There will be more words from the NC West team in coming days. There will
also be more words from me. We are all still walking on clouds and a little
in shock at all God did among us this week. Perhaps the children need to
speak for now so I will be their voice...
Saturday as we gathered for our final session we focused on "Who we belong to." As I asked the children about some of the things we did this week I was amazed at how easy God was going to bring home the point.
"Miss Angie we play together?"
"Miss Angie we walk together?"
"Miss Angie we eat together!"
"Miss Angie we ride together?'"
"Miss Angie we read together."
"Miss Angie we be together."
As I listened I naturally heard the word "together" spoken by every child.
Our team (and even myself) were barely holding it together emotionally, but
what a beautiful picture God gave us through our children. In six days of
constant contact with our PAL leaders they not only learned about influence
and being loved by a Heavenly Father - they saw it in the team and they FELT
it. Oh, how they felt it!
There are so many little things that are such big things that I am just
holding onto right now and trying not to just pop them out!!
Finally they got the picture of God's love and being in a loving, caring,
fun, free, family.
in shock at all God did among us this week. Perhaps the children need to
speak for now so I will be their voice...
Saturday as we gathered for our final session we focused on "Who we belong to." As I asked the children about some of the things we did this week I was amazed at how easy God was going to bring home the point.
"Miss Angie we play together?"
"Miss Angie we walk together?"
"Miss Angie we eat together!"
"Miss Angie we ride together?'"
"Miss Angie we read together."
"Miss Angie we be together."
As I listened I naturally heard the word "together" spoken by every child.
Our team (and even myself) were barely holding it together emotionally, but
what a beautiful picture God gave us through our children. In six days of
constant contact with our PAL leaders they not only learned about influence
and being loved by a Heavenly Father - they saw it in the team and they FELT
it. Oh, how they felt it!
There are so many little things that are such big things that I am just
holding onto right now and trying not to just pop them out!!
Finally they got the picture of God's love and being in a loving, caring,
fun, free, family.
I asked them about shame and what it meant...because here is what I knew.
Every youth from this week had issues with shame...and this week just having
fun and feeling safe around Godly men, broke through their shame!
In a week's time we had become a family larger than the one we were born
into.
It's all about seed time and harvest.
This team reaped the harvest of many teams before them who have been
planting seeds...
Seeds of trust
Seeds of love
Seeds of acceptance
Seeds of encouragement
Seeds of silliness (which is a real stretch in Guyanese culture, but boy did
we get a belly full of it this week!)
These six leaders received Bibles and they have notes from six big brothers and
big sisters who live on the other side of the ocean written inside of them.
Their big brother and big sister showed them how to use it and look up
verses. Their big brothers and big sisters read to them the Father's Love
letter.
The connections are deep
The roots are digging deeper into the earth and trees of righteousness are
taking root in Plastic City.
While we are together no more - we will be together again because we have
all been adopted into one family.