Baptism in the Sea!

Out to sea to be baptized

Gathering on the shore prior to baptisms

Coming back to shore and praising God after baptisms

Last Sunday dawned hot and clear here in my city.  It was my Sunday to care for the kids in the children home sponsored by a church here in town. I was up early and over there by 8:00 a.m.  It was going to be a big day; all four of the kids were to be baptized along with other folks from the church.  I got them out of bed, a quick breakfast of cereal (not a typical Mexican breakfast but no time for anything more substantial!) and rushed off to the 9:00 a.m. service.  The children warned me that pastor had said it would be along service, no Sunday school today.  After a lot of music, prayer, a stirring message from Pastor Arturo and sharing from a young Mexican couple headed to Bangladesh as missionaries (more on them in my next blog), the meeting was over just as folks were arriving for the 12:00 service.

I took my charges back home, got lunch ready and even had a quick nap before the ladies arrived who wanted a ride to the baptism service at 4:00.  Shorts and t-shirts were donned, lunch packed and we all piled into "Vikingo" (Viking) my red, Nissan truck.  We arrived at the beach and found the pavilion where the church brethren were gathering.  There was a big crowd present with the 38 youth, children and adults to be baptized, plus family, friends and church members. Another short service with more singing, prayer and Scripture reading followed until Pastor Arturo invited us down to the water.

Everyone gathered on the shore while the pastor, an elder and the folks to be baptized headed out into the waves.  We couldn't hear what was said to the people, but we continued singing and clapping as we watched each one go under the waves, burying a former way of life, and come back up a new creature in Christ! I did notice a few of the youngsters, recently baptized, having a fun playing in the waves while the rest were baptized.  Kids will be kids! After all had been immersed under the water, they walked back to shore together holding hands and praising God.  Those of us on shore gathered around to give hugs and congratulate them for their decision to publicly follow Christ.

Once back in the pavilion, Pastor Arturo asked family members and church leaders to gather around the newly baptized and pray for them.  He asked us to specifically pray that they would faithful to Christ and follow through on the commitment they had just made and never turn back. I prayed fervently for the four precious young ones from the home, knowing that life is full of difficulties and challenges, especially for these who come from such difficult backgrounds.  God will keep them true to Him!

With the baptisms done and the service over, it was time for lunch. Everyone pulled out the food they had brought and lots of goodies were shared.  Finally it was time for ...swimming in the ocean! Some of ladies were fearful of letting the kids go into the water, but I'm a veteran swimmer from childhood so I promised to keep a good eye on them.  We spent an hour or so in the warm, salty waves, splashing swimming, dumping sand on one another and having a blast.  Finally, as the sun was going down, I dragged those children out of the waves and back into Vikingo.  We finally arrived home around 8:30 for showers, supper, a devotional time and bed.  The kids were pretty wound up so it took a lot of scolding and nagging before they settled down.  At last, I took my shower and collapsed into bed also, praising God for a blessed and fun day and for His many mercies and kindnesses to us His children.  God is good!