Praise and Worship

The seminar in Lalmonirhat was a blast of an event. The participants enjoyed the music. The teaching was good and the programme well organised. The most encouraging thing for me was the number of dedicated Christians with a commitment to trusting in God. There was a Christian TV-producer and a lady who, in-spite of physical challenges (She lost her sight when graduating from high school.) has a job and sings on national radio. These role models helped all feel proud of being Christians and gave a sense that Christians can do well in Bangladesh. The most important part of their message, I think, was that they both praise God for being with them in the challenges that life brings – rather than pray that he would take them out of the difficult situations they get in. The blind lady did not ask that we pray for her to get her sight – though there were several people whose ministry is to pray for the sick. Her testimony was about a God who was with her.

I enjoyed touring the city during breaks with Liton and Elsie. (Friends at LAMB) Liton is from Lalmonirhat. In the past Liton has always talked about how everybody would call to him if he walked down the streets of Lalmonirhat, and invite him to come visit. He gave the impression that he was a bit of a celebrity in his home town. I never really took him seriously. As we toured the city together people called to him, invited him to come visit. He might not be a film star or a sports idol but there is no doubt that he is at least as popular as he said. We managed to visit eight different friends in less than three hours and there were many who were left out.

Praise and Worship

This weekend a group of teenagers from LAMB Congregation are going to participate in a nationwide Praise and Worship Seminar a couple of hours north of Parbatipur. We leave shortly before work finishes Thursday and plan to return Sunday morning, except that I have to be back by Saturday evening for a farewell for a shorttermer at the school.
Please praise and give thanks for this seminar.
The music will be a mix of contemporary western worship processed and recreated as Bangladeshi songs along with genuine praise from the hearts of the youth here. Pray that we will not only feel closer to God at the seminar, but will walk away from Lalmonirhat in closer relationship with the one who is worthy of our praise.