Kids of Courage

Today I read about a new VBS program from Voice of the Martyrs and Kids of Courage.

They say:

"The Kids of Courage VBS curriculum introduces students to real Kids of Courage at risk for their faith today in five countries: China, Egypt, Nigeria, North Korea, and India. Students learn how bold believers around the world live, worship, and play.

The lessons teach children how to pray for those who risk everything for their faith, and how to become Kids of Courage themselves. They learn that Kids of Courage: Trust God, Get Prepared, Remember Persecuted Christians, Forgive Others, and Witness Boldly."

I think it sounds like an incredible program that could be used in a variety of ways (not just VBS) to teach our kids about persecuted Christians around the world.

For detailed info read more http://ministry-to-children.com/kids-of-courage-vbs/#comment-29772.

Full Speed Ahead...

Life has been busy and full over the past several months... We finished a week of VBS (the oldest two absolutely loved it and the youngest was there for the ride - literally in my sling). Then we headed off for my in-laws this past week. We had a fabulous time. Much of our time was spent at an amazing water park - the kids (and me too) wished we could live there.

Our smallest treasure is already seven months old and thinks she is the Queen of the World (she hasn't read any blogs yet or she would know that title was already taken). She has no fear, she climbs anything and everything near her and she thinks she can walk, unfortunately whenever she takes a step or two she falls, but she gets right back up and tries again - lessons we can learn from little ones. At the water park she (all 25" of her) would boldly walk into the waves (holding my hands) without a care in the world.



Now we are home getting settled and starting new projects...

Do Something that Matters!

My church (in cooperation with churches throughout our church district) is raising money for wells in Haiti through the Haiti Water Project. The Haitian wells were the focus for our VBS offering this summer and we are extending the opportunity to contribute to the offering over the next couple weeks in order to help the project even more.

Watch a short piece highlighting how the Haiti Water Project is making a difference in communities in Haiti -- and how we can all get involved.

For churches in Haiti—where more than half of the eight million people there don’t have access to safe drinking water— it means they can become the source of both the literal and spiritual water of life. Young children in Haiti have to walk up to six hours each day to retrieve water.

For approximately $1,000, a church can build one well that will affect the lives of two thousand-plus people for years to come. If each of the 500 Nazarene churches in Haiti had a well on its property, it would mean one million changed lives. Various groups are partnering with local churches in Haiti to empower them to provide sustainable water resources for the people in their communities. It’s a dream right now. What would it take to make it a reality? Consider making a donation.

THE HAITI WATER PROJECT: GET INVOLVED

The Haiti Water Project is a simple concept: Create sustainable water resources that empower local churches in Haiti to meet the needs around them. Here are 4 simple ways you can get involved:

Learn.

Find out more about the needs in Haiti and how you can get involved. Start with the Haiti Water Project site at www.caribnaz.org, and then do some research on your own.

Talk.

Raise awareness about the need for clean water in Haiti and the ways we can all get involved. Talk about it with people you know.

Join the Haiti Water Project cause on Facebook, and invite your friends. Spread the word about the need and the simple ways we can help meet that need.

Teach others through your words and actions about how they can get involved in God’s call for action in our world — and specifically in Haiti.

Act.

The cost of a well is as little as $1,000. Individuals can donate part (or all) of the cost a well, or groups can go in together to donate the cost of an entire well.

Come up with creative ways people can give.

• Example: Give Up Your Bottles. In the U.S. we spent $15 billion (yes, billion) on bottled water last year. That’s enough money to supply clean water for all of the 1.1 billion people in the world who don’t have access to safe water. Give the money you would normally spend on bottled water in a month to the Haiti Water Project so people in Haiti can have clean water.

• Example: Host a benefit [fill in the blank]. Showcase your talents (and/or those of your friends) and use the proceeds to partner with HWP. Make it a concert or writer’s night or photography exhibit or …

• Example: Organize a fundraiser to help raise money for wells in Haiti. If you’re into running, you could do something like a community-wide 5K race. If you’re a creative designer type, you could sell T-shirts you design. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination.

Pray.

Pray for the people in Haiti. Pray for church leaders there. Pray for the children. Pray for the families. Pray that God would provide resources for the churches in Haiti to meet the needs around them.

God loves HIS children in Haiti and we as their brothers and sisters can make a difference in their lives through sacrificial giving and prayer. Prayerfully consider how you might ACT to help make the lives of those in Haiti more tolerable.

* Materials and photos used by permission of http://www.caribnaz.org/

Vacation Bible School

My church is having VBS this week - the theme is Fruits of the Spirit! Please pray for the children that are attending (and those that have been invited, but not yet come) that they will feel the love of Christ and that they will come to a relationship with Him or that the ground work will be laid for them to come to the Lord. Pray also for the parents of those who may be un-churched that they feel comfort with our church or that they find a church somewhere that will meet the needs of their children and themselves.

Pray also for the children's ministers who traveled a great distance in an RV to share the love of the Lord with the children of our community and church. Pray that the workers from our church will sense God's presence in the work they are doing and that all the glory goes to God.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

~ Galatians 6:9-10