Post 3: $60.71

Summary:

VBS yesterday was GREAT! We had kids with crazy hair all over the place. We started off with a rally and during the rally we do something called a penny parade. Pastor Jim has a big wooden scale and the kids bring money to donate in the form of pennies. We put the pennies on either side of the scale and the team to get the most wins. It all goes to feed children in Mexico. We can feed children breakfast for 50 cents a child. Yesterday we raised $60.71 with the penny parade!

The kids made courage bracelets in crafts and many of them preferred to spell out the word “rage” with their letters, and then act it out. They thought they were pretty funny. Caleb and Benjamin were both victims of another attack. Again, we decided to take pictures instead of help them.

We’re doing a great work here at VBS and the townspeople tell us over and over again that we revitalize them while we’re here. It’s a win-win situation because we help them and they help us grow.

After VBS I honestly don’t know a whole lot of what happened because I had a paper to finish and turn in before 6:00 for my Pneumatology class, so I was working on that for most of the afternoon. If anyone wants to read it and get an Idea of what I was doing yesterday, go to my other blog. www.mygiveonthings.blogspot.com. From what I understand, canvasing went well and a group went ot the library where they met up with a group of kids from VBS! Sam Runyon said that he loved getting to see the kids in a context outside of VBS and it was like an adrenaline shot to his spirit.

Last night we went to the field and played some ultimate Frisbee and football. At the end we grouped up and I got to introduce the talks with a quick little thought provoker about “Did Jesus claim to be God or was he just a good moral teacher?” Erin and Joshua shared their testimonies after that and they did an incredible job. I hadn’t heard either of their stories in their entirety until last night, so it was a huge blessing to hear them speak about their walks with God… particularly with two students whom I have watched grow up for so long. After that we headed back and took showers at different parishioners houses. I got to go to Anita’s house. She is a 90year old spitfire. Still as spry as ever, and we got to watch full house with her and catch up on what’s been happening over the last year. Some of our other students got to meet Doug Crump who is a WWII vet who landed at Iwo Jima. He is so kindhearted and he lights up a room when he walks in. He’s always smiling.

Family time was great too, and at family time we got to continue our discussion on God’s will. How do we know what it is? And how should we make decisions in life?

Stories:

One of the running jokes now is Kenzie and Aaron. One of the little six-year-old girls has a major crush on Aaron Clayton. She always wants to know what he’s doing, and where he is. It’s pretty cute and we’ve started poking fun at Aaron for it.

On Thursday there will be a baptism in the Salmon River for a few of the kids and churchgoers here in town. Our team was invited to have any members baptized who want to, for the right reasons of course. Currently Aaron, Faith, Joshua, and Benjamin are considering being baptized so that they can publicly proclaim their true faith in Jesus.

Sam’s refresher at the library, mentioned above, was a big blessing to him. He wanted to make sure people knew how big of an impact a simple meeting like that was for him.

Two of our kids at VBS, Dreebee and Ricky had a bit of a disagreement. Dreebee has a few mental and physical handicaps and she thought Ricky was making fun of her, but he was really just laughing with her. She got upset and Kirby Eckels went and talked with her about the bible lesson from earlier, how Jesus loves us no matter what and we are specially made, one of a kind. Talking it out helped her and she went and apologized to Ricky and Ricky apologized too. It was really great to see them make that mature move.

Prayer Requests:

-       Leah Tees is sick today. She has a fever and soar throat. Prayers for healing for her and continued health for the rest of us are greatly appreciated.

-       Today we will be sharing the Gospel in VBS with the kids. We would love for this to hit the kids really hard and that they would understand it clearly. We are asking for prayers that the kids will be more subdued today and ready to learn and respond to the gospel.

-       Continued prayer for Megan’s friend as we try to minister to her as well as the boy I was going to have a conversation with. We put it on hold yesterday but he said he wants to continue today. He seems to enjoy debating and I convinced him to come to the church and hang out with us in the afternoon. Hopefully we will have a chance to talk one on one today.

-       Tamara and Faith will be sharing their testimonies today at the field and Jordan Tiff will be sharing a devotional sort of gospel-centered lesson.

-       We are also praying for a student who invited us to play pool today, that opportunities for conversations will arise and another student who we met last year who said he wants to come to the field, but hasn’t been able to yet.

-       Finally, please pray for all the people who will be baptized tomorrow after VBS. We are so excited that there are kids here who are growing in their faith and really want to make this public proclamation.

    

    No pictures today. We're working on a big presentation with all the pictures to use on friday at VBS. Tomorrow we will load what we have of that presentation for you guys to see!

     For HIM and only HIM

    1 Thess 4:11

      *STEPHEN*(curto)