a roof, Rosie, and meeting Redemption

What a weekend!

Jeff left Friday after being here a week to work on the Seminary (thank you, Jeff!) and at 6 am Saturday morning, Matt and Don headed next door to help a friend pour his roof...a project predicted to take the 45 men involved until noon.

We have never seen anything like it! Forty-five men working in a flurry of mixing, passing and pouring hundreds of buckets of cement, green bamboo holding the whole thing up, and Don at the top, smoothing it all out with a Bull Float, or something like that. Meanwhile, a dozen women started at dawn cooking like crazy, "paying" all the men at noon in rice, beans, fried chicken and fresh orange juice.

Lily and I helped with the many many dishes, and Don got home when the project was almost finished...at dark. It was a long day for pretty much ALL the people of Sakenville, but a really fun day, too. Watching everyone interact and work was and enjoy each other was a joy for us each...We have now added "pour a roof" to our list of "Important Things to do to Learn a Culture!"

Saturday was also day 4 of a high fever for Lily and some sleepless nights, so we were so thankful Saturday afternoon when the fever finally broke...only to become concerned about a faint rash that began to quickly spread, swell and then turn bright red. By Sunday morning, Lily was covered, misearble, and itchy. Don knew a pediatrician from church, and we called him right away to learn that Lily has what is known as Roseola.

The last few days then, have been filled with lots of itching, sleeplessness and fussiness (the later 2 on ALL our parts :), but we are SO thankful this morning to have our baby back with only a pale hint of "Rosie". A few more days and she should be good as new...

I was reading through the first chapters of Luke this morning, praying like I do every year that He would make the Word, the Christmas Story, come alive to me with meaning that transforms me...and as He does every year, He did. What amazing images and testimonies of faith are in Our Story! This morning, it was the short account of Anna the prophetess, that moved my heart.

She was old. She was alone, a widow at the age of eighty four. She 'never left the temple', it says, 'serving night and day with fastings and prayers.'

And then, she sees Mary, and sees her holding an 8-day old baby...our Savior. She sees Jesus, and quite naturally could never be the same. She spoke of Him to EVERYONE, to "all of those who were looking for redemption."

I can just picture her, weathered, wrinkled, joyful and sincere, the woman who was ALWAYS at the temple when you went. Milling slowly through the crowds, praying, praising, worshiping. Crowds and crowds of people who had come for one reason, to find redemption.

My women's group this morning asked me what that meant: redemption. That caught me a bit off guard, and I finally just shared a few words with them that struck me as synonyms: salvation...change...a new life...freedom...fullness!

Thousands of people, out and about, just looking for redemption. What an image for me! Today, as I drove from one compound to the other, passing by hundreds of people, coming, going, working, sitting, talking, thinking...Looking for ONE thing...Redemption.

And as soon as Anna saw Jesus, touched his grip with her wrinkled fingers, she met Redemption. And then she couldn't help it. She met Redemption that day, the thing everyone was searching for, and therefore, "at that very moment" gave thanks to God and spoke of Him to ALL.

Have I met Him? Have I seen Him with my very eyes? Touched His hand with mine? Have I known Redemption? And if I have, and EVERY time I do, do I give thanks and speak? To all? To all those looking for Him? In all the right and wrong places?

Ah, to be like this passionate, withered, faithful woman, who despite a list of difficulties and hardships and lonely days, SAW Him, and made it her life work to introduce Redemption to all who sought It. No excuses, just a heart driven by love for her Lord...