Happy New Year!
I hope that your year has started out well! Over the last 7 years I have found myself enjoying the last week of December and the first week of January as I take time to think about the things I’ve seen, heard, experienced and learned over the last year and then pray about the upcoming year, thinking about the things I hope to see God do. You all have played such a huge part in all that God did here last year – through your prayers, financial support and encouragement – and I have no doubt God will continue to use you all in this coming year. Thank you for allowing Him to work here, and to work in me through you all.
November started out a bit rough with the loss of my aunt at the end of October. I knew going back to the US for the funeral wasn’t going to be an option, mainly for financial and logistical reasons, but also because at the same time I was committed to running the kids’ program for another church’s spring retreat at the same time. But I do thank God and you all because one of my supporting churches in WV, and the members of theBible study group I am a part of out of that church moved mountains to give me the chance to spend 2 weeks in WV with my family after the retreat. They paid for the tickets, lent me a car, and provided for all my other needs while I was there. It wasn’t what I was expecting to do for 2 weeks in November, but through them God allowed me to spend time with a lot of my extended family – walking with them through grief in the weeks immediately following the funeral. Again – it wasn’t expected, but God knew it was needed.
Just before I had gone to WV though I’d had the opportunity to help another church out with their spring retreat. (Remember, the seasons are opposite here). While the adults in the church spent a weekend studying the book of Daniel, a friend of mine and I got to care for 18 kids for 6 hours on Friday, and then on Saturday. We did lessons from the book of Daniel, a photo scavenger hunt, field games, lego contests and lots of coloring. I got to spend some time talking with several different parents in the group, conversing on several different ideas on how to minister to children with special needs, children’s ministry in general, teaching English and a number of other topics. The church’s homeschool group and I are looking at getting together to do some children’s ministry training sometime in the upcoming months, so please be praying we can get that worked out.
Upon returning from WV toward the end of November I stepped right into Christmas and graduation season here. Many teachers and parents in the US will talk about how kids get crazy 2 times a year, right before Christmas and then the end of the school year. Here, we combine the two! Aside from keeping involved with my normal kid’s clubs, Bible studies, and discipleship sessions, by the middle of December I found myself participating in a different Christmas outreach or graduation event each week. (Graduations are a big deal here: observed at the end of preschool, 6th grade, and high school with dinners, formal dresses/suits, performances by the graduates, etc.) It was such a busy season for me, but brought so much joy. I had several opportunities to share the gospel – the good news of the best gift of all – in front of groups of children, teens and ladies. It was wonderful to see people responding to the gospel by putting their faith in Christ. Let me once again thank you all, because many of those events were possible because of the extra many of you gave at this season.
Please continue praying as summer vacation has begun. We have begun our Bible Memory program (Treasure Hunters) in several area kid’s clubs/Bible studies, where the kids will earn points to trade for school supplies. I also have 3 children’s ministry training seminars scheduled and am preparing to speak at a VBS for a church in Manchay. I love the opportunities summer brings, but the heat and the business also tend to drain me so I appreciate your prayers greatly. Thank you all so very much! Serving with Joy- Pam Drout