I love childrens ministry! Really, I do!

So my tire exploded this week on my way to work. Previously, when I have seen bits of a tire scattered on the highway I imagined that being a horrifying experience. Beginning with a loud bang then a car ricocheting back and forth on the road. Maybe a flip or two. So I don't know what it normally is like, but it was anticlimactic for me. It was just loud, then I pulled over an I noticed my tire was in many pieces. Huh.

Like I said I was driving to work. I think it was probably Satan keeping me from the best day I've had since I've been home.

My young team mate Kali teaching a bible story in one of our clubs!

My job is taking middle and high schoolers around our fair city to, basically, teach traveling VBS's. Students are being equipped and sent out to share the gospel with the young'ins! On my team there are 3 of us, a 17 yr old and a 13 yr old and me. We go to 3 clubs a day in some rough areas of Denver. You can find more info in the CEF Summer Missions Page about my summer internship.

Yesterday was our first day with our clubs, and at our 2nd club the kids were totally too cool to participate. We sang our opening song by ourselves, they didn't even do the simple clapping with us. So I felt kind of like a fool and yeah discouraged. But our second day was the opposite! The first thing they said to me when we got there was "can we sing that song?!" Well that's an awesome foot to start on, and yup I could feel the Spirit there with us. They were interested and animated and participating. Nine of the kids attending that club gave their life to Christ that day. After they prayed they came over to me to tell me the good news and get a high five. Wow do we serve the best God, and it brings tears to my eyes.

I was reminded of how important this mission was on our third day. To me thinking of doing these clubs with kids didn't seem to important to me. It seemed like shooting fish in a barrel, to have kids give their life to Jesus. You tell them that you can live in heaven forever after you die and heaven has streets of gold and why wouldn't they say yes to praying to accept Jesus? I knew it was a noble thing to do, to tell kids about Jesus, but is it really impactful? I mean there is a major world evangelist who was "saved" in a CEF ministry! I also felt the necessity on this day.

On the third day of our clubs there was something that really illustrated this to me. We meet in the courtyard of an apartment complex, during the missionary story two cops with bullet proof vests came in and pounded on most of the doors, later I heard lots of yelling but I don't know what else really happened. These kids see this all the time and have been through so much already. I just see their sweet faces, clinging the the bits of innocence and the flashes of child likeness that they still have. Gosh what else is there to do but love them as much as I can and pray.

I just sure hope that they are touched, changed even, by this week we have with them sharing the love of Jesus.

I have the best job ever.

 Before this week I was nervous and not confident in my skills to be around kids so much. I am reminded of the verse Philippians 1:6

 "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Both in that God has done good work through me this week, and great work has been started in these kids. I have so much hope for their future with God.


Would you please pray for me, my team, and the others doing clubs in other parts of the city, the kids we meet, and their families.

I have the rest of this week plus one week of clubs in new areas, so I will continue to write about this!

thanks your the best.