“We have put the youth in charge of everything for the Saturday night service. They decide the order of the service, who will preach and if there will be other activities. This is the first week. Max is preaching and he is real nervous about it.” Ivanildo is talking to me, Rick, during my first day back in Marabá.

During the worship (singing part) I sensed the Holy Spirit in a way that is stronger than sensed His “tangible” presence in a long time.

Max got everyone’s attention. “I am going to share something with you I have not shared with anyone here. When I was born, it was a very difficult birth for my mom. The mid-wife, or delivery nurse, told my mom she should just kill me, because kids that give difficult births give nothing but trouble all their lives. For many years this really bothered me. A lot. I tried my best to not be trouble, to succeed in life.” After talking for 15 more minutes he gave an alter call and 4 of the young people came forward to give their lives to Jesus.

Then the youth played youth group games for about 1/2 an hour. What a cool service!

Monica sent us some year end photos from the church celebrations in Marabá!

I am so blessed to be part of this family. Like the Psalmist says, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.”

An evening opened up for me. I phoned my uncle upcountry. I listened to some lectures by Eugene Peterson (who wrote The Message translation of the Bible) over the pass, spent a very encouraging evening with my uncle talking together until past midnight in the typical unhurriedness of life on the other side of the mountains. Then I got to listen to Eugene Peterson all the way back home the next morning. What a refreshing break. Rick.

Yesterday we celebrated Deanna’s birthday, along with my nephew Seth’s birthday.

Dad took us all (four families on the Bergen side) out for supper, and then we ate this home made ice cream cake for dessert at Darrell and Marlene’s.

Thank you Lord, for another good year, and we pray God will reveal Himself in new and personal ways to Deanna in this next year.

Rick.

Merry

Bella, Emma and I hiked to the top of some cliffs upcountry. There were deer everywhere, and breathtaking beauty. It was dark with no moon by the time we got down the narrow cliff trails. We made a small fire and roasted some marshmallows and thawed out a bit.  Pretty fun.

Psalm 19:1-4 MSG

 ^1-2 God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. 
   Madame Day holds classes every morning, 
      Professor Night lectures each evening. 

 ^3-4 Their words aren’t heard, 
      their voices aren’t recorded, 
   But their silence fills the earth: 
      unspoken truth is spoken everywhere. 

 ^4-5 God makes a huge dome 
      for the sun—a superdome! 
   The morning sun’s a new husband 
      leaping from his honeymoon bed, 
   The daybreaking sun an athlete 
      racing to the tape.