8 April 2009 Drums and chanting.

It is hard to get away from the throbbing drum that beats like a heart and the mournful low blowing of a horn perhaps a conch shell like their ancestors of old. The chanting of men and women in bondage echos in my head filling me with sorrow and sadness for them.

I am thankful in a strange way for the drums-they remind me to pray. It is impossible to forget the needs of our community when reminded in such an unignorable fashion. Every night this week the mountains have rung with the celebration-each night bringing them closer to the big day.

Growing up I really didn't think much about the other side of Easter. Never occurred to me in college or later that in the world there were those who's holiday celebrations would focus on the victory of the Lord's death-not the Resurrection.

I imagine that the celebrations here are just a small taste of the celebration that occurred upon Jesus's death. The rejoicing in the belief that His power had been broken and defeated. Here some still think that the time between Good Friday and Easter is a time that good has less power.

I'm so thankful to celebrate the Real Power. The story didn't end on Friday at the tomb.
Please pray that the drums and ceremonies will fall silent because the followers have received the freedom of Christ's Love.