Sunday school seminar, soccer training, & hospital visit!

Lots to report, lots to pray about.  Yesterday and today we spent training over 30 Rwandan pastors and sunday school teachers about the effectiveness of sunday school.  Yesterday we focused on the value of a child and why a children's ministry is important.  We shared the five purposes of why a child needs to be involved - to know christ, share christ, serve christ, etc. They responded really well and seemed to know a lot of what we said, but the expansion on the ideas was beneficial.  Today we shared how to have a children's ministry, including games, songs, crafts, prayer etc.  Elizabeth was creative with natural resources and came up with imaginative ideas to incorporate in their classrooms when paper resources are unavailable.  The pastors were extremely grateful for our knowledge!

We have continued our soccer training in the afternoons, and it's been so much fun!  Joe, Travis, Kreg, Kyle and Ryan took the lead yesterday with teaching the coaches and referees different drills, and ending with a game or two.  I got to play today, and by NO means am I good at soccer, but it was so much fun trying to keep up!  I know the coaches are appreciative of Joe's teaching and our participation.

Now I write all of this with a heavy heart, because some of us just returned from the hospital visit. It's hard to explain my emotions right now, but I can tell you it was intense.  We walked through the different wards of the hospital and prayer walked.  We then went back and prayed with about ten specific patients, and it's a scene I will never forget.  We prayed over a woman whose name means hope, and who was dying of skin cancer.  Literally dying in front of my eyes as I held her hand and begged the Lord for strength and comfort.  She was skin and bones, with no life in her eyes.  But she thanked us for our words, and we walked away forever changed.  Kreg said that same woman was in that same bed just last year.  She's a fighter and a survivor.  Inspiring, to say the least.

I ask you for prayers of encouragement right now.  For all the patients we encountered, that the Lord would bring rest and peace of mind.  For our team, that we would hold strong to our hope in the Lord.  That our spirits would not be discouraged, and our smiles twice as bright.

Tomorrow we head out to Kirinda, to continue our soccer outreach, children's ministry, and school visits.  Keep the prayers comin, ya'll are great!!!!!

Joe teaching at the seminar

Our audience

Soccer ball!

Tacky AYSO players...hehe

Kreg and Tristen at the field

Showing my skills...

Go Travis!

Noelle and Elizabeth teaching games to children

Beauty, as always!