He Turns Shootings to Shoutings of Joy

picture 1: I teach the missions story.

picture 2: One of our clubs demonstrates how much fun they had during the week.

"Little Rock has the highest per capita murder rate in the nation," the police officer explained. As CEF workers from 26 states sat in our training session near the clubs we would teach in Little Rock, the officer continued, "But crime has decreased recently. Now there are only eight, ten, maybe twelve shootings per week." Only? I thought, I come from a place where one shooting per year is a lot. Why didn't I do more research on Little Rock before I decided to come? But it was too late now, and I was realizing how much the children of such a city need hope and love. I had joined 105 other CEF workers for a week of teaching a total of 90 5-Day Clubs. Each of the 30 teams partnered with a local church that hosted a concluding rally for the children and their families and will continue in long-lasting ministry to the children. By the end of the week, I hadn't witnessed any shootings (except by marshmallow gun), I felt like a part of the Spanish-speaking church family with whom my team partnered (even though my attempts at Spanish usually ended in French), and I had to resist the urge to beg the 50 children from my clubs to come home with me. A girl named Cynthia said, "I didn't believe in God before I came to club, but now I do." A boy named Jordan exclaimed, "I'm coming to church here Sunday." Noah and Ryan read the entire comic book version of Luke in three days. As I returned to my regular work of raising support, I prayed in the words of Chris Tomlin, "Greater things have yet to be done in this city." And I wondered what part these kids would have in those things.

Praise God That:

Over 1,800 Little Rock children attended clubs with over 250 salvations.

Even though I am short on support, I have received permission to attend the first 7 weeks of CEF's Children's Ministries Institute in Warrenton, MO (August 18-October 9). This training may actually help me raise my remaining support.

Please Pray That:

The children in Little Rock will stay connected to their host churches and will grow in their relationships with God.

God will continue to provide support and opportunities to raise support even as I focus on training instead.