WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22
Good evening. We just got back from meeting. It was different.
The Quiet Hour videographer [Kristian Allen, Revelation Pictures] arrived when we were finishing the theme song. He was assigned to get some shots of me, but I was not scheduled to speak, as the pastor was to have the service and baptism. At any rate, we worked in my doing a few announcements about the clinic tomorrow at the church site, and since he was not recording sound, he did get a shot or two of Yours Truly.
I took time during song service to teach them “Aleluia, Vive El,” an antiphonal song about Christ in the tomb and also the resurrection. They did very well in learning it. The pastor’s wife is a good soloist and song leader, and she helped immensely. This is the first time she has been here, as she goes with her husband to his meetings. They travel on a motorcycle, just like the pastor and wife in Santiago, Cuba.
The pastor spoke on Daniel 2, with emphasis on being part of the fifth universal kingdom. He also used a very good illustration describing the role of the law (mirror), and the grace of God that cleanses our sins. He rubbed his face with mud, but it would have shown up better on my “lighter” complexion! The illustration was very effective, however, and I’m sure the people got the point. He tied it into baptism, which followed his talk.
Seventeen came forward, but only eleven were baptized. The others may be baptized later in the week or at the stadium on Sabbath afternoon. After the baptism he made another call, and 17 responded. We feel that the Spirit is working, and that many are making decisions.
Now just a few additional notes.
Morning worship was good, and several shared their experiences. Then Caroline Robinson wanted to go and do some shopping, so I went with her and Oscar, our driver. She purchased quite a few things to distribute to the children Saturday night.
I picked up some fruit, and also an orange peeler that I have been looking for during the last 25 years or more. Now I’ll have the problem of mounting it on something to make it available when peeling oranges.
We took the things back to the hotel, and then went looking for more wood for my clocks. We stopped at a fruit stand and I had the fresh drink of coconut “water.” Delicious after many years of thirsting for it.
This morning I went to about five places trying to find out the population of Iquitos. I have heard it is 400,000, but I had serious doubts. I finally got to the Census Bureau, and they gave me a print-out by section of the city, male and female, and for the whole area. According to the 2005 census the figure is 884,144. That is much more like what I have been “preaching.”
I found a length of palo de sangre, that red wood, and am having it sliced into slabs for shipment home.
I’ve gotten tired of counting moto-cars on way to church. Last night there were 365, plus about 100 motorcycles, and maybe ten cars that came into view.
We had our usual good lunch at 2:00 at the clinic cafeteria. Then my traditional afternoon siesta, and preparation for evening meeting. Now it is time to wind this down, get my evening snack, and sleep.
We have clinic tomorrow from 9-12 at my church, La Libertad. So we will be busy. Dr. Robert Shearer flies home tomorrow afternoon. We will miss him.
Thanks for your prayers.
Harvey
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