Spiders and Snakes

    
It seems as if our time here so far has been one surprise after the other. This week was the top. Along about last Tuesday we experienced our first rainfall of the season. It was quite a storm. Lightning struck so close to us that the charged air made our hair (my arms) stand up. Instead of thunder, we heard a firecracker-like snap. The heavy rainfall surfaced all sorts of creatures we hadn't yet seen. The largest tarantula I've ever seen appeared near our front door. Smaller ones were in the back.


     The biggest shock came Saturday night as we were welcoming our friends for dinner.  We were just making introductions and getting settled when a 3' plus snake appeared in our midst. Needless to say, the ladies departed the area in haste. With the help of the other two guys, we coralled the thing and took it a few blocks away. There was disagreement as to whether it was dangerous or harmless. The consensus was venomous.

     Afterwards, the discussion turned to speculation about the reason for the snake's entrance into our gathering.  Our guests appeared to take the topic rather seriously. It seems that there is a belief (superstition?) that the snake is a sign that "someone" is opposed to the gathering and to the unity that it represents. I am not a superstitious person, but neither will I scoff at the beliefs of others. In this case, there is no doubt that there is an enemy in opposition to our activities. However, we stand firm on the promise that no weapon formed against us will prosper.

     Donna was/is a little unnerved by all of this and is wondering what will appear next. We are determined to learn from Peter to keep our eyes off the storm that rages around us and to keep our eyes on the One who enables us to walk on water. 

     The rain produced a couple of days of relief from the heat, but it returned with force on Saturday. We are learning to enjoy two or three cold showers per day. We are continuing to keep moving and to see God move in people we meet. Some pretty neat things are happening. We are looking forward to seeing friends and family in June.