Last week, Jesus walked into 22 apartment complexes in the Oklahoma City and Norman, Oklahoma areas. He held the children who were longing for affection. Prayed with those struggling. Wept with those in deep pain. He drew them into a relationship with himself and fed their empty stomachs as well as empty souls. Last week, He chose 150 fifth and sixth graders as well as adult leaders to be His hands and feet in those apartments. Lives were changed, never to be the same again.
I had full intentions of writing an update each day of last week, but the craziness of the schedule left me little free time and almost no energy. There were also days when I struggled to find the words to express all that I witnessed as God moved and used children to draw children to a saving knowledge of Him. Beautiful miracles happened almost daily and have left their "mark" on all involved.
Our kids served on two different teams in the Oklahoma City area. The boys served on the Las Brisas team and the girls served on the Carriage Square team. Both teams witnessed poor living conditions and children often staying at home all day alone- often watching younger siblings. Our job was to lead the kids in a Kids Power Camp (similar to a backyard Bible club or VBS experience) through the 5 days we were at their complex. This included a Bible story, prayer, songs, games, craft, and personal testimony. All the LIT (Leaders in Training) students led the activities as well as setting up our equipment and tearing down for each day. They also served the meal to the kids and parents attending each day. Often times, we realized that these families were very hungry and often did not have much food at home. The adult leaders, who gave oversight and aid to our LIT workers, would give our lunch to these kids as many of them would take it home for dinner that night or for a family member who did not come to the camp each day.
It was heartbreaking to hold and cry with a child whose family was falling apart with a possible eviction soon coming. I was brought to tears each time the kids would beg us to stay and not go home to Texas because, for the first time in a long time, they felt loved. I sobbed deeply when one boy begged me to take him home with me...... because his parents were never home and would not miss him. Pain so deep....Pain so raw and fresh that I cried countless tears. It was our hope that we could point them to the one who could heal it all and would never leave them- our Savior. I needed that reminder as well- our Savior would never leave those faces that I had come to love so deeply.
On Friday, the teams all struggled knowing that it was the last day we would see these kids before returning home..... God reminded me that for those who had accepted Him, we would see them again in eternity. The hope in that fact carried me through a very difficult day. I would see those sweet precious faces again and we will worship our Savior together, for eternity!
Moments I will never forget:
One sweet boy, brought out an ice tray and started passing out ice to all of us as we were so hot. It was all he had to offer..... but he gave it just the same. It reminded me of the widow who gave all she had in the offering at the temple.
Cassie, a young girl watching her family fall apart, prayed for one of our girls who was not feeling well one day. She reached out in love almost daily by bringing honey buns to add to our snack one day, helping serve the food, and helping us pack up our stuff.
One of our adult leaders had the privilege of translating for her daughter as she led two girls to Christ. With tears streaming down her face, she expressed the joy of having that memory to carry all the days of her life.
I had the privilege of watching Caleb lead a Bible story one day. He spoke with such passion and love that I was so humbled. I know that God has a special calling for each of my boys, but seeing them being used to share the gospel, stirs such a tenderness within.
One of the hardest things for me, was watching Caleb struggle with his size last week. Throughout the week, he was teased about his size and more than once, I found him in tears. As a mother, it was so hard to know when to step in as his protector and when he had to struggle in order to find a way of coping with it all. The sad part, is that the teasing did not come from those that he was ministering to in the apartments- they seemed to love him. It came from the kids he was ministering with all week. He asked me how they could love and accept all the different kids in the apartment complexes, but not accept him? Hard questions.... and, I had little answers. Some moments he would walk away and some moments he reacted in humanness to it all. I struggled in parenting him through it. One morning, as I was in tears myself with the whole situation, God spoke to my heart.....Julie, he was mine long before he was yours. Do you trust me to take care of Him? Today, we finally talked through it all and he is making great strides in forgiving those who hurt him so deeply. (Me too.)
All in all, it was a week that I will never forget. It is my hope that all three of my sons would have the same opportunity to realize that they can minister, serve and be the hands and feet of Christ even at such a young age. As a parent, it was so incredible to think that God used kids to draw kids to a saving knowledge of Him. We had over 300 plus ministered to last week and 104 decisions. Countless seeds of faith were planted and the nearly 200 people who served will never be the same.
Please keep praying for all those we ministered to last week and for Caleb- for healing. Pray for Rancho Village Baptist Church- where we stayed- as they follow up with those who made decisions in our area. Thank you for your prayers last week- God is so faithful!!!
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