Friday night we had our first program of the year for the MAF ministry team. There has been several invitations received already from different churches to go out and minister to them. The church on Friday was Andakapla Church ten to fifteen minutes past Newtown. We had first visited this church last November, so it was great to be able to return. The church leaders had requested us to run a program on forgiveness (lusim rong). There has been tribal fighting in the Newtown and around Newtown area back in the New Year.
1. Waiting for the crowd
We arrived at the village a little after six, hoping to start around 1830. After setting up we just sat around talking with the people there, some church leaders and kids. Come almost seven thirty, people had started to arrive, so Pastor Jack started the evening and they lead a time of worship. Since being there a few months earlier we had seen some development in the church and that was encouraging to see.
2. Fully packed, was cramped operating the gear
After our last visit and the people knowing who MAF is and what we shared last time, it was a simple program. Starting off with an introduction to the movie, then showing End of the Spear with interruption at points and a talk on forgiveness.
3. Some of the line outside
Normally any church building in a village fills right up, but this was the first time I had seen a line out the door for ten metres. It was very cramped inside the building. The population of the area is over two thousand people and amongst the community there are nine churches. I was told that all churches were represented that night. On finishing up, person after person brought forward fruit and vegetables for us as a gift.
4. Where’s Matt?
After the program, packing up and talking a little we headed back towards town and to the airport to drop the gear off at work. After dropping people home, I arrived home fifteen past midnight. It had been a long day, but again was a really good night at Andakapla. The people are very welcoming to us and it is great to see God at work in them.
February 22nd, 2010 at 4:25 pm
There! Found him! hahaha, thats a great photo man.
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