Once again, I was blessed to be at Agat church this Sabbath. There were more friends there that I haven't seen since I was on the island three years ago. I really love that this church is embracing the children and including them in so much, including giving them microphones to sing into during school service. When it was discovered that there wasn't anyone scheduled to tell the children's story, one person stood up and said, "I can do it." Then they walked up front and told how their friend had lost their watch at the park and couldn't find it. The storyteller volunteered to help search for it, but it wasn't found. Later on, the storyteller went back to look again, and there it was, laying in the grass near some trees. It wasn't easy to see in the grass, but somehow her eyes fell right on it. She believes that God answered her prayers to find the watch.
I had a good time talking to people at the potluck. They made us go through line first, calling us visitors. We don't feel like visitors at all, and brought a curry, rice and salad to contribute. But as I observed, I think they are trying to train the children to be respectful of others, especially visitors. The kids were already lined up, chomping at the bit to get some food, and they brought us up to the front of the line so they had to wait for someone else. It is another aspect of the children's ministry I really like. They are really investing themselves into the children who come.
After potluck, there was a baptism, just down the road at Nimetz Park. On Guam, people are not baptised in a tank or a river, they are baptized right in the Pacific Ocean. There were 4 girls, an older Chuukese man, a young woman, and a woman who had been baptised when she was young and wanted to be rebaptised to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in her life. Amy has been studying the bible with the girls for some time, inviting them to her home and doing activities with them too, like swimming in the ocean, and making food for them. She is so kind to them, giving so much of her time. People sat in the shade of a park gazebo and sang until everyone was ready. Then the candidates were introduced. Next we all walked to the beach and Pastor Rylan and Pastor Maffnas baptised them.
Rob and I decided to go north to where another baptism was going to take place at Adalup Park. It is at the Governor's complex, where there is a giant cement latte stone you can climb up inside and see the view. We got there quite early, so we walked around the property and enjoyed the views. The complex is on a point quite close to the reef with spectacular waves crashing. It was nice to watch them from above. The aqua color you can see in the moving waves is so striking, possibly my very favorite color anywhere.
Here is a video of the blue waves that I put on You Tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg5pnJhKWD8 Click on the link to go watch it.
This baptism was for a boy who was turning 11 years old this very day. Ken Norton, the Mission president baptised him. The good thing about being there was a couple friends from previous trips to Guam found me.
I love the family feeling on Guam among the Adventists. People just love to be together, no matter where they are from, or ethnic background, they are included. I saw so many people greeting each other with warm hugs or handshakes. Even though we were strangers to most people there, people we didn't know introduced themselves to us and made us feel welcome. This atmosphere makes me really want to stay and live here. The temperature was so comfortable, and we were all outside lingering as the sun set on the horizon.
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