Allison and I are living with Ron and Deb this summer, and what a blessing it has been! We have a quiet place to come and relax after busy days of ministry, and there is always the most amazing and refreshing food for us to eat! It has also been really great to be able to learn from Deb about how she keeps her relationship with the Lord strong. I've been encouraged to spend more time with the Lord daily and really listen to the truth He has to speak to me.
Allison and my team of two from last summer has multiplied! We have been joined by Fern, Jonathan, and Anna for the summer - and Kevin will be serving with us sometimes too! I'm excited to learn from our new team members and to reach so many more people in the community!
We had a little orientation Monday, followed by food distribution. We had quite a bit of food to pack, and we distributed for about 285 people (I think...there were a few who trickled in at the end). I love seeing the smiles and hearing the gracious thanks from the people who come in. When they say "Blessings to you" as I give them their bag, it feels so true - like they are actually sharing God's blessings and joy with me. How great it is to share Christ with each other :)
Tuesday morning we had the first learning time with the children of the women in our adult English classes, and it continued Wednesday and Thursday. Their ages range from 1 to 9, so finding activities to do together is a challenge, but I'm really looking forward to spending more time with them as the weeks go on. We do a devotional each day, as well as read books, do some IPTV curriculum, and go outside to play. I have known most their mothers for a while now, and it has been really special to see how they have raised their children to love the Lord and each other.
Tuesday night we also began a women's Bible study on the book of James. I have always thought James was a really great book, so I'm excited to learn more about it! The study has the women from our summer team and a few others as well. I'll tell you more about it as I continue learning!
Okay so I have to tell this story...I seem to always do something embarrassing at the first neighborhood night. I'm obviously still learning about cooking. I brought the ladies who were making the meat some onions and tomatoes. While I was standing there, I saw a bay leaf in the disco...they were under a tree...I thought it was a leaf. Obviously the smart thing to do would be to remove the leaf, right? WRONG! They explained to me what it was, we all had a good laugh, and they proceeded to tell probably everyone there what happened. Glad I could bring some joy to the evening!
In addition to all this action, we've been planning for the Fourth of July and Summer Sizzle, putting together some forms for VBS registration, and hanging out with the kids at the neighborhood centers as much as we can.
Through all of this, God has really been teaching me to depend on Him more and more. I'm excited to grow closer to Him this summer. Please pray for our ministry here this summer, and if you have any requests for prayer, let me know. I would love to pray for you as well!
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