It's A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood

Today we traveled to a village called Coalane. There is a new church plant there. On Tues. Wanne and Sally read Bible stories to the children. It has quickly grown from just a handful to 150 plus, which is what we had today.

Sally is in Zambia doing some training so Wanne decided the kids would play some games. Sobrinho, Zurall and Piezino all local leaders and pastors in other villages helped. Good thing too. More than 150 African children ranging from 4-12 came.

When we first got there all the kids were really staring at Cheryl and I. We all went into the church. The church is wood posts, a metal roof and some bamboo. Wide open and has dirt floors. It maybe is 30 x 25'. Some tree logs as benches for seats.

It's so amazing how all these kids just show up sit down and listen. There were no discipline problems.

This is a very poor area. Most of the children were barefooted. Most had torn clothing and also most of the time the clothing was 2 or 3 sizes too big.

Several of the girls ages from 5-8 were caring their baby brother or sister on their backs. These are babies themselves and they are caring for infants. I asked Wanne about this, she said the mother most likely has to work in the rice fields so the older siblings have to help. It's a different kind of life here

I quickly notice that the "African" part of this faded and all I saw were children. Children are children no matter what culture they are from. They were laughing, crying, playing hop scotch, playing soccer, tag, blind mans bluff, duck duck goose, etc... Just kids

After game time they came back in the church for memory verse time. Today they learned John 14: 6, Jesus said, I am the way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Sobrinho would have half the room repeat him then have the other half repeat him. Then he would have them say it by them selves.

They sang a couple of songs which they loved. There is something so sweet about 150 children singing praises to God. It was beautiful. They dismissed in prayer. Nearly everyone one of those children bowed their head and were quiet. It's just amazing. Then they all ran off to their huts. I can't wait to show you their faces in the pictures I took. And, by the way, if you want an African child to warm up to you just take their picture! They love it...

I was talking to the pastor of that village church Zurall/ John for us Westerners, and asked him how he reaches out to all the village. He said, he teaches the kids Scripture and songs then tells them to go home and tech it to their parents. He has some parents showing up at church now.

Pictures to follow if I can ever figure out how to add them.