The nights have progressively shortened, and our trusty tour coordinator (who seems blissfully unaware of this phenomenon) continues calling us to a standard of excellence with 7:30 call times.
He is a good tour coordinator.
This was the day the basses opened their mouths, but no sound came out; the little puppies became dogs, and toes began to wag. I do not know what I have gotten myself into.
After a short bus transit and strict instructions to ‘not goof off’, St. John’s was flooded with Mennonites garbed in black and a conglomeration of paraphernalia that seemed necessary to get that shot.
We were positioned and repositioned and positioned again in the parking lot – no piece of gravel was permitted to penetrate the soles of our shoes. A fog blanketed the morning sun, and we sang lovely things while gazing off into the distance and ignoring the lenses in our midst. It was nice. It has been assumed that the little old Amish couple enjoyed our indirect serenade from across the street.
Throughout the day, Daimon and Nick assured us they were not miracle workers, but we have our doubts. Operatic strains of chocolate cookies soon merged into a visceral prowl for more stew, and through it all they kept telling us “that was good.” We are uncertain as to whether or not the fact that we “are easier to direct than hound dogs” is a compliment or a disgrace. Time will tell, but fun was had.
Three pieces were completed in record time, and we transitioned back to Pleasant Grove to shoot the final three. Nick struggled to understand our approach to “Dies Irae”, but I think we won him over with our menacing wails.
Tacos were delivered for a quick lunch break, and we promptly headed back to our strategically un-strategic spacing made much more endurable with knowledge of an upcoming iced coffee and whipped cream dispenser delivery. We sure do appreciate all the various ways that hospitality has been demonstrated this past week!
We were all delighted to wrap up our session ahead of schedule (shout out to the talented and skilled folks who made this happen), and loaded the bus for another short and quiet trek through the Midwest.
Cuba Mennonite Church welcomed us warmly and fed us more food. We had a bit more down time, a challenge to rejoice in the Gospel, and we were off presenting another program. The audience was responsive, the testimonies meaningful, and the beds most welcomed!
It was a good, long day of emphasizing pleasant expressions, making memories, and choosing to believe that God is good, all the time. We are so grateful for this opportunity to worship.
– Written by Julia Weaver