you are strong and you are brave

SOME of you, like me, may have Awana as part of your childhood church memories. SOME of you have never heard of Awana (but you might want to check out their website here), and then there are SOME kids in a small village on the coast of the Dominican Republic who LOVE Awana.

*Fun fact I just read on Awana’s website: “Each week, more than two million kids ages 2 to 18 participate in Awana. This includes more than 1.1 million in 102 countries outside of the U.S., the most children that Awana has ever reached internationally.”

Caraballo sent a team this weekend to participate in a competition with other Kids Alive teams from around the DR.

I could go through every detail of the day for you but instead I just want to write about one theme that stood out to me. Strength from Struggle.

This particular competition involves games- relay races, batons, beanbags, balloons, you get the picture! But it involved something deeper too…strength from struggle. These kids from Caraballo are some of the toughest, strongest, bravest, most resilient kids I think I will ever meet. Their strength comes out of a life of struggle- from many fronts…poverty, broken families, abuse, hunger, racial tension, violence, sickness, etc…

But in the midst of their trouble, the Lord is their strength and their hope. Their very present help. Their rock on which they stand. The one who hears and answers them.

So whether it’s a beanbag relay or the daily fight of the faith in Caraballo, these are the strongest kids I know. I kept encouraging them during the competition, “YOU ARE STRONG AND YOU ARE BRAVE.” I am delighted that many of them have trusted in Jesus and are looking to God for their strength and hope. And I pray earnestly for those who haven’t….yet.

Oh and by the way…they won! J Check out my Facebook page for photos or click here to read about last year’s competition.

none can be nearer, fairer or dearer, than Thou, my Savior, art to me

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,


O Thou of God and man the Son,


Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,


Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,


Robed in the blooming garb of spring;


Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,


Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
 Fairer still the moonlight,


And all the twinkling starry host;


Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer


Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,


Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;


None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,


Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!


Son of God and Son of Man!


Glory and honor, praise, adoration,


Now and forever more be Thine.

my joy through the ages

     I stand amazed in the presence

     of Jesus the Nazarene,

     and wonder how he could love me,

     a sinner, condemned, unclean.

    How marvelous! How wonderful!

    And my song shall ever be:

    How marvelous! How wonderful

    is my Savior's love for me!

     For me it was in the garden

     he prayed: "Not my will, but thine."

     He had no tears for his own griefs,

     but sweat-drops of blood for mine.

      

     In pity angels beheld him,

     and came from the world of light

     to comfort him in the sorrows

     he bore for my soul that night.

    

     He took my sins and my sorrows,

     he made them his very own;

     he bore the burden to Calvary,

     and suffered and died alone.

      

     When with the ransomed in glory

     his face I at last shall see,

     'twill be my joy through the ages

     to sing of his love for me. 

     How marvelous! How wonderful!

    And my song shall ever be:

    How marvelous! How wonderful

    is my Savior's love for me!

As if the kindergarteners aren't cute enough already...then they get their faces painted! 

making things right...together

One afternoon, kindergartener Jonny* took a blue crayon and decided to color on the door of his classroom. When the situation was brought to the attention of the director, an incredible thing happened. Instead of speaking firmly or making him clean it by himself, the director got a bucket of water and two sponges and took Jonny back to his classroom where they cleaned the crayon marks off the door…together.

What a powerful example of servant leadership from our director. It's also a beautiful picture of the Father's discipline towards his children- when we make bad choices, he doesn't leave us alone in the consequences, but He comes along side us as we make things right…together. 

*child's name has been changed