A short update today: right now I’m sitting in our apartment watching Evgeni and Tom rehearse a scene from our skit for VBS tomorrow – we’ll be acting out the story of the King who forgives his servant’s debt from Matthew 18. It’s pretty hilarious – Evgeni makes an awesome landlord (you can see, we’re modernizing parables for some of our skits). Charlene and Theodora make amazing cops, throwing (physically) Tom into jail at the end.
Today consisted of construction (well, destruction) in the morning and VBS in the afternoon. For the morning, we split into two teams . One team worked cleaning out a few apartments for one of ICM’s partner ministries – throwing out ratty clothes, broken appliances and kitchen fixtures, and mattresses. Tomorrow we’ll scrape down, bleach, sand, and paint the place. The other team spent the morning breaking down (sledge hammers, crow bars, fists, feet) drywall in one of ICM’s building.
VBS in the afternoon was a bit smaller than anticipated, but still an encouragement and a blessing to both us and the children. We arrived at the playground and immediately dispersed to engage the kids in their own environment and interests – basketball, soccer, Frisbee, jungle gym, hanging out and talking, crafts, etc. And we began to build friendships, gain trust and respect, and both our team and the kids are looking forward to tomorrow!
In the evening, we ate dinner and then listened to Pastor Frank’s testimony. Long story short – he was a drug addict and dealer, got sent to jail, God saved him, changing his heart and desires and affections, and he got out of jail and went right into ministry, where he’s been for the last 2 decades. Amazing story of God’s grace in changing a hardened heart and making it soft and sensitive to His Word and His leading, and using this man to impact and change this community.
Pray for:
- For safety as we work
- That more kids would come to VBS
- That they would take verses and Bible stories home and tell them to their parents
- Boldness, humility, and clarity as we go out evangelizing tomorrow after dinner, and that God would save people
-Ben
1 response so far ↓
Jeremy Ong // March 19, 2008 at 2:06 am
Keep the updates coming friends! Praying for you here in Maryland.
I’m your #4 fan (after God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit). I’m probably tied for 4th with a lot of others… I love kids! Sounds like you guys are building awesome relationships with them. Keep it up!
God bless you KCCE and Cru and all the people you are working with and for.