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| Kids at the Adventist Church |
Sitting on our 3rd floor balcony we can hear the Muslim call to prayer and church bells ringing. There had been a lot of activity at a church about a block from the apartment. So, Sunday morning I walked down to see what kind of church it was. It was a 7th Day Adventist church. There as music playing and bells ringing. The church yard was filled with people.
7th Day Adventists worship on Saturday so this must have been a special celebration that was taking place. A man approached me and said one word, “Welcome” and motioned me into the church yard. I was carrying my camera which was spotted by dozens of children. Immediately I was surrounded by kids pointing and wanting their pictures taken. I asked for permission of a woman who spoke English. This was granted. I dropped to my knees in the dirt and could have touched 25 kids without really stretching out my arms. I snapped off a few pictures of different groups and then the woman announced, “Enough!” Picture taking was.
As I was walking out I was approached by another man who asked me, in English, where I lived. He wanted to practice his English so we had a lengthy conversation. He explained that there was going to be a wedding in a few minutes and I was invited to stay. The congregation had just finished a week-long Feast of the Tabernacles event. People had been camping in the church yard. I can’t quite imagine what it would take to get most North Americans to spend an entire week at church.
I didn’t attend the wedding but was struck by the genuine warmth and welcome I felt even though we could barely communicate.
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