Conference in the village

 Last weekend was the denominational conference for our area (Mbonge North).  People from several surrounding villages walked in (or, if they were fortunate, found a ride on a cocoa truck or a motorcycle taxi, called Okada).  The conference officially started on Friday afternoon/evening, but due to circumstances including a big rain storm, most people arrived on Saturday.






Sunday morning was the culminating event, with the main service lasting about 4 hours.  This included choir numbers from all participating churches (if they had a choir), at least two offerings where everyone processed up to the front to deposit their gift in a basket, general announcements as well as individual church announcements, congregational singing, a main message, and communion (again with everyone coming up to the front).

Unfortunately I did not bring my camera to the service (I also didn't want to distract people!); and I hesitate to put people's faces on the internet....  But the picture (above) shows the yard AFTER everything has been cleared away.  The conference was held right next to the front door of the church (in the front yard) under a temporary shelter consisting of wooden poles in the ground,

bamboo poles (pictured above) used as crosspieces over top, and the frame covered with either tarps or palm leaves (pictured at left).  Those of us sitting near the crack between the edge of the shelter and the beginning of the church roof overhang had to move as best we could in order to stay in the shade as the sun moved overhead.



People moved around, babies were taken care of, and ushers alternately handed around cups of water to the thirsty or poked the sleeping with a stick.

But what was important is that these people, some who came just to see friends from other villages, heard the truth spoken that morning.  Righteousness - nothing we can hope to attain to by ourselves, simply a gift provided by God that we can accept; but as children of God, we need to show righteous living.  This means that if you are a cocoa trader, you do not use improper scales that help you cheat your customers; and if you are a farm worker, you do not lie about how many packets of pesticides you sprayed on the cocoa so you can pocket some of them to sell later.  In what ways do YOU live unrighteously?