On our first day here, we tried to take it easy, but sitting around the guesthouse can be boring. First of all, there is no one here during the day and there really isn't much to do. So we got up, ate breakfast, and headed over to the Drop in Center.
There we took part in a devotional which was very good. Here was what we discussed....
JAMES 2: 14-19
Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Can I just say...I loved it?!?! Here we are in Ethiopia and the guys we are working with are teaching about faith without deeds. Awesome. Keeps me in the mind frame that my faith and my life are not about living according to my own rules. I think one of my favorite lines is "SHOW ME YOUR FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS, AND I WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY MY DEEDS."
So I'll ask you...where's your faith? Mine was certainly checked at the door today.
So that was the good part of the day...the great part was when the kids started pouring in. I got a chance to teach them how to shoot a basketball (they just recently had a goal installed) and the girls were much better than the boys. They kept wanting to kick it around.
We had a meeting with Nega to discuss the plan for the weeks that Mrs. McGoo is here. Tomorrow we start our program with the girls. Then Wednesday we are going to the government to meet with them to discuss the program and then in the afternoon I am talking to the community leaders/coaches. Please be praying that I have the right words to say to both.
On a side note, everything has been great here with the exception of one thing. When Nega's phone rang today, the ring tone is "Rocky Top"
I think I almost vomited. We're going to have to change that before too long. It's bad enough to listen in Memphis...but not thousands of miles away...not going to happen.
Until next time...
1 comment:
Can't wait to read how tomorrow goes at the gov and with the coaches. You're going to do great. I feel so refreshed to have you there and to hear your perspective on things. Tell Nega that he's my hero!
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