Mon. March 14

The World is Everywhere… if we’re looking.

I’m sitting in the Albuquerque (thank goodness for spell check) Airport waiting to wing my way back to the Piney Woods.

On this trip I’ve met so many nice folks.  In the larger airports of America (Houston, Phoenix, and here) many of the workers and travelers are African.  I’m pretty fair at tagging what part of the continent they’re from.  (Saturday, I asked an African looking young man,  “What country are you from?”   He grinned, “America, just like you.”  In defense, he did have a wonderful African-British accent.  I’m changing my inquiry to “What country did your folks  come from?”

I just met two men from Mozambique.  When I saw them with their guitars, I had to walk over.  They’re native musicians touring the States and on their way to Houston and then home.  We exchanged smiles, email addresses, and a handshake.

Here is a wonderful letter from my Congolese friend, Pascal N.

Pascal pastors Bethanie Baptist Church in war-torn Eastern Congo.  This is a thank you letter to my friends at Good Hope Baptist Church in Singer.  I have the privilege of serving as a middleman of blessing between these two diverse churches I love.

Pascal is attending Uganda Baptist Seminary, our Southern Baptist Seminary in Uganda, Africa.   -C.I.

UNION OF BAPTIST CHURCHES OF DRC

BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH

PASTOR NDIHOKUBWIMANA PASCAL

STUDENT AT UGANDA BAPTIST SEMINARY

MARCH 12, 2011

DEAR   BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF

GOOD HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH IN SINGER,

LOUSIANA, US

BY THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST THROUGH WHOM WE HAVE BEEN MADE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I SEND TO YOU MY THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO MY STUDIES THAT CURT ILES TRANSFERRED TO ME VIA MY SEMINARY.

YOUR SUPPORT TO MY TRAINING IS A GREAT CONTRIBUTION FOR THE ADVANCE OF THE  MINISTRY EITHER  IN BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH IN GOMA THAT  AM PASTORING OR THE UNION OF BAPTIST CHURCHES OF DRC THAT  AM  EXECUTIVE SECRETARY  AND HAVE THE RIGHT TO MOVE CHURCH TO CHURCH SHARING THE WORD OF GOD AND ENCOURAGING BELIEVERS TO STAND FOR THE GREAT COMMISSION .

I THANK GOD FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND SPONSORSHIP AND HOPE YOU WILL BE PRAYING ALWAYS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, ALSO FOR THE MINISTRY.

GOD BLESSES YOU ALL.

BROTHER PASCAL

Notice the church bell for Bethanie Baptist Church in Goma, Congo.  (left front corner of building.)  I call that “Dry Creek Redneck Design.”