Out of respect for the lives and reputations of those I have met here, I cannot tell you some of the difficult stories I have encountered. I can however, share the love I have seen.
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Vacation Bible School(VBS) – I have heard that term so many times amongst my concentric Christian circles. I would often nod my head and pretend I knew what it was. Sometimes I would ask and then still not fully understand this so called, “Vacation Bible School”.
Is it an organization?
Who’s the CEO?
Why does every Christian know this term that somehow I missed?
Which Gospel is it in?
This week I found out. It’s just a universal term that basically means “kids camp” where they tell stories, play games, dance, arts and crafts, all based around the bible.
We had so much fun. When the little kids got excited, they would speak paragraphs without taking a breath. They often forgot that I couldn’t understand them when they spoke that quickly. The older kids blew me away in their maturity. Some of them, who are 10 or 11, would listen to the young cats rattle away like speedy gonzalas, and then they translated for me. They didn’t speak any English, so when they translated, they just annunciated and used more common words instead of slang until I said “Si, si, si, entiendo” or “yes, yes, yes, I understand”
This one’s an exception. He didn’t say a word, just came up and started playing with my beard.
Every one of these kids has a unique story, and a life to live with God. I have never participated in children’s ministry so this was entirely new.
I don’t think this is my calling… Most of the kids color better than I do. They also have better handwriting. And I’ve never understood how people can cut along the dotted lines.
Rosy is in her element during arts and crafts.
I was exhausted after two hours. I don’t know how the saints out there do this for eight hours a day.
Albeit tiring and foreign, I do love spending time with the kids. I noticed that there’s something pure about children’s ministry. My experience in ministering to adults, often people who have gone through some sort of addiction, involves a lot of looking back. Going over the past, realizing mistakes, false mindsets, and breaking old habits to work our way back to the right path with God.
The past and future do not matter too much for these kids. Neither do worldly circumstances. Many people in the U.S. would look at the living conditions here and be appalled. Some of these kids have amazing families, while others have already been through more hardships than myself. But even those who have had difficulties still have innocence and light in their eye. When they are dancing or coloring, they are totally focused on living in the moment. It’s inspiring to see.
I have met people here who live in conditions that, sadly, many Christians I know in the states wouldn’t even go on a mission trip and live in for a week. They have less stuff but the community here has so much more.
“He’s such a good kid. I’m very blessed.” Merci and Jhonny
This was my “translator”, Pierro. He was cooler than all of us.
This is Caleb, the little man who came up and started playing with my beard. I swear he is Calvin, from Calvin and Hobbes, incarnate.
Karol saved our tails by leading the dances when we all forgot the choreography. We are convinced she will either be a model or the president.
I’ve never given someone so many piggy-back rides in my life.
“Where are all of the snacks?”
These are amazing people. Some of them have difficulties that I want so badly to stay and help with. The hardest thing is knowing that I will only be here temporarily. It pisses me off.
I have signed up for a very specific type of ministry for the next 11 months. One that makes living in the moment a necessity. Being on 11 short term mission trips, I am forced to desperately seek out every moment I can in the kingdom. A kingdom where love is the currency, and something greater than myself is the head honcho.
When was the last time you colored like a child – totally absorbed in the moment? When was the last time you let go of all of your stresses and enjoyed serenity and love? It requires dependence upon provision from things much greater than ourselves – from community and God.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these…. 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Mathew 6:25-33
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We are currently going out into Lima to find ministries who could use help from future World Race teams. It’s called, “Unsung Heroes” and we have already found multiple contacts who have dedicated their lives to helping their communities and could potentially host future World Race teams. At the time of this post, I still have to raise another $4,652 dollars to be fully funded before May. Click “Support Me” to help us continue to invest in these communities!
