Sorry there are 2 blogs this week, I am making up for the ones I didn't write in the past…
I am actually beginning this blog on Easter and will finish is after we are done celebrating. Right now is nap time, I already took one though so I am writing blogs. Easter here is celebrated like in the States. We are with an Emerging Church called Tabernacle of Shalom so we have been attending multiple services there for this wonderful holiday.
Our first service was on Thursday night. We always get there WAY early (like an hour early), this service was only about 2 hours though. The service on Good Friday was over 4 hours long, and the one this morning was over 2 hours long. We do not understand their language so we just read the Bible and journal to stay entertained/not fall asleep/get some truth from God. This morning was the earliest I have EVER woken up for church…5am…the Easter bunny didn’t even come because we were awake when he hopped by!
The culture of the church is awesome though, many Indian people wearing beautiful traditional outfits. We have tried various porridges after one of the services and today they even ordered food for breakfast. In America you would expect to find donuts or muffins afterwards, maybe pancakes for a special occasion. In this church they ordered pancake like bread and this puff of dough made out of the same batter, a curry, and two coconut based sauces…all very delicious, but is something I am used to eating for lunch or dinner.
During the service on Easter I was journaling to Jesus and praising him. I wrote mostly about his blood. Strange to those who do not understand the sacrifice he made for us. He came to this earth for the purpose of dying, taking on our sins (which separated him from God), and to rise again showing that he has conquered death…has conquered the devil. The blood that poured out of his body was for us, to cover us. Once I accepted Jesus into my life I was made pure because of his blood. When God sees me now he does not see my sin or smell my fleshy odor…God sees Jesus when he sees me because I am covered and stained by his blood. His blood makes me pure and covers up any mark or stench that is of satan. His blood allows me to walk confidently in this world knowing that I am going to enter Heaven when I die. That is why Jesus’ blood is so good! It is even better because it is still covering us day by day, and it is still available to you!
Eggs we got after church
So after nap time at the house we all hung out until we went to a church BBQ! It was delicious and the food never stopped coming out. I tried so many dishes, the BBQ chicken was awesome, they has a rice dessert that tasted like honey and coconut (so good), we talked to the members, I was told an AMAZING testimony from a guy named William (he told me about how he used to fight and drink, how he was in jail, and how Jesus came into his room in the form of a little light that created a cross on his wall and told him that he was the way, the truth, and the life. Then the light disappeared. His whole family accepted Jesus because of his encounter), and the fun part of the party is always where the kids are…DANCE PARTY! Well I should say that they tried to get us to dance the whole time so they could watch.
