Tonight I had the privilege of worshipping in a church in Guatemala. It was the conclusion of a long day of travel and a medical clinic. When we arrived, the room was already filled with people and they had saved us seats in the front. From the moment I entered the worship room I knew this was going to be a unique evening. If you have never worshipped in a third world country, here are some things to consider:

1. They are not concerned about the temperature of the room or the general comfort of the congregation. It’s as though their hearts are totally focused on Christ and their desire to meet with Him. It really did not matter that the chairs were plastic patio chairs, or that communion was served in shot glasses, that the soda crackers were whole saltines, or that the drapery of the pulpit was a Christmas tree skirt.

We need to worship in a third world country because often times we tend to think that its all about us and our comfort.

2. They are not concerned with the quality of the sound equipment or those that lead the times of worship. While I did not understand most of the words said during the service, I could easily read their body language – which was one of singing to the Lord His praises.

I saw a young girl with her hands lifted and singing with her eyes closed. She was not at the least concerned with what anyone else thought. I also saw a grown man who looked as though he did construction work of some kind, weeping as he sang and prayed. They sang loudly, and they sang with heart. This expression of love and adoration to the Lord was also reflective in how their children worshipped around them. There was very little fidgeting by children – they clapped and sang along with their parents.

We need to worship in third world country so that we can observe unreserved worship.

3. They are not concerned with décor or elaborate displays. Its as though they understand that they are the church, not the place where the church meets together for worship. The bride is beautiful, no matter the condition of the brick and mortar. There were some baskets with flowers for decorations and a white lace background hung behind the praise team and pastor, but it was not plush by any means.

We need to worship in third world country because we tend to think of church as a place instead of persons.

4. They treated us as friends and family. Our mission team was warmly welcomed and genuinely loved. Even though we did not speak the same language, or have the same color skin, we were family and our faith in Christ linked our lives together as one. It is so refreshing to experience a glimpse of what heaven will be like. Every tribe and tongue will kneel before Jesus and worship Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We need to worship in third world country so that we can see the world worshipping their creative Creator.

5. People waited as eternal matters were hashed out in front of the congregation. A girl had come to the front of the sanctuary and expressed a desire to be saved, so the church patiently waited while a pastor talked and prayed with her. It was as though they understood that a person’s eternal soul was in the balance – a person was about to be saved from hell and would spend eternity with them in heaven – depending on how the conversation went. So they patiently waited. At least ten minutes was spent talking and praying with this young lady.

We need to worship in third world country because often times we tend to think that its all about “polish” in our services.

6. There was a time when the service was suppose to start – but when it didn’t no one said anything. When it was time to close the service, and we went another hour, no one left, turned out the lights, or did anything other than keep worshipping until it was over.

We need to worship in third world country to remind us that worship is about God getting glory, not us getting to Denny’s before the church across town. Is it really too much to ask for us to stay together and worship slightly longer than normal on any occasions because God is worthy of our praise and His Spirit is moving?

Say what you will about third world countries, but to join them in worship was fun, honoring to the Lord, and oh by the way two people were saved amongst the loud off key singing, translated preaching, hot room. The Holy Spirit moved, and at the end of the day that is all that matters. Come Holy Spirit, come. Ande lay.

I laughed, then I nervously laughed, then I watched with the thought “ouch” in my mind. This is sooo true for so many reasons. Thanks Sam Luce for bringing this to my attention.

A Walk in a Dark Park

We were able to go to Alabama this year for Christmas (the first time in a long time), and we had a wonderful time with family. One of the evenings over the remnants of a delicious meal, dessert, and Dunk’n Doughnuts coffee my father said he wanted to take my sister and I to a cemetery.

Yes, I said cemetery. How is that for a transition from dinner to “catching up” conversation? So, I asked him, “should I bring my camera or my shovel?” He said, “no, I just want to show you two something.” So the next day we started out early and went to the graveyards my father had in mind. This was not exactly what I had in mind for a short Christmas vacation, but life has a way of bringing reality to your doorstep.

We drove to a plot of graves; my father stops, turns off the car, turns towards us and began to talk. He said that he was concerned that there were members of our family that if we (my sister and I) did not know where they were buried, then they would be forgotten, and that no one would know who they were. He was concerned that no one would take care of the tombstone (laying flowers, checking on them, etc.)

He then began sharing whom each person was, whom they were related to, and some memories from their lives.

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 Ft. Benning Liaison

Recently Ft. Bragg was merged into Ft. Benning, GA, so there was corresponding surge of soldiers and their families into the Russell County, AL area. This is where I grew up, and still consider my ancestral home. Because of this significant growth to the population, housing, government spending, the expanding training facility desired to purchase what equaled to thousands of acres and the lower third of the county.

In order to make a purchase of this size, there was a community meeting. At this meeting, the people did not line up to sell their land, and the flavor of the meeting was quite the opposite. The military and their desire to expand did not understand the blowback they were getting from the community. The deathblow to the discussion was when the liaison for Ft. Benning said, “it’s just land.”

Trust me, it’s not just land.

What the liaison didn’t realize was that this “land” had been in families for many generations. Family members going back hundreds and hundreds of years were buried on the land. Livelihoods were developed off of the land, blood, sweat, and tears were shed on this land, and there was a connection to the land that a carrier military officer, who had traveled all over the country and world, and did not have this connection, did not understand.

Large tracks of land were passed from family to family, and there was an unseen chain of memory that connected these people to plots of land, and to a way of life. These chains were not one of bondage, but one of responsibility. It was a way for them to be grounded and to feel connected to others in their community. These plots of land were connected by marriages, memories, and a love for neighbors. This southern culture had a genuine family value to build and to improve. They desired to have a better way of life for their children, and eventual grandchildren. You cannot put a price on a way of life, and a value in a person’s life.

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Familial Memory

Why was it so important to my father for my sister and I to know where our relatives were buried? I believe that it goes back to that unseen chain of memory. Each generation adds a link to this chain that if it is broken, a connection is lost that gives one strength. Families that remember where they have come from have history.

History gives one an ability to learn from past mistakes, and to build upon previous successes. When this history is lost, each new generation has to start over in the building process. Even a family filled with previous bad decisions can learn that this way of life does not end well. Families that can build generation upon generation can build upon their ability to influence the world around them (for the good). We all have a part to play in the world around us, and for me that requires a calling to a place apart from the ancestral home, but the chain is still connected and because of years of story telling over dinners, family gatherings, and a trip to a cemetery, memories have been passed down and our family becomes slightly stronger.

See also Institutional Memory.