The Fun of Things

Last week I climbed into the driver's seat of my car and felt a rush of nastolgia.  Cohen was buckled into the back seat happy as a lark to be going with me anywhere.  Memories of Corban so small and going with me places flooded my mind.  Where has the time gone?

Cohen sang songs all down the finally finished road from my house to the Bible Club.  It took 5 years or more, but at long last the road is finished and bump free!  At least for one year.  We will see what the road is like by the end of one rainy season!

We pulled onto a private dirt road and parked on the edge alongside a hedge of trees.  I greeted children who rushed by in their eagerness to get to the class.  Cohen, my timid one, was suddenly shy and asked if we could please go home.  I reassured him that this would be fun as we trekked up the hill to the chapel where the Bible Club would be held.

The Impact Team did an amazing job presenting the lesson that day.

 

Anita is truly gifted in choreographies.  She, Lili, and David led the children in some lively praise which ended in reverent worship.

I am awed and humbled to see how these children have grown in their relationship with the Lord in the years that we have been teaching them.  They have grown from 1 rowdy group of 20 to 3 hungry groups of 50 (or so).

After the praise and worship Tía Lili reminded the children of the rules of our class and how to win a prize for good behavior.

This always gets their attention!  Suddenly we had over 30 children sitting still and staring straight ahead with rapt attention!




 

David taught the Bible Verse and led the games.

 

The story of Moses was told using the kids as key actors in the drama.  The theme of the class was cooperating as a family using Moses and his family as an example.

acting out the story of Moses

And the youth were seperated to recieve their own class.

 

as always, we have older siblings caring for younger ones

by now Cohen was feeing at ease enough to push into the youth class!

 

Craft time for the litte ones.  As for many of our children, this was Cohen's favorite part.

Cohen stretched out "doing his homework"

Lili helping her group

Xiomara helping her group

It was a great class.  The children had a wonderful time learning how God wants us to cooperate in our families and help each other- just as Moses' sister helped.  The children left animated and hopeful for next week's class. 

Cohen was worn out from all the fun and ready for a well earned snack.  So after dropping the team off at the base I stopped my car by a tortilla stand and bought tortillas.  Cohen is a huge fan of fresh tortillas!

hungry after a fun morning

And so, with Cohen in tow... it appears that I am now back into the fun of things!

The Biggest Little Giants

Spread out across the floor of my office are various sheets of paper in various colors---

Scribbled on these miscelaneous sheets of paper are the testimonies of children who have grown up in the Little Giants.  They are not so Little anymore and their stories inspire us to continue.

Teenager after teenager writes about how coming to our Bible Club has changed their lives.    All of them mentioned enjoying the games, skits, and fellowship with others.  This didn't surprise me- what teenager doesn't enjoy these things.  But what really warmed my heart was to flip through page after page and come upon comments such as, "I have learned to apply the Word of God to my life", "my homelife is better since I have learned how to trust God", "I have learned that God has a plan for me", "I am learning the Word of God", and "I am now able to worship God in Spirit and in Truth."

It was about 7 years ago that I first started visiting some of the villages of San José Pinula.  The children who wrote these comments were then just 7 and 8 years old.  My staff and I have watched them grow and been privileged enough to have been a part of their lives and to have given them a platform of faith off of which they are being launched into adulthood. 

I am humbled to realize how so many people, like threads in a tapestry, have woven in and out of the lives of these teenagers weaving something beautiful to behold.  My heartfelt thanks to the teachers who came after me to weekly sow the Word and love of God into the hearts of the Little Giants.  My deepest gratitude to friends and family who have sown prayers, finances, and materials into the Little Giants program.  A sincere thank you to the countless mission teams that have left their mark forever in San José Pinula. 

Together we are sowing seeds of hope and reaping eternity. 

...but still they came.

The day dawned bleak and dreary.  The rain poured down in one single sheet.  It was not a day to be outside, but still they came.

This was the day of our Mother's Day Event. 

Despite the horrendous weather, we had nearly 70 moms show up- most of them WALKING and those who didn't came in the back of a hired pick-up truck. 

The room was beautifully decorated by the super creative ABA Impact Team.  They turned an ex-chicken house, now chapel, into a dainty, feminie atmosphere. 

The day's theme was Pearls in Formation- allowing God to turn uncomfortable circumstances into something beautiful.  This is especially applicable to these women who have faced hard times and are coming through them. 

Aby and David lead the women in a fun coreography.  We presented a drama to the women which depicted the typical life of a busy mom.  David, Lili, and Xiomara led games that had the women cheering, laughing, and generally having a great time.  It was good to see these overburdened ladies let their hair down for a while.  Seeing them playing and laughing together in a relaxed atmosphere was in itself a reward for the day. 

 

 

 I was able to speak to the ladies about allowing God to work all things together for good in their lives.  We prayed for all the ladies present.

What is a celebration without food??????

Despite the cold and gray outside, the inside was warm and cheery.  All in all a great opportunity to share with and minister to the moms of our Little Giants, celebrating them for all they do and thanking them in person for trusting their precious Little ones to our care once a week.

The morning was much too exciting for some of the attendees!!!!!!

Silence is Golden

Silence is Golden they say.  I don't think that applies to blogs.  It has been a while since I last wrote.

You might think this means that there was nothing much going on.  On the contrary- between preparing a team retreat, preparing for a mother's day event for over 70 moms, going to school events, helping with school projects, doctor's appointments, banking errands, ministry purchases, sorting out mission teams, hosting my mom for 3 weeks and my dad for one--- well, I just didn't have time to sit down and put my thoughts together. 

On Friday I took my dad to see the ABA feeding center in action.  There is something so much more captivating about seeing the feeding center in person rather than just hearing about it.  When you see dirty children in torn clothing rushing eagerly down the hallway with grins as big as the Cheshire cat, well, it does something to you.  When you see matted hair on top and holes in the shoes on the bottom of children who are so generous with their affection it stirs something in you. 

Outside the children waited (im)patiently for the doors to open.  As children will do their was some measure of bickering.  Once the doors opened they tried to rush in like a flood.  I stood at the door to hold them at bay.  By greeting them individually and asking about school, family etc I was able to encourage them to walk up the stairs one by one.

They piled into our activities' room and the fun began.

Abi and Anita taught the children about Saying NO to temptation.  The children participated in the class.  They enjoyed the song and the game and wiggled a bit during the teaching.

And at last it was time to come back downstairs for their now full plates. 

It was rather poignant scene as smaller children sat quietly on the steps awaiting older siblings to help them carry away the meal.

What a wonderful way to end the visit with my dad who left the very next day.  I am so thankful that my parents are keenly interested in what CCJ does here.  What a blessing to have parents who are interested, supporting, and standing behind us.  Can't wait for them to come back and hope I don't have to wait another 2.5 years for that to happen.

And to all of you who help us feed these Little ones- THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU!