"God is good all the time, and all the time God is good"

These words became my strength yesterday.

This is a very common phrase here. The worship leader or speaker says, "God is good!" and the congregations responds, "all the time!" Then he/she says, "and all the time" and the congregation responds, "God is good!"

If you have read my earlier blog posts, you will remember that there was a death in the Rick's community early this week. A tenth grade girl died early Tuesday morning, from what they claim to be chicken pox. Yesterday Holly and I, along with many faculty members and students, attended Joann's funeral. As we arrived at her house, Olu told Holly and I, "you are going to have to be strong today." It was not until the events of the day were over, when I understood why he said this. I have never in my life experienced something like this. Yes, I have been to funerals, but this was unlike any funeral I have ever been to. I have never seen so many emotions in one room before.

When we arrived to the home of Joann's family, there were screams, moans, and sobs coming from all directions. It was so loud, and I began to feel a little uncomfortable. I didn't know what to do. I felt awkward and out of place. People were falling over, being held by friends, and yelling to God and Joann. The reality began to hit many of the students, and tears began to flow heavily. We entered the house, and went to a room where Joann's lifeless body was in a casket. This was only the second time in my life that I have witnessed a viewing. Both times it was someone 21 years old. I kept telling myself, "be strong."

We walked into the church that was directly behind the house. Rev. Teba (a Bible teacher at Rick's) led the service. The Rick's choir sang beautiful hymns... Blessed Assurance, It is Well, etc. I sat on the second row. Holly was on my right, and a student (on the girls basketball team) on my left. The sobs began to grow, as the casket was brought into the church. People were falling on the ground in front of Joann's body, unable to accept the fact that she had died. As the student next to me put her head in my lap and began to weep, my strength began to dwindle. The tears that I had been holding back, began to fall down my cheeks uncontrollably. As I embraced her, I kept saying the words in my head that Rev. Teba spoke, "God is good."

The church was packed with people. The choir sat to the far left, we were in the middle, and the fathers side of the family sat to our right, along with friends. The mothers side of the family sat up in the front corner of the church. You could feel the tension in the room between both sides of the family. During a time when you would think two families would come together, they were only torn more apart. It was so sad to see how much they disliked each other and put blame on one another for this tragedy.

The service consisted of hymns, scripture, and tributes by family and friends. Artificial flowers were laid on her casket. When the service was over, we got back in the vans and drove to the cemetery. It was pretty far away, and we got lost several times. We eventually got to this old, beautiful church, and got out of the vehicles. We walked down a path to the cemetery. Several Rick's students carried the casket back to the grave, as people began to sing.

Rev. Menjay led us in a prayer and the benediction. He encouraged family and friends to leave in peace with one another. People left as the casket was being placed in the grave. We loaded back in the vans, and the tears slowly began to go away. Silence was broken with laughter. The drive was long and bumpy, but there was a peace knowing that Joann was home. "God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!" Although it is hard and sometimes we don't understand, we can rest in the fact that God is good!

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."