Hello!
I must tell you I love the summer, I always have. Not for the heat, I admit, as I find myself looking at friends’ posts on Facebook and longing for the snow, but I love summer because of the various opportunities for service it brings. This summer here in Peru has been no exception. Various vacation Bible schools, camp, Bible memory clubs, and other events have provided no shortage of opportunities to share the gospel, teach the Bible, and love on my God’s many creations.
Treasure Hunters Bible Memory Club: The past three summers the children here at New Life Children’s Home have participated in a Bible memory club called Treasure Hunters. It is specifically written for shorter periods of time such as summer vacation when the kids don’t have as much school work, as opposed to most programs which are written for the school year. This year, due to the dates of camps, VBS and even Christmas, the program ran for 6 weeks. Each week the kids said their verses, we had a devotion, game time, and award/achievement time; and then at the end of the program we had our annual ice cream party. At the party we acknowledged each team, the Lions and Spirit, how many verses were said by each team, and then the kids who completed the most sections in their books. Sections contain 1 or 2 verses and some deep thought questions depending on the age of the child. The first place winner this year said 68 verses (52 sections) and the two children that tied for second place said 60 verses (48 sections). Overall, 20 kids said 452 verses this summer. I am so very proud of all of them!
Vacation Bible School: This summer I got the opportunity to assist with two different Vacation Bible Schools. At New Life Baptist Church we ran VBS on a Wednesday – Friday with the closing ceremony then on Sunday during junior church. The theme was Galactic travel, and throughout the program more than 75 kids learned about calling on God, responding to God, and obeying God through the story of Moses. On Sunday during junior church we reviewed what we had learned from the story from Moses through the week, what we had learned from our skits with the astronaut and robot, and then awarded prizes to all the kids as we announced the winners of the week. Because VBS closes out on a Sunday here, we had many different visitors, kids with their parents, to learn the results of the week and who heard the gospel, some for the first time. Praise God!
The last few years I have also helped out some good friends of mine with their VBS in a very small church up in the mountains of Manchay. This year their church was under construction so they have been meeting in the home of one of their church members a little over a kilometer and a half away from their church. Most of the church members were able to bring their children the distance to VBS throughout the week, and many new children from the neighborhood of their temporary location came. In a room smaller than my apartment here in Peru we were able to cram 35 different kids along with about 6 mothers and 10 workers. It was tight, but so much fun. The theme was “Conquering with God’s plan” and throughout the program I taught on Gideon, Deborah & Barak, and Saul (good examples, and not so good examples). Many kids who had never heard the gospel before, and some who had heard it once again and several accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Such a joy!
Youth Camp: This year we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to find a place to do youth camp (teens and singles), as our normal campground is under construction and other places in our area have sky-high rates. Right as we were going to have to announce that we couldn’t do camp at all this year a couple in the church mentioned friends of theirs who had a location we would be able to use close to the river. It was basic, some sleeping on mattresses on the floor in the 2 cabins, others in tents, but it had an outdoor, covered dining area where we could eat, cook, and have services, room for games and to play, and was right next to the river. It truly was a God-send. Approximately 50 teens and singles from New Life Baptist and Calvary Baptist in Pachacutec got together for camp over a Thursday – Saturday right at the end of February. We had games, contests, food, fellowship and preaching. I got the opportunity to help in the kitchen, with the games and then to teach a girls’ session. It was such a wonderful end to the week and to the summer, allowing our youth to kick of the next year with a fresh mindset and closer relationships one with another.
School has started up again at New Life and I enjoy being involved in the lives of the kids and the teachers wherever I can. Throughout the summer my regular ministries and classes continued along with these extra opportunities. Please continue praying as I seek to share the gospel, minister, serve, teach, and love on people wherever I can. I am not sure of much in this world, but I am very sure of my God, and sure that your prayers to Him on my behalf make a difference. Thank you. Thank you so very, very much.
~ Pam Drout ~