On the road again should be our new team motto. We left very early Monday morning to pick up another team in El Carmen and then we all headed to a small town called Valle del Sade. We kept going down this dirt/gravel road and then all of a sudden out of nowhere in the middle of the jungle was an honest to goodness town. We were helping put a roof on a small church there, painting, and picking up trash. Every night we had a service for the people in the town. One night our ministry contact wanted us to find one or two people to pray over as the service was ending. Then he asked me to help the two teenagers that are a part of his team with the children. Now some of you know that I love kids, that is what I did before the World Race, work in a church with children. However, forgive me, but for a second I thought, “I want to be in the big service and pray over people and I don’t know how to communicate with these children.” But the Lord reminded me about what I always tell people that children are just as important as the adults and that they often have a faith that is so natural. Also, kids are the same everywhere, they sweet shy girls, the talkative preteens and the fun, mischievous boys sitting in the back…I have those at my church too and I love them. Anyway, I prayed over them as the teenagers sang songs and talked to the kids about Jesus. One of the teenagers storytelling from the Bible was incredible. He had no props or anything fancy, just his voice and God’s Words. The kids were fascinated. We played a version of hot potato with what looked like a rolled up piece of tape and when it landed on you, you had to get up and sing or do something silly. Wouldn’t you know that I would be caught with it. They had me sing “Trading My Sorrows” in English and then the kids were like, “Sing it in Spanish.” Luckily they had taught me the Yes, Lord part of the song in Spanish and I felt such joy singing off key with the kids in Spanish and waving my arm in the air like a maniac. God knew exactly what He was doing when he put me with the kids that night.
Fun side note: Rikki Lynn and I found a new spin on the thankful game. Sing, “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music, but add in your own favorite things. Try not to laugh while you’re belting out “When it’s hot, and we smell, and we’re shoveling dirt. We simply remember our favorite things and then we don’t feel so hurt.” Corny, I know, but it works!
