Hello everyone!
So, apparently, my weekends are super full around here! I apologize for being so late. I'm not sure when I'll get caught up, but I'm going to try my hardest to do so now. This is my designated planning period because nothing else happens on Tuesday mornings. So, here we go!
Thursday morning, June 6, I went on the G-SUS Bus. As my first experience I didn't get to present, but I got to watch as the activity engaged the youth and got to talk with the Religious Education teacher both Thursday and Friday. It's a neat experience, and I haven't quite processed it even after all this time. Please refer to this post for a description of the Bus. Below are some pictures.
The interactive process really does engaged the children. Most of the teachers, who are required to stay on the bus, have made comments like "this is the quietest they've been all year!" It's exciting to see that we can engaged the children with truths of the Gospel. We didn't receive any exceptional questions which I'd hoped for, but it was good nonetheless.
After the bus I was driven back to Claire's for the leaders' prayer meeting. We started out in song then prayed for the church and some of the events and people Gateway touches. It was a wonderful time, and it was good to see these people's hearts for the Lord. I felt a little uncomfortable on Sunday, but after praying and learning more about them, I can truly see their love for their Savior which is comforting.
After that I had a planning meeting with Raph, Allyson, and Nicola. We are planning a G-SUS Live End Event this Friday, so please be praying that that will go well! It will be a series of games and testimonies (I will be sharing mine), and I'm really looking forward to getting to know these children even more. They all have their stories, and I really want to learn theirs and see how God can impact their lives.
I was shipped back home to go to Tea with my host family at Bobby's host family's house. We had 18 people over in their tiny lounge and kitchen, and it was great fun. Delicious chicken roast again. Bobby and I also took the children down to the park, and we were throwing the frisbee. Part of me is beginning to recognize that these children are similar to our own except that they aren't pretending to be Christian any more. So many in our country profess Christianity nominally (by name only) simply because that's what our culture mandates. Yet here, especially in my generation and younger, they simply have no need of the gospel. I keep hearing things like, "My parents were Christians, but I don't really believe that anymore. I haven't figured out what I want to believe." It's a more honest kind of society, and it's scary. They have no recognition of their sin and their need for the Gospel. I am thankful that it is not my job to convince anyone to come to faith. I only need to speak boldly and to live in love. Thanks be to our God!
After that was Youth Group which is focused on getting the children of unchurched families to have a basic knowledge of the bible. It is primarily a fellowship event with about 15 minutes of Bible Study. They are going through a more basic version of the Alpha program. It's interesting to hear what little some of the children know about Jesus. Some know quite a lot, but most have little to no knowledge of who he was. It's a very different type of world. Youth Group went well, and it became apparent to me that those who went truly do want to learn. The Bible Time's question was "Who was Jesus?" During each slide Pete kept asking them questions and they were keen on jumping in and answering with what they knew or even guesses. The children here hate being talked at, but it seems they love to be in dialogue about these truths. They really have no attention span when you simply talk at them.
So, that was the end of Thursday.
So, apparently, my weekends are super full around here! I apologize for being so late. I'm not sure when I'll get caught up, but I'm going to try my hardest to do so now. This is my designated planning period because nothing else happens on Tuesday mornings. So, here we go!
Thursday morning, June 6, I went on the G-SUS Bus. As my first experience I didn't get to present, but I got to watch as the activity engaged the youth and got to talk with the Religious Education teacher both Thursday and Friday. It's a neat experience, and I haven't quite processed it even after all this time. Please refer to this post for a description of the Bus. Below are some pictures.
The interactive process really does engaged the children. Most of the teachers, who are required to stay on the bus, have made comments like "this is the quietest they've been all year!" It's exciting to see that we can engaged the children with truths of the Gospel. We didn't receive any exceptional questions which I'd hoped for, but it was good nonetheless.
 |
| Outside the Trailer. The door is on the left. |
 |
| Where the children sit. |
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| The presenting screen. |
After the bus I was driven back to Claire's for the leaders' prayer meeting. We started out in song then prayed for the church and some of the events and people Gateway touches. It was a wonderful time, and it was good to see these people's hearts for the Lord. I felt a little uncomfortable on Sunday, but after praying and learning more about them, I can truly see their love for their Savior which is comforting.
After that I had a planning meeting with Raph, Allyson, and Nicola. We are planning a G-SUS Live End Event this Friday, so please be praying that that will go well! It will be a series of games and testimonies (I will be sharing mine), and I'm really looking forward to getting to know these children even more. They all have their stories, and I really want to learn theirs and see how God can impact their lives.
I was shipped back home to go to Tea with my host family at Bobby's host family's house. We had 18 people over in their tiny lounge and kitchen, and it was great fun. Delicious chicken roast again. Bobby and I also took the children down to the park, and we were throwing the frisbee. Part of me is beginning to recognize that these children are similar to our own except that they aren't pretending to be Christian any more. So many in our country profess Christianity nominally (by name only) simply because that's what our culture mandates. Yet here, especially in my generation and younger, they simply have no need of the gospel. I keep hearing things like, "My parents were Christians, but I don't really believe that anymore. I haven't figured out what I want to believe." It's a more honest kind of society, and it's scary. They have no recognition of their sin and their need for the Gospel. I am thankful that it is not my job to convince anyone to come to faith. I only need to speak boldly and to live in love. Thanks be to our God!
After that was Youth Group which is focused on getting the children of unchurched families to have a basic knowledge of the bible. It is primarily a fellowship event with about 15 minutes of Bible Study. They are going through a more basic version of the Alpha program. It's interesting to hear what little some of the children know about Jesus. Some know quite a lot, but most have little to no knowledge of who he was. It's a very different type of world. Youth Group went well, and it became apparent to me that those who went truly do want to learn. The Bible Time's question was "Who was Jesus?" During each slide Pete kept asking them questions and they were keen on jumping in and answering with what they knew or even guesses. The children here hate being talked at, but it seems they love to be in dialogue about these truths. They really have no attention span when you simply talk at them.
So, that was the end of Thursday.
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