Project Go Ye - 2009

Yep, it is that time of year again! Asas organized another Projeto Ide (Project Go Ye) this time to the state of Mato Grosso. The number of people participating was less this year...only 150 instead of 240-350. It was just getting too big and we want to encourage churches to start their own projects. We went as a family again this year...yeah! It is worth the extra effort and the lessons that the kids learn are priceless. The 150 people divided up into 3 groups after a time of training and organizing on Saturday afternoon (July18) and Sunday. The children's ministry team that I headed up was made up of several young people who had never been on a project before, so they were a bit nervous and didn't know what to expect. (The children's ministry group that I worked with is pictured above...plus 2 guys who wanted in on the picture!) I decided to change the program quite a bit in an effort to make each lesson independent of the previous or following lesson to accomodate the children who couldn't come from the beginning or couldn't come the whole week. God certainly had his hand in that decision because everything quickly changed once we got there! We ended up reaching 3 different communities in 5 days! We had 4 different stations that the children rotated through: story, art, games, snack/memory verse/wordless book/Claves. That last station seems like a bit much, but the 30 minute block of time was enough to get through it all. Due to having just a few days in each community, I couldn't get too deep into the Claves material, but I was able to have sessions with the children on being tuned-in to your emotions as a way to know if things really are okay as well as analize 2 stories as a way to alert them about how to avoid abuse...or at least know they need to tell someone about it.

Our team reached over 400 children, many of them claiming to have asked Jesus to forgive them for the first time. I'll resist writing the number down because I don't want to focus on numbers. I am thrilled that seeds were planted and knowledge was given for future growth. Steve worked the streets...door-to-door all day long! He also helped out with the group that had a youth program. He found some new abilities in that area and even gave a well received talk on sexuality, drugs, alcohol, etc. I wish I could have heard it, but I needed to be with the children. He is very sure though that working with youth is not his thing...at least not in the traditional church setting. Maybe he'll get more involved with the youth on the projects from now on...

This youth's name is James and he was "adopted" by the whole group. He touched everyone's hearts with his sincere decision to believe in Jesus and learn to be more like Him. His home life is very difficult and his dad is a leader in the Spiritist church. James broke into sobs on the last day of the youth program because he didn't want the group to leave. He had finally found a group of people who love him and with whom he feels accepted and safe. In the following picture, he is reading a Bible that is written in cartoon style as he travels with us to the Bororo village. He came along with us just to put off the good-byes a little longer. (He also received a normal Bible when we left.) He is now in the hands of the local church with whom we partnered with, but our concern is that there are no youth in that church. Please pray from James...

Here are the youngest participants on the Project! This picture was taken around 5:30am on Monday morning as the 3 groups divided up to go to the different communities.
Personal space? Privacy? Non-existant!

Our missionary "dolls" leading the singing time

"Mr. Duck" had some "magic" tricks to show the kiddos. All of his illusions were used as a way to teach the kids about Jesus. I have no idea why he picked the name Mr. Duck...he couldn't explain it himself!

Story station

Game station

Art Station

And of course I took NO pictures of the memory verse, wordless book, snack, Claves station! Oh well...Steve took a few later on in the week when we went to the Bororo village....you'll see those as you continue going through all my blog posts!