Wednesday kids club - Day 16

Waking up I was very sore, which means I'm working hard. This morning I hung out in the main entrance where we eat food. They have a tv out there with cartoons on while the kids are waiting for activities to start. Most of the kids come in from the community in the afternoon, but some of the kids live right next door and go to school all day at Rahabs house. So there's always kids coming and going throughout the day. For most of the morning I sat and visited with one of the disciples, she is really on fire for God. Knows her Bible and had some great questions for me about: how did you come to know God? What is the church like in America? The days here are like one big devotional! It's like having VBS every day! The disciples have a leader devotional in the morning, they spend time praying, and leading a kids bible club. 

Today was a special day with extra flurry of activity! Nick Vujic came and spoke. Nick has no arms or legs. He was born that way and his testimony is profound. Like Paul in Romans 1:16, Nick is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ! He talked to the kids, staff, and community gathered here, let them ask questions, and gave everyone who wanted one a hug. The joy he had was contagious! See his story here: 

Our team was blessed to be here when he came to visit. We got a special audience in the office with him, got to take a group picture, and we got to pray for him and his team. He is married and has a 3 month old baby, and so we prayed for his family especially because of all the traveling he has planned. We prayed for the spread of the gospel, and for special dream of his about getting millions to donate just $1 a month to a fund that would be used to generate economic growth, stop human trafficking, and relieve poverty in places like Cambodia. 

Our afternoon was amazing. I got to ride with the van to pick up the children at the riverside, brick factories, and other neighborhoods about 5 minutes away from here. We bring usually two van loads of about 20-30 each trip. Lots of the kids do live within walking distance, but these kids we pick up are even more poor than the kids living next to Rahabs house. I went on both trips. The first time I had kids all over me, sitting on my lap, petting my arm hair, and hitting the back of my head or shoulders. It was a really full van. The second trip out after dropping off the first group I got out of the van and walked with Janel and two of the disciples. We passed so many kids, parents, and grandparents. It is hard to imagine parents being complicit, or worse the perpetrators themselves, of trafficking their own kids. Now it is was obvious not all of the kids were being trafficked, but they were and are at an extremely high risk. Not only is trafficking a problem but simple sanitization does not exist, very little children are naked in the street running around on uneven brick infested ground that is perilous for even shoed people. Standing water, no refrigeration for food, animals running loose, and bad drinking water - it's not just the trafficking piece that moves you to compassion here, but the overwhelming poverty and apathy to it that hurts deep. 

Why would God allow this here? Why would he allow it on the planet period?  Listen:

Psalm 75:1-10 NIV

We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds. [2] You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity. [3] When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. [4] To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns. [5] Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly. ’ ” [6] No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. [7] It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. [8] In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs. [9] As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob, [10] who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”

I have observed in my missions here that even in the darkest corners of the world there are people lifting up praise. These are the people who are joyful, because they have hope! And they don't shy away from singing about Jesus and God! Our mission is not to "fix the world" ourselves, or compel God to "act", no! God is in charge, he appoints the time to act and judge. Our job is to declare forever the faithfulness of God's justice and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ! 

Today's Kids club was a blast. We taught the lesson of the Good Samaritan, teaching that neighbors are bold. I taught them some songs with hand motions: Jesus Loves Me and The Growing song. Many of them knew Jesus loves me already but the hand motions were new. Read your bible and pray ever day and you'll grow, grow, grow was new for them, but they picked it up really quick and loved it. I led several songs during the closing time, and we enjoyed singing Peel Banana together too. Kids are awesome and don't require you to have everything perfect or smooth, just put a big smile on and invite them to join you. 

Volleyball was more relaxed today after kids club and I got a chance to play with a few more of the staff since the volleyball team was traveling. Several of the disciples now know I speak a little Vietnamese and so we share a few words back and forth: how are you? I'm fine thank you. Sorry. See you tomorrow...etc simple but fun, they laugh like crazy.

Grace and peace!