Tropical Easter Blessings

Jeff writes:

The CLTC community celebrated Easter by splitting up to worship at four village churches.

My day started early with the small flock I pastor among the men who tend our breeder chickens. I read John 20 and then we shared what Easter means to us. These men have become very dear to me, and their thoughts about sins forgiven, renewed life, resurrected bodies, and the new heavens and earth where righteousness will dwell were inspiring.

After sitting down to a wonderful Easter breakfast complete with hot-cross buns (baked by one of our nice neighbors), I left Sue at home to rest and walked a mile-and-half to the Sigri Village AOG church. I took some photos along the way, and Lord willing, if our slow internet connection will bear them, I hope to share them with you.

One of Sigri's  "Mountains"

I started out by taking a PNG "shortcut", which means to go straight up a mountain rather than around it.

Flowers Decorating the Dais

The Glories of Easter

It was not long until I arrived at the church. The church ladies spent many hours to gather flowers to decorate the dais around the pulpit. The colorful flowers were a fragrant reminder of the joy we experienced on this day.

Pastor Bugaebo Shares His Message

One of our students Bugaebo shared a wonderful Easter message taken from Matthew 28:1-10. Bugaebo and I are a year apart in age. He will complete his diploma this year, and then go back to Western Province to take up a leadership role in the Evangelical Church of Papua New Guinea. I was really proud of him. God is raising up good men and women here at the college to lead His church in this country. It is a real privilege to be a part of this grand undertaking.

PNG "Bake Sale"

After church the ladies of the fellowship held a PNG version of a church bake sale. They sold garden produce to the students at rock-bottom prices to help defer the cost of feeding us light refreshments.

After Church Fellowship

We concluded the morning with a scone and a can of coke. Even though customs may be a bit different here, the truth remains that we celebrate the one Lord, the one faith, and the one baptism that Christians enjoy worldwide.

I trust that all of you enjoyed the same blessings of fellowship at your church and with your Lord this day.

As a postscript a number of the students expressed concern for Sue and said that they were praying for her. I told them that her condition has improved. Her fever was down yesterday. She still needs rest. The CLTC community has been wonderful. Many have come to pray with her. Some have brought food. In the time of her illness we have seen the face of the Christ and His arms and legs reflected in the actions of many wonderful saints.

God is good! Hallelujah!