We have had a guest for the last few days. Anthony is a Bible College student from Canada who escaped the -30 temperatures to spend Spring Break in Honduras. It is kind of funny that he ended up with us, since we didn't know him at all. He attends the home church of another missionary who wasn't going to be available, and asked us if we would be willing to have Anthony with us. We agreed, not knowing exactly what was going to happen.
Like just about all of the young people that have passed our way in the last few years, Anthony is just plain delightful. He has been a blessing to everyone he has met, been willing to do what ever we ask and asked thought-filled questions.
I don't know if God has decided to especially bless us in our contacts with the younger generation, or what. The things I read would make me think that young people as a whole are a pretty self-centered, shallow lot (just like a lot of older folks, I guess). That just hasn`t been our experience.
I don't envy at all the challenges young adults face. The economic situation makes it hard for even the best of the best to get their foot in the door for jobs, the declining moral climate makes living for Jesus a tremendous challenge, the violence everywhere makes the world a scarey place to live. And yet, there are Nathans and Anthonys and groups like the one we had last year from Millar that demonstrate the fact that God hasn`t closed up shop and stopped working. There are young people with gifts and hearts dedicated to serving God. I am impressed with the quality I see in the few who have made their way into the "wilds" of Honduras, as well as those who are blessing our own children with their Godly friendships.
The future is certainly uncertain. The challenges are huge, but there are people taking on the challenge in God's Name.
God bless them.
sábado, 14 de marzo de 2009
domingo, 8 de marzo de 2009
The attack of the Tamarindo tree
This morning John and I visited a little church in Tierra Blanca. I took along a Sunday School lesson. We had told there would be maybe 6 or 7 children and about that many adults. They don`t usually have Sunday School for children. They used to, and they would give the children something to drink and maybe a cookie as a treat every Sunday. Then a different church came to town and offered the children toys and clothes and food. So now the only children who come regularly are the seven children of one family.
Since they don`t have a classroom for the children, we took some chairs and a bench outside under a big tree. As I started teaching, two things happened. First, the three year old wandered off across the enclosed yard and second, other children started noticing what we were doing and started arriving, filling the chairs and bench, and then some. I didn`t worry too much about the three-year old, he seemed fine where he was . I could keep half an eye on him while I taught the lesson. I ended up with about 25 children, plus two ladies who came out of the house next door to the church and stood at a distance listening. I got into the story, when all of a sudden four or five little boys got up from their seats, and took off running across the yard.
It turned out that the little three year old had gone across the yard because there was a tamarindo tree full of fruit. (If you don't know what tamarindo is, I don`t know how to explain it exactly--it's a pod with sort of a jelly like stuff inside it. People make a drink out of it that is good for what ails you)
When the other little boys figured out what the three year old was doing--zoom, they were gone. It took a couple of minutes to get them back to their seats, convincing them that the fruit would still be there when the lesson was done.
So, I learned that I am not the most interesting teacher in the world. A tamarindo tree full of fruit can attack the interest level of the average little boy just by being there. They did come back though, and stayed to the end of the lesson. The kids loved coloring the picture I brought along, (the three year old even wandered back over to color), people seemed encouraged by our visit and one little girl brought me three tamarindo pods. It was a good morning.
Since they don`t have a classroom for the children, we took some chairs and a bench outside under a big tree. As I started teaching, two things happened. First, the three year old wandered off across the enclosed yard and second, other children started noticing what we were doing and started arriving, filling the chairs and bench, and then some. I didn`t worry too much about the three-year old, he seemed fine where he was . I could keep half an eye on him while I taught the lesson. I ended up with about 25 children, plus two ladies who came out of the house next door to the church and stood at a distance listening. I got into the story, when all of a sudden four or five little boys got up from their seats, and took off running across the yard.
It turned out that the little three year old had gone across the yard because there was a tamarindo tree full of fruit. (If you don't know what tamarindo is, I don`t know how to explain it exactly--it's a pod with sort of a jelly like stuff inside it. People make a drink out of it that is good for what ails you)
When the other little boys figured out what the three year old was doing--zoom, they were gone. It took a couple of minutes to get them back to their seats, convincing them that the fruit would still be there when the lesson was done.
So, I learned that I am not the most interesting teacher in the world. A tamarindo tree full of fruit can attack the interest level of the average little boy just by being there. They did come back though, and stayed to the end of the lesson. The kids loved coloring the picture I brought along, (the three year old even wandered back over to color), people seemed encouraged by our visit and one little girl brought me three tamarindo pods. It was a good morning.
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)
Entradas
