We had just enjoyed a delicious American meal that Zylee made for us; it was their first time eating a home cooked American meal and they loved every bite. But the enthusiasm about barbecue chicken and mashed potatoes was nothing compared to the excitement as we talked after dinner about the Holy Spirit and the gifts He has for us.
Dinner was done, the lesson was taught and the pool was full… it was time!
Excited for the baptism that was about to take place, we walked into the bathroom where the inflatable pool was being filled… “uuuUUUUHHHHHHHH!!” I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. I had gone into the bathroom numerous times to check on the water throughout the evening. Everything seemed fine then. But something had happened…something every foreigner who lives in a country full of squatty pottys (basically a hole in the ground you squat over instead of a Western toilet) never wants to even imagine.
The pressure from the air and water in the pool had been too much for our Western toilet… the base of the toilet had snapped! Thankfully, the sharp ceramic edges did not puncture the pool, so it was still ready to be used. So we continued on; Jo-Jo got into the pool first. Zylee and I asked God to pour out His Spirit and cover her. We asked her questions and listened as she professed her belief in God and His Son. Then, on the count of three, she went under the water and came back out again! Then Zylee assisted as Jo-Jo walked through the same steps with Sienna and baptized her, and then Sienna walked through the same steps with Emily and baptized her.
It is happening. Our friends are sharing with their friends and we are seeing them join the family too. New sisters are excited to learn about God and the Bible. They are being trained to train their friends. “To ignite church planting movements…” That is the mission and reason I am here. And I can be a spark, but the only way it will spread is with the exponential multiplication of our sisters sharing and putting into practice what they are learning… and it’s happening!