from bullets to bazookas

these are a few of my favorite things

There was a decent amount of people in church today. There were bout 25 or so in attendance, not including children. The girl I fasted and prayed for - the one with the bad leg, Bismalie, came to church as well. She promised to continue coming to church. She looked very happy.

I was offered some ice cream and a piece of cake. Though I don't "miss" ice cream (as I don't have it much when I am home anyway), it was good treat. Some of the things I do miss are: Thai food and Fried Ice Cream from Bangkok House, Starbucks Vanilla Coffee Frappachino, Shawarma from 50th and 6th, Orange juice, Grapefruit juice, sausage and egg whites on a roll, IHOP, warm, fudge brownie sundae from Applebee's, Bryant Park, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, running along Pelham Parkway, the lights of Times Square, Times Square Church. I am sure my devious cousin Joanne will go enjoy all of this and then write to me about it just to spite me.

I had the opportunity to go back and visit Pastor Augustine in Tombo. I handed over the cassettes I purchased for him, and he was very thankful. I also got to meet his children this time around; the oldest being Miracle, then Emmanuel, and Paul. Miracle was given her name because her birth was a miracle. She was born amidst gunfire, in hiding. The rebels were just outside their compound when her mother gave birth to her. Pastor Augustine and his wife were heading to bed one night when something urged him not to sleep on the bed in that room. He shared this thought with his wife, and they picked up a few sheets and headed to another building that was part of their church. There, they had given refuge to other church members who had lost everything during the war. They squeezed into a back room and slept on the floor that night. All night there were gun shots heard just outside the window. Then sometime during the night, he heard two of the rebels arguing. "Let's leave this place alone" said one, "this is a church and it belongs to the pastor who comes to the barracks to preach." "Yes, but we destroyed other churches, looted them and took their women" said the other. "Yes but let's leave this one alone" said the first. Halfway convinced, the both decided to leave, but not before spraying a few bullets. Several of the bullets went through the wall of the pastor's bedroom, and pierced through the mattress. Some others made holes through the bedroom door. The holes still remain. Had the pastor and his wife slept on that bed that night, they would both have been caught in the spray. Not long after, Miracle was born.

Though blind, he has no regrets, and no disappointments. He is completely at peace, and after spending time with him, you come away feeling better yourself.

posted by bthomas24 @ 1:37 PM