VBS started to get into a regular schedule and it allowed opportunities time and time again for students to build deeper relationships with the children they spent time with. We were able to send them each home with a picture of themselves with their friends and some of our students. I thank God we still had polaroid film from 3 years ago!!! Crafts and games were a big hit and we could hear the children singing the worship songs and talking about the Bible stories later in the day!
The afternoons were filled with a lot of labors of love! We laid down 2 cement slabs with the help of local construction workers (cool story following) and we continued to paint the outside of the church. Everyone was taking turns working and playing with kids, filling each other's water bottles, and being ready for whatever task laid ahead of them. The positive attitudes and encouragement from one another seemed to make the days go quickly.
A man was driving by yesterday and saw the guys laying the cement slab. He stopped and said he would help When asked why he responded with, "God is great. He has blessed me with twins. He is so great!" So Trevor the construction man worked with us for the afternoon giving much needed english instructions to help make the cement laying go super fast!
We also had the privilege of experiencing one of the worse storms they've had in years on Tuesday night! It started with some beautiful lightening as we settled in to bed that cooled off the air quite a bit but turned into a very thunderous, lightening-bright storm that lasted into the wee hours of Wednesday. We all survived and were able to let "love overcome fear".
Tomorrow is our last day with the kids and on the site of Haitian Missions Baptist Church.
We have seen beautiful things happen thus far: broken hearts for the poor, community flourishing and deepening, grateful hearts for all the ways we are blessed, finally seeking answers to some of the deepest questions we have, and learning more about our God through every opportunity we have.
Please pray for a beautiful time with the children tomorrow. There will be tears, I'm sure. But their faces, names, and who they are will live on with us forever. May we take every opportunity to share God's love through word and action with those children. And may our softened hearts remain that way after we get on the bus at 3pm tomorrow ... softened to knowing God more through His people and His creation.
Thank you for your prayers! We hope you are enjoying the photos and updates and hopefully the phone chain worked today! :)
Hey Jamie, Leanne, Ru, and all the kids!!! So happy to hear from you. What great pictures! God is so amazingly awe inspiring!! You know, if He wants something done ... IT WILL GET DONE!! Like the guy driving by and stopping to help. Wonder Who told him to do that??!! :) And having a great crew of young adults from CCGF who are able to work together so well that I'm sure it doesn't even seem like work! The phone chain ran into a slight 'glitch', but it got back up and running :) I admire what this crew is doing. I envy your growth in faith and the 'God sights' you are seeing. I pray for a spectacular last day. I count myself lucky to know you. I love you all.
ReplyDeleteBrenda Kopf