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Update from Kurt (read the whole thing)
Hello everyone,
I apologize for being so long in updating you. As you read on, you will discover why we have had limited internet access. For you PRBCers (Kurt's church) ... here is an email with four points.
The teaching story
The teaching on the church has gone incredibly well. The men are asking really good questions and saying things like: "This is different than what we are doing and teaching, but it's right. It will be hard, but we must implement these things." It appears that the denomination may actually adopt PRBC's membership covenant and church consitution as their own (all the biblical priocedures for membership, discipline, elders, deacons, etc.) Praise the Lord for these things. The men have come a long way from where they were 18 months ago. I am really hopeful that some of them are excited about teaching, preaching, and leading in a biblical way!
A sad story
Today is epihany in Ethiopia. The way the Orthodox celebrate is to carry make shift 'arks of the covenant' all around trhe city, dancing, singing, and worshipping the arks ... by the tens of thousands. We got caught up in the crowds on the way home from the church today and got a first hand view. The people do not know that they can have fellowship with God in His Son ... so they seek to experience his presence by means of a golden box. Pray for this country ... and thank God for our little denomination who is so open to the teaching of the biblical Jesus.
A funny story
Today I was using our wedding as an illustration. Like the various women who helped Tobey get beautiful for our wedding, so the elders of the church are charged, with God's word, to get the bride of Christ (the church) ready for her husband at His coming. I mentioned, in passing, that this getting ready was why our wedding was so late in the day. The smiles on the men's faces clued me in to the fact that the translator thought we waited so late because Tobey needed A LOT of help ... and translated it that way! I assured the men that she is very beautiful even without all the gussy-ing up! I hiope they still got the point!
A frustrating story
Some of you have heard that our house was robbed on Saturday while we were away at the teaching. I only lost an MP3 player and my backpack ... no big deal. Anthony, however, lost his laptop (with 3 years worth of documents) and his iPhone. Joe and Rob (whose house we are staying in) each lost laptops and phones. Joe also runs his water project from and office outside the house and lost two computers and two GPS's belonging to his organization. And ... the $3000.00 for the pastor trainees food, housing, and transport is also gone! It's all just stuff. Most of it can be replaced (besides lost documents). And we are doing fine. A friend is loaning is the money for the training, so that is taken care of for now. Please pray that our stuff might be found. More than that, pray that our attitudes would be right. God has given us so much to be thankful for on this trip (see my first 'point') ... and even more to be thankful for in Jesus.
Since we lost the laptops, I am emailing from an internet shack ... I mean, cafe. Please forgive me if I am not able to update again. If not, I will send a full report when I arive back home.
Blessings to you all ... and thanks for your prayers.
--
Kurt Strassner
Filed under Grace Church and Jesus