Thursday, March 31, 2016

That's my job!

                               
Many of you know our 5-year-old granddaughter Maddie.  Recently we received a text from our daughter-in-law, Amy, asking us to give Maddie a call, she wanted to talk to us.  So we called.  The phone rang and with great excitement and words coming out as fast as she could say them, we heard, “I am going to be a BIG sister!”

Oh, what an exciting call that was for all of us!  We said, “Maddie, you will be a Wonderful Big Sister!”  Her response was so priceless.  “I know!!  I will help her learn everything!!  (we don’t know if it is a boy or girl yet).  The baby won’t know anything, so I will teach her how to do things.  I will show her…. that’s my job!”

Oh, to keep that excitement, like Maddie, as we work in ministry should always be our goal. This past month we have been very busy: showing, teaching, and sharing all we know….that’s our job!  How will they know if we do not show them?  We sometimes forget we are still working with Babe’s in Christ and many who don’t know Christ at all.  But, we must continue to teach them and show them with excitement, so they will keep moving forward toward Christ….that’s our job!  We should be caring for them like a Big Brother or Sister.


We carried Maddie’s excitement with us all month!  We had a wonderful month of work in the village!  The school is in full swing with students filling the classrooms and children working hard.  Paying school fees has, and is always, a big problem at the school. So, for a little incentive, we gave out many book bags (that the sewing ladies made), to students that paid their school fees.   Hopefully more students will go home and tell their parents that they could receive one too if their fees are paid.  Of the 300 students at St. Paul’s, part of what we do is assist 75 of those students (which are orphans or needy children) with their school fees each term.  They have to contribute about $2.00 and we pay the balance of about $20.  Thank you for helping us with this!  Without it many would not have the opportunity of an education.

Women are busy learning new beading patterns.  Sewing ladies are busy with learning how to make school uniforms.  And, Women’s Bible study was led by one of the ladies who is learning how to lead.  









Bruce completed 2 more weeks of Pastoral/Leadership classes.  They worked on the art of Story Telling and Preaching methods.




Good Friday happened to fall on the last day of those classes.  So, we decided to show the Jesus Film out in the school courtyard that evening.  What started out as about 200 people gathered and seated on the ground, grew and grew.  As the night went on, a crowd of over 400 villagers glued their attention and eyes on Jesus.  At the close of the movie, the invitation was given.  Bruce and Simon followed by leading them in prayer.  Out under the stars, with only a dim light from the projector cooling, hundreds followed along in prayer. The hum and whispers of the many men, woman and children, repenting and giving their hearts to Jesus was like music to listening ears!   
Thank you Jesus for Loving Us! 



Because He Lives!
Bruce & Janine