Today we
got together, looked at old photos, laughed, sang, prayed, ate maracuja mousse,
and took the Supper for one last time together, possibly the happiest ending a
congregation could have.
The Manaira
congregation began in May 2008; its purpose to provide an early meeting time
for restaurant workers to participate before going to work.
It began
with a simple question: Irene, can we start a church meeting at your beauty
salon? The next Sunday we met, a brand new simple congregation. Over the next 11
and half years, hundreds of people visited our Sunday meeting, we started a
restaurant Bible study, we did campaigns in the workers’ hometown, Esperança, had love feasts, and all the
offerings went to help people in need or to buy Bibles. We had exciting times,
sad times, laughing crises and just plain crises. People came to Christ; people
moved away.
In the last
few years though, the meeting ceased to serve its purpose with the restaurant workers;
others moved away or some moved on. We the faithful remnant finally realized
that we are all meeting already with the Luna congregation. The great thing
about a house church is that to end is as simple as reminiscing and giving out
hugs.
And the
maracuja mousse – everybody loved
it! The mousse was made from the maracuja fruit from our vine, the vine came
from the seeds from a maracuja that we got from Luis, and Luis used to meet
with the Manaira congregation about seven or eight years ago.
Only God
knows how much seed was sown in these eleven years, how many people were
influenced by Christ, and where they are producing fruit in the world. As for
us, not having a church building frees us to start somewhere else, somewhere
where there is good soil. Let our Great Farmer-of-Men guide us.
Oh, by the way, some good things keep on giving even after they end.
Oh, by the way, some good things keep on giving even after they end.
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