Electricity?

Two of our GFA staff daughters were graduating high school with the local homeschool group yesterday evening, so I left work and started the 15 minutes drive to the church. About 4 minutes from the church, I was suprised to find the traffic lights at Marsh and International not working. Oh, well. It's not a huge intersection. We proceded as a four way stop (time consuming and nerve wracking) and continued down the road...only to find the traffic lights out at Marsh and the George Bush Turnpike. Now that's a little more major. Traffic heading north was backed up for a mile or more while south bound (me) wasn't bad at all (rush hour dynamics).

After making my way through 6 sets of non-working traffic lights, I arrived at the graduation at the same time as GFA staff member John. He told me that his wife had called his cell phone and said all the lights were out. He was wondering if they were canceling the graduation. Cancel the graduation? Because a few traffic lights are out? Wierd.

We walked into the church....only to find ALL the lights out. All the lights, John? Yes, he replied. The electricity is out all over North Dallas.

The organizers were adept, switching the ceremonies with the reception so we could fellowship in the well-lit gym while they prayed for the power to come back on. And sure enough, forty-five minutes into the reception, the power was restored and the ceremonies proceeded. (The power did fail again for about 5 seconds while the commencement speaker was in the middle of a 20 minute court analysis of the historic case Leeper vs. Arlington ISD. I think some of the crowd was debating whether or not they wanted the power to return.)

It reminded me of when we were in central India. We were visiting a small church and Bro. L. was exhorting the young Christians entergetically. "Even when I am in the midst of anti-social elements, I will worship the Lord! Even when my family turn against me, when my parents turn against me, I will worship the Lord! Even when...[mic stops working as the electricity fails. Bro. L. sets it down on the table in front of him and continues without missing a beat, now guesturing with both hands. ] Even when the electricty fails, I will worship the Lord! It is the privilege of every believer, every child of God, to have a smile on his face."

Congratulations, S & R!

Cleaning...

It's my month to help the GFA teenagers clean our home office building. I left my desk at 5:00 and reported to the lobby. 14 year old [Dan] and I set to work dusting, mopping and sweeping the upstairs library, the lobby and the 1st floor gallery. We finished an hour and fifteen minutes later and then helped [Cassie] finish cleaning the water fountains.

It reminded me of our visit to a small Bible College in Mumbai (Bombay). It was an unexpected visit for part of an afternoon and after worshipping with the students, they fed us wonderful chipatis and curry-stuff and burrito shaped things. It was good. We asked about who made it and the leaders responded that the students made all the food. "The students fix their own food, wash and mend their own clothes, and take care of the hostel. It's good training so when they graduate and move to the villages they won't starve."

Sewing Machine

We were surrounded by 70 singing girls at the girl's dormitory in south India when my eyes fell on the girls' sewing machine. Hmm... Reminds me of the one my grandmother used to use.

Still at prayer meeting

Well, I think prayer meeting is finally closing down. We're ending an hour ahead of schedule, but I don't think I mind. My brain is still functioning fairly well for 4:02 in the morning.

We just finished praising God for tribes that are being reached for the first time, for Muslim ministry opportunities, for the churches that were planted as a result of the tsunami relief work, for the pastor who almost "flunked out of the ministry" seven years ago and now oversees all of southern Sri Lanka, and for people who faithfully support the 14,000+ missionaries...and us!

Praising God,
Dorinda

Dum dum dash

It's been almost six weeks since my return from India and still the smallest thing can jog my memory. I was writing aloud to myself today... "are...a...vital...part...dash...thank...you."

A few minutes later, I found myself softly singing a children's song...
Do you know the name of this?
Yes, I know the name of that.
It's a shiny new drum set
And it goes a "dum dum dash"
If you listen carefully, Jesus loves you and me.
It can go a "dum dum dash" a "dum dum dash."

The leaders' kids in south India sang that song for us the evening we arrived. Each verse has a different intrument which makes its own sound.
Guitar goes a "rin tin tin"
Keyboard goes a "do re me"
Trumpet goes a "rum prum prum"
Drums goes a "dum dum dash" (motions hitting drum, drum, cymbal. The "dash" is actually more of a "tshh" sound.

Isn't it interesting what sounds each of the instruments make?