Make a Joyful Noise! (16 Jan 2025)

Freedom. We often take it for granted.

On 16 January, we attended a Freedom Celebration in Pakistan. 101 families were being freed from Slavery. Some had been born as slaves. Many became slaves when they had medical bills that could not be paid, resulting in taking a loan to pay their debt, and when they couldn't pay the loan off, they became slaves to the brickyards.

Now through the gifts of many, their debts were being paid off, and they were freed.

Our home church held a special fundraising the week before Christmas, and enough funds were raised to free one family.  Karla, Josiah and I got to attend the celebration as all of these families received new clothes, and a new start to their lives. The pictures below capture some of the joy of this special event, as one family after another marched and danced down the aisle to get their pictures taken holding the picture of the family or group that had freed them. They capture; however, they fall short of the shouts of joy that resonated as people sang and danced.

• No more need to work 12 to 16 hour days making bricks! 
• Freed with six months of housing and food provided! 
• New clothes! 
• And a new Rickshaw to use for personal travel and to generate income! 

Freedom!!! New beginnings!!! Precious!!!

And when we were in Kenya attending Sunday Church there, I saw similar dancing and celebrating there that reminded me of the Freedom Celebration.

May we never take our freedom for granted. May we also remember the eternal freedom purchased for us by Christ's death on the cross. Rejoice and celebrate! 

Psalm 100 

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.