Well, needless to say the last month and a half have been full ones...like our time here has pretty much been Wow...Sorry it´s been a while since I´ve blogged. There just has not been time to record all of the things that have been going on. Gonna take a bit to catch up!! First off, First Baptist Mansfield Church brought their team to help us out for week. We did events in 8 different public and private schools surrouding the area where we live. The events included a Bible story, skit, songs, craft and snack. Some days we did this repetition up to 12 times because of all of the different grades we worked with. It was something we could not have pulled off without this group and our Peruvian friends that helped us here.
Preparation for the group started months before they came. Our Peruvian friends gave up weeks of their time to come and even live with us for a time and help us make fliers, put together the props, crafts, etc.
Milagros, one of our dear Peruvian friends, also gave up two weeks to help us. She is so creative and knows how to serve like nobody´s business. She is incredible.
One of our other sweet Peruvian friends, Melissa, helping us out. She came in from over 2 hours away to be with us and help us out.
Having a little fun with Pringles while we go to the different schools and coordinate events, busses, times, etc.
Trying on costumes...well...Nicchola trying to make sure the ¨wrapping for Jesus´body¨ (for the skit of the death and resurrection) would fit over a grown man...
More trying on costumes...Well, mine wasn´t exactly a costume...
SATURDAY JUNE 18, 2011 GROUP ARRIVES!!!! =)
Along with the group came some awesome suitcases =) My sweet mom packed one full of my favorite stuff...cheez-its and socks just happened to be in that suitcase...thanks, Mom!
And the action begins. Monday thru Thursday we did events in the schools. We told a Bible story, shared the gospel, gave out arts and snacks. We got to minister in 8 different schools.
These are the signs we use most commonly to share the gospel here. The have been such a blessing to use. Thank you http://www.kingswitness.com/ for coming up with the great idea and for letting us use it here in Peru.
One of the assemblies. This was held at a school that had just been built. Before this school, the teachers and students were meeting in wooden/ cardboard- looking shacks.
Tyler hanging out with some of the kids. Tyler used pretty much every second that the group wasn´t doing something to be with the kids. It was so sweet to watch the kids interact with him.
Josh and Jessica dancing around at the beginning of one of the programs. They were great with coming up with impromtu dances if we needed to fill a second of dead time.
Nicchola and Jeanette being fishermen during the ¨follow me¨skit.
Some of the kids working on the art project.
Kids in elementary school doing motions to the songs we taught.
Are you ready??? SIIII!!!!! =)
Well, this is Lauren and I looking like goofballs singing the ¨fisherman¨song.
Thursday of that week, we threw a huge city wide event. We invited about 12,000 people, but not near that many came. It was the first event (of this type and size) that Lauren and I had ever planned, so we learned alot from the event to say in the least. To be honest, about everything that could go wrong did, but the group was great in the midst of it all...they did the very best they could without even really being able to speak the language (Except for Kap-I-tan and Lourdes). A special thanks to the group for hanging in there with us to the end. The good news is that many people heard the gospel that night, and we may never know in this life how many seeds were planted.
The group...Peruvians and North Americans working together toward one common goal. So cool. Wow. This is the body of Christ...the Church. Christ´s beautiful bride.
The group left Ventanilla on Friday of that week to head back to Texas. We were so blessed to have them here for that week. One of the biggest blessings that happened during that week is that our Peruvian dad, Nicchola, became a Christian. He had been hearing the gospel for about a year from Lauren and I talking about it, and up to this point had not put his faith and trust in Christ. When he saw the sacrifices this group made (giving up their jobs, leaving their spouses and families etc. for a week to come tell people in Peru about Christ), he realized that he too wanted to be a part of the family of God. Nicchola gave his life to Christ one night in his hotel room (I think it was Wednesday night) and told us about it the next day. I was translating for him as he was telling the story to the group (I didn´t know about his decision at this point)....and when he said that he gave his life to Christ, I just stopped dead cold translating and looked at him. My mouth dropped open and I turned and gave him a huge hug. I think the group figured out by body language what was going on. Such a cool experience. So thankful God allowed me to be a part of it.
God also gave me another brother the night of the event. His name is Carlos and he is 17 years old. He is a university student who came to the Thursday night event and ended up giving his life to Christ that night at our house after the event was over. Please pray for the body of Christ as God keeps adding to the number those who are saved. (Acts 2:47) Pray that God will show us how to be disciplers.
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