Time for School

As my first half of student teaching is about to begin, I wanted to share about the other students that are about to embark on a similiar journey. My student teaching in Ethiopia has been made possible by an organization call Interaction International. This organization is "a voice for today's third culture kids kids and internationally mobile families," A smaller branch of this program, CCTECC partners with Christian Universities across the country to make it possible for students like me to student teach all over the world. In April I had the experience of traveling to Indiana with two girls from Cairn for our Pre-Experience Orientation. I had never met the girls before and was nervous to be driving 10+ hours, but we quickly were able to connect and had a lot to talk about.

I had no idea what to expect for the orientation, however it only took me a few minutes to see that I was in a room surrounded by 40+ other people who have similar passions for children, God, and cultural diversity. There are times when I feel discouraged and as if I am the only person in the world who feels a certain way or has a passion for living out God's calling. But God always sends awake up cacall. When I am surrounded by other passionate people it’s like I hear God saying, “See, silly girl? You aren’t alone. Don’t be so self-centered and prideful to think that you are my only child who desires for the world to change and for my children to be cared for!” (Of course I think of Him saying it in a kind, loving way as he shakes his head at my childlike attitude).

As I spent time praying, sharing, and learning with the other soon-to-be student teachers I began to feel rejuvenated and even more passionate about what I was about to do. Because I wasn’t going to be alone! While I am teaching in Ethiopia there will be others in Panama, Costa Rica, Germany, Thailand, China, New Zealand, Australia, and many other places! I also was encouraged, because sometimes I felt alone at Eastern University, especially being the only Education major going abroad. But at orientation I met others from Messiah, Houghton, Hope College, Biola, and other Christian colleges across the United States.

Talking and spending time with the other students I heard excitement about working with children, sharing the love of Christ, exploring and understanding other cultures, and living out God’s callings through their lives. Even though I have not seen any of the others who are going abroad since orientation I know that God is already working in their lives and going to big things through them! As we begin the school year, please not only be praying for me, but also the other students going out through CCTECC.

Pray for:

-Safety and basic needs being met

-Challenge and growth in our relationships with God

-Increased passion for our calling as Christian’s

-The lives we are around being impacted (students, teachers, others in the country)

-The lives of people at home being impacted through us. 

Let the Little Children Come to Me

Recently God has been putting a lot about His children on my heart. And in past years I have had many opportunities to work with Children's ministry in the inner city and it something that God has always given me a passion for. But over the last year or two it has been a lot harder to get involved with school, and working a lot to be able to finish school. However, I often still feel the longing to be able to work more with the children that God has placed on my heart. So I was so excited to find out that Lighthouse Community Church was doing their VBS this year at a time and week that I was completely available. Lighthouse is located a few blocks away from Urban Hope, which I have attended and worked with in the past, and I have friends who attend this church. So the week of July 22-26, I left straight from work and headed to Kensington for VBS. 

The first day there was a huge storm so not as many kids came out, but sitting there on floor with those kids felt so right. I'm always reminded that this is what I am called to do. . The theme was Cave Quest- Lighthouse did an amazing job decorating for it! The walls were all covered in brown papere and there were stalactites, stalagmites, and other really cool decorations. There was singing and small group time and then the children went to four different centers.Each night was a different theme: Jesus gives us...HOPE, COURAGE, DIRECTION, LOVE, and HIS POWER. Spelunkers sports were group games and relays. During Cavern Cafe, the kids got a snack that went with the night's theme and they watched a video how Jesus give a child hope, courage, etc.. in a situation that they were facing. In Imagination station the kids got to do different experiments. And then in the Deep Bible Quest there was a different story each night. 

I was part of the Teal crew and the crews were divided by mixed age groups and we moved from station to station together. There were children that grew up in the church and children who had never even prayed in their lives. It brought me joy to dance with them, to see their faces light up as they made green slime, and too talk about Jesus and pray with them. As usual, I am sure they had a bigger impact on me than I had on them. While I was there I looked around and thought of the verse, Mark 10:14 "When Jesus saw this he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let all the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,'" This is a verse that we definitely talk about as Christians, but this time I saw it differently.

I realized something, not only has God has given ALL Christians the calling to care for the widows, and the orphans (James 1:27), but He also tells us NOT TO HINDER the children from coming to Him. It hit me that if I individually, or we as the church, are not providing for the orphans and children in need, we are hindering them. This can look differently for what I should be doing; maybe it's my lack of volunteering or financial support right around me, or maybe it's overseas. If a child is not getting their basic needs met, learning about Jesus, or recieving the love and attention they need, then that is hindering them from coming to God. When these things are not happening it is my job and OUR job as the church to make sure that no child is being hindered from being cared for and having the opportunity to enter the kingdom of God. 

So as I looked around at the smiling faces look up at me and the little arms reaching out to hug me, I knew. It doesn't matter how little time or little money I have. I still need to give-just as the woman with the one coin did. Obviously it will look different at different points of my life, but I am called. It was great that I was able to help with Cave Quest, especially since they were short a helper and I know the kids learned so much and I gave them as much love as I could, but I was truly the one who was blessed. After all, living out our callings that God has given us: 'Let all the little children come to me' is the purpose of our lives here on earth.