Incredible week of ministry

I just wanted to send you a ministry update from our week with the team from North Carolina. To sum up the past week in one word is impossible but I will use the word incredible.
I saw the Lord do some incredible things in the lives of the team that came as well as the native children that attended VBS.

Our first day started out slow with only 12 kids attending. That was pretty low for a group of 26 if it was a normal VBS. But with native kids it was all they could handle. I had prepped the team the night before for what they might have to endure on Day 1, including that they could expect to be punched, kicked, bit, called names, not listened to and sworn at. I also told them the kids would want to be one person’s friend and would become jealous if that were not the case. I challenged them to love the kids unconditionally, and told them that after the first day things would change if they would just love the kids, as it was a test to see if they would love them after seeing their very worst.

Day 2 came - what a change! We also had 17 kids. The kids were kind, respectful,caring and became friends with the North Carolinans. We had one of the older kids at VBS give her heart to Christ that morning. It was very genuine as the tears streamed down her face as she accepted Christ into her life. Also that morning a teen from the reserve I have been working at gave her heart to Christ. I had invited her and her sister to VBS so that they could hear the gospel from a foundational perspective. I wanted them to hear the basics again. That morning Shania accepted Christ into her life. There were no tears involved this time. Shania shared that she had been unable to cry for a long time. She began to share some of her deep hurts that prevented her from crying. We told her we would pray that before the week was over the tears would come.

One of the toughest kids that came to VBS was Izzy. Izzy is 12 and comes from a very tough family situation. She does not let people get close to her. Izzy was our biggest trouble maker on day 1. She refused to listen and tried to intimidate some of the other kids. On day 2 we saw Izzy begin to have a softened heart. She really connected with a girl named Holly from North Carolina. Izzy listened the second day which was incredible in itself.

Day 3 of VBS saw our numbers go up to 28 kids. One of the older boys gave his heart to Christ. He was the brother of the girl that gave her heart to Christ the day before. He had really connected with a girl named Lauren from the group. She had the privilege of leading Devin to Christ.

The afternoon of day 3 was incredible as well. One of the leaders, Anne, of the NC team had been spending quality time with Shania and her sister Mariah. She told Shania and Mariah how beautiful the girls were and how much she loved them and God loved them. Then the miracle happened as the tears began to flow down Shania’s cheeks. Anne came and got me and there standing before me was a young lady whom the Lord had set free. She said she couldn't believe that God would allow her to cry. Powerful.

Day 4 came and this was our last day of VBS. This day we had 35 kids. God was continuing to move. He was especially speaking to Izzy, and halfway through the morning Izzy asked Holly to get pastor Jim. They came and got me as well. Izzy wanted to pray and accept Christ into her life.
In the sanctuary of our church with Jim, Holly, her best friend Kala and myself gathered around her, Izzy gave her life to Christ. It was beautiful.

We then drove all of the kids back to the reserve in the bus, along with many from NC. There were very few dry eyes on the bus. One of the most powerful images I have is of Izzy, with her head pressed into Holly's shoulder and both of them weeping and embracing each other. Izzy told Holly that she had never felt loved before this week. Incredible. This team truly loved the kids they met in a way I have rarely seen before. They went out and bought new shoes for every kid that attended VBS. They went the extra mile for so many of the children. They were broken for the things they saw: abuse, poverty,lack of food, and lack of love – things these kids experience everyday.

I know we shouldn't compare ministry weeksbut I believe that this was the most impacting week of ministry I have been a part of with COI for a very long time. Incredible!!!!”