Monday July 2, 2007

(They did} “whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” Acts 4:28

Our first day of ministry began toady. Following a quick breakfast of eggs and toast (and some members with a ton of pepper because of a slighty broken pepper shaker), our third of the large group took our maxi-taxi (I’m still amazed at the number of these everywhere) to our first ministry location, a middle school, Guaico Presbyterian School. We had been informed that we were going to be at a preschool with about 30 students. Not today! We were at a school of somewhere between 150-200 students. We found ourselves on the stage, the center of an L-shaped building with each side of the leg filled to the brim with students. We sang songs with the children, performed a puppet show (one of the girl puppets hair fell off which made the kids roar with laughter), and spoke with them before our half hour visit was over. We didn’t get to interact with them too much on a one-on-one basis due to the size of the body of students, time, and location. One splendid ritual that we began with our first group was to see if they had songs that they would like to share with us! It was special to be able to hear songs, some of which were unfamiliar to us, from these precious children.

Our second location took us atop one of Trinidad’s gorgeous mountains to another middle school, Santa Cruz Presbyterian School. This was probably (okay, it was) my favorite school visit. When our maxi-taxi rolled into the school parking lot, many of the kids began to scream with excitement and began jumping up and down. What a welcome! After a short wait, we went through our program with the puppets and songs as well as a small talk. Although I had recorded the Grandpa puppet’s voice a few weeks prior to our trip, I began to work this puppet and, wow, is it HARD WORK trying to keep your hand up for that long! It doesn’t seem as though it would be difficult until you actually do it. And add trying not to fall over because of the really small space against a wall where we were performing against a sheet held up by two group members all the while trying to maneuver around and not making anyone else fall at the same time. Yeah, I thought so.

This time we were able to go outside and play with the children for about 15 minutes or so following our program. Being the guy kids seem to look for, I was blessed to play and take pictures with many of the kids – so much so that I almost didn’t get back on the bus! It certainly was a difficult place to leave – especially since some of the kids were holding on to me as I was trying to enter the bus! Many of the kids, when they looked my nametag, quizzed me if I had a brother named Cody, apparently due to a television show with two brothers named Zach and Cody. While we visited our two schools, another third of the large group was visiting schools while the last third performed construction at the TTUM sanctuary, rebuilding a stage for the church (originally the construction team was supposed to build a roof with the $10,000 raised by Joy FM, but the project was too big for the short time span. The money was given to TTUM to use to rebuild the roof and the team built a new stage, replacing the rotten wooden stage with a steel and concrete one).

After a long ride back to the compound and a quick meal, I was elected to go with some of the ladies to go shopping at the local market (one guy was always to go with a group traveling outside of the compound). The store, about a half mile away, was a very small grocery store with some American brand items, some Trinidadian items, and some that I don’t really have a clue where they’re from. I do have a clue how fresh some of the meat was in that meat section – not very, according to the smell. While locating goodies for our Bible Club, a woman asked us why we were in Trinidad and we shared with her. She shared that she was a Christian and we prayed with her in the aisle (though in hindsight looking at some of the Spiritual Baptist characteristics it seems that she could have been one as she did a lot of mild shouting when praying. A Spiritual Baptist isn’t a typical Baptist, but actually a mix of the Baptist beliefs mixed with other religions). After a 20 minute hiatus in the line, we checked out with US currency, receiving TT’s in exchange ($1 US=$6 TT)

We set off for our first Bible Club night at our site while the other two groups, a VBS group and a Sports Team group, journeyed to theirs. Our first day of Bible Club went pretty smoothly overall – by US standards. After a quick setup, children began to filter in to our small, open rusted carport shelter. We began with several energetic Bible songs to get the kids excited and the pastor that we were performing the VBS for brought a keyboard, accompanying the music leaders. This was followed by a Bible lesson on faith using the story of the four friends who brought their friend to Jesus to be healed. Making head visors as a craft trailed the talk with a time for a relay race for recreation and refreshments. With only two hours for our time, it was quite a bit to fit in – especially considering all age groups were lumped together and not separated as in typical VBS style (which isn’t bad – one has to be more general). The most valuable time invested by far was simply talking with the kids on a one-on-one basis, getting to know them, making them smile by taking a picture of them, etc. Though there were a few that were potential troublemakers, overall everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and all the kids loved to exercise their limitless and boundless energy – as most kids do. It’s nice to know some things are the same anywhere in the world! It was very encouraging to see that some adults showed up to both listen and observe the goings on of our activities this evening.

One of the younger teenage boys that attended this evening asked me to go down the road with him while everyone was still passing out refreshments and snacks. Not really comfortable with the idea (I couldn’t understand what most of the kids were saying and was in a very unfamiliar environment) I kindly declined, not sure of what he was asking me to do. He returned a few minutes later with a foot-and-a-half long iguana! It was an immediate hit with our group and many had pictures with it. Mom wanted me to get a picture with her touching it, but I’m not sure that she actually did. We found out later that the lizard was to become dinner for a family. Yummy...

Upon returning to the compound, a quick shower and bite to eat was prior to our entire group meeting. This was a time, not of strategic planning, but of worship, sharing prayer concerns and what we experienced throughout the day in our various ministries. This was a truly uplifting time usually reserved for the “last meeting before we go back home.” Instead, this gave us a chance to further grow in our very new friendships and lift up one another in prayer. Many in the group had been convicted by the pastor’s sermon the previous night in how he had shared how he had such a passion for seeing his family saved.
Many retired to bed or went for a quick nighttime swim in the TTUM pool after our meeting. Oh, and we can now control the air conditioner so the polar bear left our room.

It was very encouraging to see such a great turnout during our Bible Club this evening by both kids and adults, as well as the enthusiasm displayed both at the schools and at the Club meeting. Also of encouragement is becoming better acquainted with our group members. I have found several photo enthusiasts, including Christy who takes about as many pictures as I do. Photographers, unite!