...But I have called you friends...

I wrote this post a week and a half ago (Sunday, May 27)....

Hallelujah! We had a successful concert today with the fledgling Hope Africa University Singers!  Everything came off like clockwork, and we praise the Lord for a large, receptive audience.

Pastors Jonah and Innocent reading scripture at the concert

At the concert today we read the "Vine and the Branches" passage from John 15.  It reminds me that friendship is really important to Christ.  He wanted his disciples to truly love him and each other in the way that friends do.  He designed the kingdom of heaven to be a place where we would follow his example: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  And again he sets the pattern by saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from my Father I have made known to you."

We are seeing that unfold for us here at the end of our time at Hope Africa University.  True friendships are emerging from the teacher/student relationships that we maintain.  How wonderful and fulfilling that is!  It makes us believe that perhaps this wild idea of transplanting ourselves for seven weeks into a foreign land and culture, laying down the lives we were living in Greenville, Illinois and sacrificing time with our work and friends there, has truly been worth it.

Yes, today was graduation day at Greenville College...we sorely missed seeing our student-friends, who have been with the GC choir for four years, on their big day.  We missed the beautiful sound of their voices and the smiles on their faces, and reminiscing with them about memories we made together.  But we know the joy of the fruit that comes from obedience and patient laboring...and so we experienced the beautiful sounds of new voices, basked in the smiles of new friends, danced before the Lord with thanksgiving, and broke bread in sincere friendship.  It was a great day.

Kabwe, Sarah, and Christelle with Wilsons on Grace's birthday

Sifiso, a warm and friendly South African student who shared a meal in our home

Edward, a Kenyan theology student with dreams of a publishing and radio ministry

Veronique and Pam: Sister Connection sponsorship brings us both so much joy!