Backyard Bible Club and Behind the Scenes Work

This past week has been very different from all the previous weeks in Alaska. We weren't surrounded by kids most of the time! Yes, we worked out a BBC (Backyard Bible Club), but it was only 2 hours a day Mon-Wed. There's also a very different spin on the BBC story. The BBC taught our team a lesson. Our main jobs for the week were actually at the local movie theater. Here's a quick blurb about this very different week.

I'll talk about the BBC first. During the first part of the week, our team stayed with a family that is trying to plant a new church in the area. (This was mine and Ericka's second time to stay with them. They are like my Alaska family! Love these guys!!) As part of reaching out to their community and potential church members, they decided to host a Backyard Bible Club. We went around and handed out some fliers on Sunday and we seemed to get some interest. However, when Monday rolled around, we didn't have any kids show up. Tuesday, a lady that was helping us had two of her grandchildren come, but they were the only kids that day. Our host family, as well as the rest of our team, were pretty discouraged and we decided not to hold it on Wednesday. However, God had other plans for us. On Wednesday, we were just about to sit down for dinner when two kids from down the street showed up! God is faithful even when we aren't! It was a great encouragement for our host family and a good lesson/reminder for all us. God has a plan for each of us, but He works it out in His time not ours.

In the mornings this week, we worked at a movie theater in Wasilla. Cross Country Church, a relatively new church in the area, meets there. This church was planted with the intent of reaching out to the community instead of just getting members from other churches. The option to meet in the theater opened, and the church pastor jumped on it. Normally, it would cost at least $400 an hour to rent a building to meet in, but the owner of the theater lets the church meet there for $50 a week! (Eventually, the owner and her daughter joined the church and came to know the Lord. It's really an amazing story!) The church tries to do as much as they can for the theater since the owner has been so gracious. So this week was full of cleaning a movie theater. I can now say I have vacuumed walls! We also helped the church prepare for the 4th of July Parade by folding 2500 evangelistic pamphlets. It was a lot of behind the scenes work, but it was a lot of fun and worth every minute! Part of ministry is being a willing servant!

This week was very different, but it was a good change of pace. We've got a parade and picnic to work tomorrow and then a block party on Monday. After the block party, we're off to Boys' Camp to be kitchen help and the cleaning crew. I'm sure that will be an interesting week!

As always, keep praying!