I learned how to make balloon animals years ago, I blame it on YouTube and a rainy day. I’m not even that good at it, I just know simple twists; but it’s crazy how much I have used this awkward, small talent.
Since that that rainy day and and YouTube, My entrepreneur side came out and I realized people would actually pay me to make balloon animals. So I did them-in schools, fundraisers, birthday parties, I was even the clown on family night at a Wendy’s…
You don’t get much more awkward then this…really you don’t. But, lucky for me, I like awkward. I’ve discovered that awkward and silly make for amazing people connections.
It was after a mission trip to Ukraine I realized this talent could be used to share Jesus, and I started using them in children’s programs and in villages in the USA and around the world.
To date, my silly balloons have been in 12 countries and the gospel shared to hundreds of children Through sharing the creation story and the armor of God Balloon presentations.
So naturally, when packing for this year the first thing I packed into my backpack for the year was 500 twisting balloons.
I have had some cool interactions from these balloon animals, this one happened last month. We were trekking in Nepal, I had brought balloons and made them for some village children. Later that day, the chief came to our house, and just stood there and pointed to me.
I was like, “oh my gosh what in the world did I do?”
The translated just said,
“you need to go with him- and bring your balloons.”
So balloons in hand, I followed the chief down the dirt path, and he led me to his mud thatched house. He went in, and came out carrying out a little girl.
”My daughter.” He said, as smiled and pointed at her.
The chief wanted me to make her a balloon animal. phew. I thought he was going to kill me or something! With a sigh or relief, I made her a dog, (and his wife a flower, and him a hat.) He invited me into his house and gave me tea, and proceeded to tell me about the problems in the village and sickness in his family, and then, he asked me to pray for him and his family!
I prayed for this chief who was wearing a silly balloon hat. And I thanked God for using my silly balloons to bring us together.
God sure has a sense of humor. He loved using random and awkward! I like to think if balloons were a thing back when He was on earth, He would make them for the children who would sit at his feet. He had a silly, humorous side if you think about it…He walked on water and scared the disciples, turned water into wine. He provided money from the mouth of a fish…and he made a huge fish swallow a man! These things are pretty random and just downright awkward. But they reached people. Our God does has a sense of humor, I just know it!
So go find your random, silly and maybe even awkward thing-and see how God can use it!
