To sing in Tsáfiki again!

After five long months, we finally were able to return to the Tsachi church in Cóngoma.  One of the most important things we took was a new keyboard!  The Tsachi church leader's wife Tserere - in the picture with me and two grandkids - hasn't played for a long time, but was remembering bits and pieces as she ran her fingers over the keys.  (My mom had found a way to write the melody without using notes on staves, as usual.  I finally found another possible way, so we're working to see if that will do the trick; if it does, I'll prepare her a notebook with the choruses and their "music".)

They have been singing only in Spanish (I'm not sure why), as there is a "white" family that goes to help out, and they lead the singing.  We are hopeful that having a keyboard, with Tserere playing, they can enjoy praising God in their own language again.

We asked César, a believer from another Tsachi church, to come and play the keyboard and lead some choruses in Tsáfiki.  It was wonderful!!  I know you can't really see him up front in this photo, but you can get an idea of the church.  The blue writing on the front wall is its name: "Christ Jesus Lord".  Directly to its right you can faintly see a rectangle...that's the framed verse that I crafted for my Dad 46 years ago, that I donated.

César gave a lovely testimony that I'm sure encouraged the Cóngoma church to look forward to making singing in their own language an important part of their worship again.  He said he had awoken that morning feeling discouraged, but in church he entered into the singing and his spirits lifted.  He said singing to the Lord was medicine for his heart! When I thanked him for coming, he said he might come over to the Cóngoma church to help out with the music sometimes. Until Tserere gets the music down, that would be great!

Germán gave a really good message, and it was heartening to see the attention given to the teachings from God's Word!  After the service, we pushed all the chairs to the side, as usual, and prepared for the refreshments.  I like to take different flavored cakes on each visit - this time it was pumpkin!
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Thank you to all who were praying for this last weekend!  As you can see in the top photo, I was wearing a native skirt.  I had to do some adjusting, because they don't curve the same way we do!  But I think I ended up looking a bit old-fashioned!  Growing up, I was used to the ladies usually wearing their skirts below the knee.  Nowadays, as in Tserere's case, for example, they wear them shorter.  (Oh well!)

We are so grateful to God, knowing that our brothers and sisters in this indigenous church will be able to put this verse into action - in their own language:

             "...speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."    (Ephesians 5:19)