Our God Reigns! He IS alive, just as He said!

This has been a wonderful Easter celebration and I just have to tell you about it. In Belize, Easter is a
major event and includes a 4 day holiday.

Thursday night, I enjoyed a Seder Supper with both Belizeans as well as Americans. It was the first time
many had ever been to a Seder meal, so it was wonderful to look back to the Passover thousands of
years ago and understand what each element represented.

Friday we began our look at the love of our Lord at 9AM, in Biblical time, that is the 3rd hour. What
happened to Jesus during the 3rd hour? Before I get to that, let me say that the Catholic church walks slowly
through the village carrying a cross and singing songs. Could the believers been singing as they saw
Jesus walking through the streets on His way to Golgotha? The 3rd hour, He was nailed to the cross for
my sins, after He had been beaten, ridiculed, hit, denied, AND He knew what was going to take place!

As I have reread the gospels account of that day, my mind has again been overwhelmed with God's love for
me. Again people threw insults at Him, He who had done NO wrong. I have struggled with loved ones turning
their back on me and accusing me of things I had not done and here Jesus was having to go through the same
things! He DOES understand our physical hurts, our sorrows, our emotional struggles, lost friendships or
loves.

The day did not end at the 3rd hour. At the 6Th hour, we broke for lunch. It was a time of fellowship with 5
of the surrounding Presbyterian churches. We had it out in the yard under rented tents because the trees
were all blown down during the hurricane in August. The weather is normally sweltering, but this year,
there was a cool breeze and gentle sprinkles in the morning. The sun did not come out until ... it became
as dark as night and the curtain in the Holy of Holies was torn in two. Nearly 2000 years ago, Christ became
our High Priest who is the only One who can intercede for us. He became our sacrifice so that we no longer
had to sacrifice animals.

Service continued until the 9Th hour, the same hour when Jesus WILLINGLY gave His life up for me. The time
frame of the day was just so poignant for me. Much of the music was in Spanish, but songs that I know
because the tunes were familiar and I could sing them from my heart. We had two sermons, the first in
Spanish and the second in English. Some left at lunch, yet I thought how LONG the day had been for Jesus as
He hung on the cross in both physical as well as emotional pain, so the day past quickly for me.

Fortunately, Easter does not end with Jesus's death. That would just make for a sad story. Instead, the
first day of the week came today and we gathered again at 6AM, the first hour of the day, to celebrate the
fact that Jesus has risen JUST as He said! Can you imagine the conversation that went on between the
women that went to where the body of Jesus was laid? How sad they must have been, not understanding what
had taken place. The total agony of finding that His body was gone, and the amazement and jubilation of
learning that He was alive! What a swing of emotions!

Our God Reigns! Hallelujah, What a Savior!

We will be busy these next few weeks with visitors. I have a 3rd year family practise resident staying with
me for another 2 weeks and we also have a family of 5 arriving tomorrow who will be here for a week followed
by another group who will be here the week after that. We love having visitors, but it is hard work, so
please pray for the strenghth of the staff as they work with lots of doctors who are accustomed to doing
things differently than we do here. There will be meals to provide each night, so I ask that you pray
for my strength as well since much of the entertaining falls on me.

I am planning on going to Mexico for language school for two months and I am praying that God will place me
with the right family or person so that I can learn from them as well as show them God's love. Many in
Mexico are nominal Catholics who need to meet Jesus so they can have a relationship with Him. I may be the
only Bible they have ever read, so pray that my walk will reflect His scrifice for me.

You are wonderful and I cannot thank you enough for your prayers, emails, finances, and concern. I love
hearing from you!

In His strength,

Karen Hill