This Is A Story

This is a story.

A story about how a lovely little church on the outskirts of WaveTown USA decided to build a church in the middle of the bush, Tanzania.

This church on the outskirts of WaveTown was very motivated and dedicated to the cause and by the grace of God and some generous contributors, were able to raise a significant amount of money to build their little church in the middle of the bush, Tanzania.

So a group of 13 rough and rowdy souls we gathered together to make the trek to the bush- in the middle, of Tanzania. They were an odd group; consisting of both men and women, old and young, tone-deaf and musical genius. They were collectively dedicated to the work at hand. They also collectively smelled, but that is an entirely different story.

When the day came for them to build, there was a certain excitement in the air for the rough and rowdy group of 13 from the lovely little church on the outskirts of town. They were finally there- in the place where the church was to be built in the middle- of the bush- Tanzania. They were to build and erect the rafters on their church. All was well with their souls.

That was until it wasn't.

As the group was learning, mostly the hard way, things in Africa seldom go to plan. This proved to be true when it came to their dream of building. They discovered that the generator needed to power their tools, to build the rafters, on the church, in the middle of the bush Tanzania, was not functioning. And not only was it not functioning, but the person who was to fix it was no where to be found. Then add to that, that money had already been paid to fix the generator that was to build the church, in the middle, of the bush, Tanzania.

To say the rough and rowdy group was disappointed would be an understatement.

But none the less, they pressed on, doing what they could, with what they had.

They carried boards.

They pounded nails.

They cut and measured.

They created a single rafter.

Though only one, this rafter was built tough. And strong. And with a lot of Jesus love. By the group. From the lovely little church. On the outskirts. Of WaveTown, USA.

The best part of the story had yet to come though...

A few days after the rafter was created, the rough and rowdy group was venturing through the bush once again. On their journey they passed the spot where their church was. To their surprise and pure elation, all of the rafters had been completed and were even UP!

While the one rafter that was completed seemed like only one, it was much more than that. It was a template for how to build a rafter. It was a template for how to live the Gospel. It was a template for how to build up the church as a whole. One cut, nail, and board at a time; ultimately resulting in the extension of the church we love so much.

The lovely little church on the outskirts of WaveTown, USA had left their mark. On the rafter, in the hearts, of our church in the middle of the bush, Tanzania.