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About 3 weeks ago, we had the unique privilege of serving alongside a team from Grace Community Church (pictured above) that helped out with the 10-11year old kids at the 11th Annual Sudanese Conference in North Carolina. There were about 600 Sudanese (coming from 15 states, Canada, Sudan, and Kenya), who gathered together at the Ridgecrest Center to enjoy a sweet time of fellowship and worship through song and teaching. Sudanese culture (along with many other cultures) has a relaxed view of time, and celebrates the event more than the schedule, so the experience served as good warm-up for overseas :-).
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Our kids (Isaac, Jackson, and Leah) just happen to be 10(x2) and 11 years old, so it was a treat to get to serve as a family.
The sessions consisted of songs, craft, skits, teaching, games, and movie.
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Jonathan's favorite part was getting to teach God's grand story from Creation to Christ; this makes for a very full two sessions :-)
At the end of our last teaching session on Saturday evening, the coolest thing happened. Even though the teaching went a bit long (as usual, oops), a few of the kids started asking some really great questions. They were really zoned in and paying attention. It was a thrill to hear them asking the "right" questions. Here are the ones we can remember:
- What is the right way to worship God?
- If Adam is the one who sinned, why are we punished with him?
- Did everyone who died before Jesus came to earth go to hell?
- Is the tray that we bow down to during communion really the body of Christ?
- Did Jesus go down to hell after He died?
- How can God be everywhere at the same time?
- Is praying to Mary a sin?
- Can you pray through Mary or the saints?
- Can a good Muslim go to heaven and a bad Christian go to hell?
Wow, what a privilege!
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Balloon volleyball craziness.
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Check out this 11 second video clip of Sudanese worship. Makes you think of Revelation 7:9, which describes how there will be worshippers at God's throne from every tribe, tongue, and nation. This might be a glimpse of the flavor the Sudanese will bring into His throne room.
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Craft fun! Matthew 10:39
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Prayer/Praise Requests:
- To better know Him and the power of His resurrection; to grow in the grace and knowledge of Him.
- Praise for a great visit to Grace Bible Church in Rockwell, NC. We really enjoyed our time with them.
- Praise for our recent opportunity at the Sudanese Conference. Pray for spiritual growth and continued biblical understanding for the kids. And for us all!
- Praise and prayer as God continues to raise up a partnership team around us, so we can go to PNG in January 2020. We're at 68%.
- Homeschooling mercies for Devon, Isaac, Jackson, and Leah. For Carter (7) and Selah (4) as they attend Aletheia Christian Academy this semester.
- For God to orchestrate the formation of the church planting team we will be a part of (2020).
- For prepared hearts and minds of the unreached people group we will soon have the opportunity to engage (2021).
Thanks for your partnership and friendship!
Sincerely,
Jonathan and Devon, Isaac, Jackson, Leah, Carter, & Selah
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