Bishop Bickerton's Congo Journal - Day 5
Today was a long anticipated day – Sunday morning in Africa! I have been through this routine three times before and I couldn’t wait!
We started our day laying the cornerstones for a new cafeteria at the U.M. orphanage (on behalf of the West Ohio Annual Conference partnership). From there my photographer and I were taken to the “Mother Church” of Kamina, the place where Methodism started in this region. I was the preacher for the day!
Before the offering we danced. The pastors and I pranced around with our bibles placed on our heads while laity danced with buckets on theirs. Not knowing French I had no idea what we were doing. My translator told me it was a song/dance that says, “To follow Jesus is more than just the word of God – it is giving all of our lives to Jesus (the symbol of the bucket). That fit perfectly into my sermon from Mark 8:31-35 and my sermon on the “cost of being a disciple.”
As always, the offering was most inspiring. Before the offering was taken a lay person stood and testified to the importance of paying their Confernence Benevolences because they were a connectional church and their were people across the world who needed their help. I cried. I was moved so very much that someone living such a life of poverty would be led to say such a thing . And, I couldn’t help but recall the churches back home who can only find a way to complain about the “conference tax” or that it’s too much to ask. He had little. He wore a hand me down t-shirt. He didn’t smell very good. But he urged his flock to give “because someone across the world needs our help today.”
After the service, every single person – from the smallest child to the oldest grandparent – shook my hand. The line lasted forever it seemed but I felt more energy flowing in me with every hand I touched.
“Asante Qu Mungo – Thanks be to God”
That’s why I am here.
The Journey Continues, . . .
Bishop Tom
By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton On 4/19/2010
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