BCA / VBS / Village / Pastors

Praise God! The Gospel is being sent out! So many things to be thankful for from this last team of 20 people that came to serve. Thank you all so much for your prayers for the work that is being accomplished here.

The 20-person team was split up into three teams. 12 of them did a VBS at one of the Bethlehem Christian Academy (BCA) schools. They also did village ministry in the afternoon. I had the privilege to join this team. Four members of the leadership traveled all around the country visiting the six different BCA schools. The third group was four pastors that lead a pastor training with over 50 local pastors.

The VBS went very well. There were four stations that the students rotated throughout the day, games, songs, craft, and Bible story lesson. This team did a great job engaging the students and pouring into them. The lessons were about Noah, Joseph, Moses and Jesus. Every craft matched the lessons so that the students can remember the story when they look at their crafts. This team even got to take the students from two different BCA schools on a field trip to the beach. They played and prayed with the students.

The whole week was not all perfect though. Often, when Christians pursue sharing Jesus, the enemy does not like it. He does what he can to stop or slow it down. Some of the team got sick while serving this past week. I was one of the people that got sick. The main day I was sick was the one I was most looking forward to for ministry. It was the last day of VBS. Jesus’ story was going to be shared that day. In the evening, the Hope Film was going to be shown in the village. I was very sick and did not get to do any of it. Frustrated on why this was the day I had to get sick I talked with the LORD. He reminded me of something so sweet yet very humbling. The Gospel will go on without me. I praise God for this. I definitely don’t want all the pressure of Him needing me to be the one and only person sharing the Gospel. Yet I felt disappointed. I still want to be important and needed. The Gospel has been going out for about 2000 years before I was ever born. It will continue to reach people in my lifetime without my impact. It will live on after I am gone. Praise God for this! He does not need me to fulfill this work but praise Him still that He invites me and you to be a part of it. We can join what He is doing without the pressure of it being all on us.

Also, everyone that got sick is doing much better. Praise God!

Four pastors from the States came and did a pastor conference. I was not there but have heard many great things from the training. The part of the team I was with did get to come and have church with all of them on Sunday. It was a heavenly kind of worship. We sang worship songs in seven different languages of what must have been over an hour of worship before Pastor Carr preached. It was such a wonderful experience hearing my home pastor preach and yet being with my brothers and sisters from all different people groups. It felt like heaven, the familiarity of my pastor and the fellowship of the nations. I long for more days like that one.

Village ministry is one of my favorite forms of ministry to do ever. I love spending time with the people and building deeper relationships. The team did a wonderful job connecting with the people. Everyday after the VBS we would come to the village for lunch and fellowship. After lunch, we would make tea. It was often a great time for someone to share a testimony. In the later afternoon we would all go out to the field and play football (soccer) with the village kids. The boys would play on the big field and us girls would play a smaller game but still very intense. One day one of the girls in the village dislocated her kneecap playing! Near the end of the day, the sun had almost set. We were close to finishing playing when we would take a break. One of the girls from the team would share her testimony with our group of girls. The boys were doing the same thing with their group. This was a great time to love on the kids and share what God has done in our lives. This team did a great job of engaging with the people and pursuing conversations about Jesus. Throughout the week many people pursued visits and conversations with different people. It was wonderful to be with such a team that was very passionate about sharing the Gospel.

The Hope Film is a film about the story of God. It begins with the creation. It tells God’s story all the way through Jesus. It concludes by telling us that Jesus will come again. This film is in the language of the people of the village that we have been doing ministry. I was not there when it was shown. I had to go to the hospital to get an IV. Don’t worry; I am doing much better. I have heard that the village and chief liked the film. I am looking forward to returning to the village and continuing to talk with those that came to the movie and what they thought. Please be in prayer for the people who came and watched the Hope Film. Please pray that God would show them the truth. Pray that He would give them dreams and a longing to know Jesus as their Savior.

Praise God the team made it back to the States safely. Please be in pray for the students at the BCA school that had the VBS. Pray that they will continue to learn about Jesus and that they will come to know Him. Pray for the people in the village and what was shared with them and those that came to the Hope Film. Pray for the pastors that came to the training. Pray for their congregations and the villages they are working to reach. Pray for them as many face very difficult persecution. Thank you for your prayers there is great power in them.