a daily report based on their personal expereince. Rather than seeing this trip through just my eyes I thought it would be good to hear from others. So here is the first one!
Today I woke up with the overwhelming comprehension that I was waking up in Africa. It’s such a crazy feeling to sit outside in sweatpants and a heavy jacket for an hour-long quiet time on a continent you’ve never visited. We’re among such a great group of summer missionaries here; students who are crazy and love to have fun, but have an undeniably strong foundation in the faith we share. I can’t wait to get to know them better as we live together for the rest of our time here.
Church this morning was simply an incredible experience. It’s amazing to realize that, on our separate continents and in our different languages, we were worshipping the same God at the same time. There was no elaborate music, just voices, which still created as incredible a sound as a full orchestra would. While not always on pitch, it was clear that the music was purely meant to praise God.
After church, we dropped off some fresh meat to an old friend of Jeff’s, and attended a sort-of funeral wake. During the week-long wake, family and friends gather to support the grieving family. We were all surprised to find out that during the ceremonies, men and women are separated, due to a rural tradition. We were also impressed by the communal nature displayed, much unlike the stress we place on individuality in the United States.
I know I speak for all of us when I say that I can’t wait to see what else we encounter during our stay here. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel throughout the region, and remember to come back to check our updates!
Joseph Sanford
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »
Altered Student Ministries 