When the church bell rings

"Make a joyful noise to The Lord, all the Earth! Serve The Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that The Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For The Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100

It's 11 o clock. The church bell rings. It echoes off the rock walls of the church and into the tiny mountain village. One by one they come. From around the side of the primary school and from the sides of the church. Rising from the valleys they pour into their holy meeting place. Women dressed in their finest garments, hand sewn and beautiful. Their head coverings matching their flowing skirts and completed with a smile. The men come dressed in their finest suits, each looking sharp and well put together prepared to worship.

At the right time the sturdy rock church erupts in praise. The singing of the congregation bellows out the stained glass windows and into the village houses whose occupants are dancing in between church pews. One strong voice begins the song and soon the whole church is singing and dancing and praising. I can't help but smile and dance even though I don't understand Sesotho praise songs.

Groups of women dance their way to the front and drop their coins in the plate. Five, six more women join in dance while dropping their money joyfully at the front. I can almost smell the dirt and sweat off the coins knowing these people worked the field or made bread or sewed garments to earn it. But yet the joy on their faces and the thankfulness in song and dance show how happy they are to present their finest to God. Forty-five minutes later offering is still going. Men and women haven't ceased to stop singing or dancing and the joy is still overflowing into my own heart.

And I think, "this is church!" And all of a sudden I have a tangible picture of what it means to "serve The Lord with gladness!" And I wait in anticipation to here the church bell ring once more.