Support Group

Every Friday we run our orphan support group. After a time of games, songs and a snack, we typically split into older and younger kid groups. Matthew usually facilitates the big'ns and Melinda shares responsibility for the little'ns. Last week was a great week--and I know several of y'all were praying particularly for our lesson time. Melinda is increadibly creative (this is matthew writing--in case you mistook this whole blog thing to be an excersize in self-aggrandizement...) and had some awesome illustrations of the parables of the Pearl Of Great Price, and Building Your House On The Rock. She really rocks with the kids--they get into the lesson and get all jazzed, wide-eyed, and excitedly raise their hands to answer questions etc.... She's working on a series of lessons illustrating/teaching the different parables that Jesus told. A bunch of them prayed to ask Jesus into their hearts to become part of God's family last week! We always have competent Xhosa-speaking staff help out with the translation and all. Please pray that we'd follow up and build up these younging appropriately--and that we'd get them connected with desciplers in the community.

I've been working, along with Susan Wadley, with the Big'ns through a series of lessons on our identity in Christ (including God as our Father, exploring our self-worth, and what it means to be clothed with Christ, etc). Last week went well--in that a lot of kids who usually don't open their mouths, started to talk and share a little. And the last couple of weeks I've felt that the lessons are begining to sink in--to communicate. The language barrier is still a massive struggle for me. There's so much that I want to communicate to these kids--and hear from them--but I'm reduced to simplistic illustrations. It's doubly frustrating because these kids are brilliant! I know they can grasp the complex, yet simple, truths of the image of God in us, the fall, salvation, the restoration of that image through sanctification, our position as holy now--yet not yet... But we're taking it one step at a time. Please pray that adult leaders would volunteer their time to help shepherd and disciple these kids. We're only here for a season--to establish some kind of precedent for BHI orphan support groups--and I am keenly aware of the need for someone from within the community to take the lead in the future.

So it's Friday again and we're focusing today on the awesome concept of being "Clothed With Christ". I'd ask that you just send up a prayer that the Holy Spririt would just set this truth in their hearts--that they would be set free from the many bonds that shout shame and discouragement into their lives....free to pursue a "full life". (Jn 8:32, Jn 10:10)