As we entered into the last week of our trip, we realized how many “loose ends” we must tie up before leaving. The girls worked diligently on all the details of the “Missing Link Kits”. They printed off copies of all the booklets, they collated the pages, they punched the holes and then they bound the booklets. Hour after hour they sat in those tiny plastic chairs or on the floor to complete the work.
We had a couple more tutorials to visit as well. All in all, we were able to visit 16 of the 20 tutorials that are in session this year. It was such a joy to watch the teachers interact with the children and to see the attentiveness of the children. At each tutorial that we visited the children would sing a song and recite their Scripture verses. Hope, Kelsey and Amelia would then teach a new song to them, share a story, and do a craft project with them. Amelia always enjoyed passing out their “gifts” that we brought for them from the U. S. Also at each tutorial a group of the parents also gathered. Generally they had prepared snacks for us and then would listen attentively as I shared some thoughts with them. We were always delighted to meet the parents that had studied the Bible lessons and had become Christians during the course of the year that their children had studied in the tutorials.
This last week we were also preparing for the weekend Ladies’ Retreat hosted by Remy Kingsley. She provided for the food and the venue and the girls and I did the program. The theme chosen was “Women With a Mission”. We gathered together on Fri. afternoon and shared lessons, singing, small group discussions and fellowship. It was great to have that much time to spend with the ladies and to challenge them from God’s Holy Word. Hope shared her “first lesson” to the group of ladies (generally she teaches children). She did a super job!! Kelsey accomplished a “first ” as well. She led our singing. She is so gifted in this area and did a superb job. The ladies fell in love with both of the girls. We were able to make banana muffins that morning before going to the retreat to share with the ladies. It is always a treat for them to receive something home baked since most of them do not have ovens in their own homes.
We hosted a “Teacher’s Appreciation Banquet” for our tutorial teachers and leaders of the congregations. We wanted to be able to honor them for their hard work and efforts with the children and their parents. In the midst of preparing my lesson to share with them, my computer crashed. So I took it to the shop and they installed a new OS in it. Anyway, in the midst of having to trouble shoot, God was still in control of ALL things as we were on countdown for our departure.
It certainly was by God’s grace that we were able to complete all tasks that were set before us. Hope and Kelsey were grand!!! They accomplished what was required of them and did ALL things without murmuring or complaining. I was so proud of them and their accomplishments. They worked hard and diligently and were indeed “shining stars” to everyone.
Kelsey and Sean (my youngest son) are to get married in December after Sean graduates from the Air Force’s pilot program. I am so grateful that God gave this opportunity to us to get to know Kelsey better. It is one thing to have her visit in our home a couple of times, but an entirely different thing to see her work outside of her comfort zone….doing things she normally doesn’t do…eating food she doesn’t usually eat…being surround by people speaking a language she doesn’t speak….customs she has never been exposed to before…smells she has not experienced …hours of work without a break…heat she has to deal with…transportation to hassle with….scheduling that seems never ending….taking directives from me….sleeping with Hope….and on and on. We told her that it was still not too late to back out of entering into this family if she so desired….However, she is a true diehard. She and Sean seem to be determined to serve God together. Praise God!!
It was such a great joy for us to have the honor to work with, and for God during this mission trip. Much good was accomplished. Much work for the brethren was set in motion in regards to the Missing Link Tutorials. In June as the 2013-14 school year begins , there will be a total of 27 tutorials in session at that time. It is our prayer that the members of the congregations can rally around these tutorials and begin to make a difference in the lives of the families in their communities who participate in this program.
We pray that the children will learn with excellence of academics, that the parents will learn the truths of God’s Word that will make a difference in their eternity, that the local Christians will reach out and share the love of Christ as they interact with the parents and children, and that the teachers will make a difference in their lives of these precious little ones.
We thank each one of you who have made this trip possible. Thank you for joining with us to spread the Gospel through the mission of these “Missing Link Children’s Tutorials”.
Love you all…..Prissy
We had a couple more tutorials to visit as well. All in all, we were able to visit 16 of the 20 tutorials that are in session this year. It was such a joy to watch the teachers interact with the children and to see the attentiveness of the children. At each tutorial that we visited the children would sing a song and recite their Scripture verses. Hope, Kelsey and Amelia would then teach a new song to them, share a story, and do a craft project with them. Amelia always enjoyed passing out their “gifts” that we brought for them from the U. S. Also at each tutorial a group of the parents also gathered. Generally they had prepared snacks for us and then would listen attentively as I shared some thoughts with them. We were always delighted to meet the parents that had studied the Bible lessons and had become Christians during the course of the year that their children had studied in the tutorials.
This last week we were also preparing for the weekend Ladies’ Retreat hosted by Remy Kingsley. She provided for the food and the venue and the girls and I did the program. The theme chosen was “Women With a Mission”. We gathered together on Fri. afternoon and shared lessons, singing, small group discussions and fellowship. It was great to have that much time to spend with the ladies and to challenge them from God’s Holy Word. Hope shared her “first lesson” to the group of ladies (generally she teaches children). She did a super job!! Kelsey accomplished a “first ” as well. She led our singing. She is so gifted in this area and did a superb job. The ladies fell in love with both of the girls. We were able to make banana muffins that morning before going to the retreat to share with the ladies. It is always a treat for them to receive something home baked since most of them do not have ovens in their own homes.
We hosted a “Teacher’s Appreciation Banquet” for our tutorial teachers and leaders of the congregations. We wanted to be able to honor them for their hard work and efforts with the children and their parents. In the midst of preparing my lesson to share with them, my computer crashed. So I took it to the shop and they installed a new OS in it. Anyway, in the midst of having to trouble shoot, God was still in control of ALL things as we were on countdown for our departure.
It certainly was by God’s grace that we were able to complete all tasks that were set before us. Hope and Kelsey were grand!!! They accomplished what was required of them and did ALL things without murmuring or complaining. I was so proud of them and their accomplishments. They worked hard and diligently and were indeed “shining stars” to everyone.
Kelsey and Sean (my youngest son) are to get married in December after Sean graduates from the Air Force’s pilot program. I am so grateful that God gave this opportunity to us to get to know Kelsey better. It is one thing to have her visit in our home a couple of times, but an entirely different thing to see her work outside of her comfort zone….doing things she normally doesn’t do…eating food she doesn’t usually eat…being surround by people speaking a language she doesn’t speak….customs she has never been exposed to before…smells she has not experienced …hours of work without a break…heat she has to deal with…transportation to hassle with….scheduling that seems never ending….taking directives from me….sleeping with Hope….and on and on. We told her that it was still not too late to back out of entering into this family if she so desired….However, she is a true diehard. She and Sean seem to be determined to serve God together. Praise God!!
It was such a great joy for us to have the honor to work with, and for God during this mission trip. Much good was accomplished. Much work for the brethren was set in motion in regards to the Missing Link Tutorials. In June as the 2013-14 school year begins , there will be a total of 27 tutorials in session at that time. It is our prayer that the members of the congregations can rally around these tutorials and begin to make a difference in the lives of the families in their communities who participate in this program.
We pray that the children will learn with excellence of academics, that the parents will learn the truths of God’s Word that will make a difference in their eternity, that the local Christians will reach out and share the love of Christ as they interact with the parents and children, and that the teachers will make a difference in their lives of these precious little ones.
We thank each one of you who have made this trip possible. Thank you for joining with us to spread the Gospel through the mission of these “Missing Link Children’s Tutorials”.
Love you all…..Prissy