Testimony of a Dani and praising God from a wheelbarrow

I love our church here at Nyangere.   It reminds me so much of my home church Living Faith Outreach (LFO) in Dickinson, TX.  When you walk into the building you see no down and out faces, you see no sad sacks.  No, the people here come in gladness to praise God for the great things He has done for them.  That’s my kind of church and the kind of church I think that God likes as well.

Two weeks ago was my first Sunday back at Nyangere church since we had visited back in 2006.  I didn’t know what to expect but I knew I felt the presence of God when we walked into the building.  If you attend a church like Nyangere or LFO you know what I mean.  When you walk in, a joy seems to fill you.  You feel lighter inside like all the problems and struggles from the previous week have disappeared.  This is why I love to go to church, to feel the incredible presence of God and share it with like-minded people.  It’s like He is hugging me and telling me He loves me and it’s the best feeling in the world.

So every Sunday in Nyangere we sing praise songs to God and every Sunday we have a time where people from the congregation can stand up tell what the Lord has done for them.   This Sunday was no different.  At testimony time one of the old widows of the church stood up to tell what God had done for her.  In our church we have a number of older widows.  In America women usually live longer than men.  It’s the same way here.  These widows are called “Dani” which means grandmother.  If a woman loses her husband here and she is too old to work sometimes her family, her children or grandchildren will take care of her.  Sometimes they don’t.  Such was the case with this particular Dani.  She stood and testified how her husband was dead and she had no children or grandchildren to care for her.  She was too old to do physical labor.  She told the congregation that she cried out to God to just take her home to heaven because she had no way to provide for herself.  God must have still had some work for this Dani to do because instead of taking her home, He put it in the hearts of some of the church members to give her money for food every month.  Now she is not hungry.  Now she knows God loves her.  Now she is testifying in church of how good God is.  She actually started dancing around the front of the church because she was so happy.

Isn’t that how it is supposed to be in the church?  Aren’t we called to look out for one another and to help others in need.  I think this is a small taste of Heaven here on earth.

The other thing that stood out in church that Sunday was the praise and worship time.  As I’ve said before the Luo people love music and singing.  So we always sing lots of songs in church, which is fine with me because I love to sing as well.  I’m just not yet fluent in the Luo language so I only get to join in on the songs sung in English. 

Isdora, our good friend is on the praise and worship team at Nyangere.  Isdora spends most of her days in a wheelbarrow.  She was born crippled and has no use of her legs and only partial use of one arm.  Her friends take her everywhere folded up in a wheelbarrow because it’s the easiest way to transport her. 

So this Sunday the praise and worship team was at the front of the church and Izzy (for short) was with them sitting in her wheelbarrow.  I’m enjoying the music and singing when all of a sudden I hear the most beautiful voice singing to God.  I am looking around at the team to see who is singing and then I spot Izzy holding a microphone with her one good hand. 

This woman who was born crippled, who had never walked or used both of her hands was sitting in a wheelbarrow singing about the goodness of God.  Izzy could have chosen to be angry at God for her situation.  She could have chosen a life of bitterness.  Instead she chose a life of joy despite her circumstances.  She chose to praise God rather than curse Him. 

Wow I just sat there amazed.  It made me think about all the times I grumbled and complained to God when things didn’t go my way.  It made me think about all the things I had to be thankful for my arms, my legs, and my health.  I sat there in church with a tear in my eye and thanked God for all the wonderful things He has done for me.

P.S. Here is a picture of Mom with Elsa the Dani who testified in church, also here is a picture of Izzy holding her mike in church.