When the half-mile-wide Kwilu River is your baptismal font, one is forced to reassess the definitions of poverty. In many things the rural people of Congo are incredibly rich. An oversized bath-tub tucked in behind the pulpit of your local church stacks up as a pretty modest setting compared to the powerful mass of water flowing by the canoe port where seven young people are being baptized.
Following Christ will be the endeavor of a lifetime. But it starts with a simple decision. We join ourselves with Jesus, trusting that through him God draws us back into renewing fellowship. Baptism is the opportunity for new believers to make a public declaration about that decision. At the same time the church recognizes publicly that new believers are now part of the fellowship.
The Kwilu River baptism takes place right down at the canoe port at Lusekele. What better place for public declarations? Two canoes discharged passengers crossing from Mosia while the Lusekele congregation sang and danced in celebration.
Paul Makolokoto (above)was one of the young people being baptized. (An interesting coincidence that he is the the nephew of our American Baptist missionary colleague, Kihomi Mabudiga.) He is a serious young man, active in the Scripture Union bible study group and enthusiastic Sunday school teacher for children. Paul doesn't have a clear idea yet of who he is going to be in the world. But he does know that God is the point of reference that orients true life. That's where true character is ultimately found.
Paul Makolokoto with his parents and grandmother, getting ready to host the progressive dinner.
After the 9:30 am baptism, we all danced back up to the church at Lusekele. Two choirs joined the four permanent choirs at Lusekele. After church, the families hosted a progressive feast for the young people. Even after six stops they were ready for more. And the dancing and sing was still going.
Baptism did nothing to wash away stains in my life. It certainly didn't mark a transition to perfection -- just ask my wife. But it did give me a chance to tell people that I had decided to join up with Jesus. In that relationship is found the promise of life: throbbing, pulsing, uncontrollable, joyous life filled with goodness. It is a special Sunday morning when we all can dance again in celebration of the start of real new life for another group of young believers.
