Church in Cameroon

We went to church today for the first time. The journey included hiking past the market along a muddy road with gorgeous views of the mountains and the valley below. We passed creeks, chickens, small villages and could see a herd of goats atop a tall mountain in front of us. Occasionally motorcycles would pass us on the road, and we arrived 45 minutes later. This wasn't exactly like the 5 minute air conditioned commute we are accustomed to! The church was a small brick building with no roof. There was a large metal structure arched over us to protect from the rain. There were only a few other buildings in site, with a few houses scattered among banana trees and tall grass. A soccer field abutted the entry to the church. The singing was quite beautiful. The service was great. The people were very welcoming.

I decided to write this entry not because I wanted to describe what it's like to go to church in rural Africa. I wanted to share specifically 2 prayers that were prayed and a lesson from the pastor.

We prayed for people afflicted with Ebola. We prayed for ongoing research to offer new treatments.We prayed for protection over Cameroon. The next prayer was for the situation with the Boko Haram. We prayed that the Boko Haram would repent and turn to Christ.

As I sat there, amidst a completely foreign culture, I was taken aback by these prayers. In the US, I must admit I'm sometimes a little detached when I pray for issues far from home. To see and hear this church crying out to God for protection was stunningly powerful.

The pastor preached on 1 John 4:7-12. He had written on the chalk board, "No love. No missions." One point stood out to me, and is the sole reason I'm writing late tonight. He asked, "God loved us so much that it cost his only Son. What does it cost you? You should think carefully if your love isn't costing you much." This is a good time for me to reflect how I truly love people and what it really costs me. The cost is not time, money, prestige, or power. The cost is my life. That's what it means to take up your cross and follow Christ.