This week we're all four helping out with the Tok Pisin Holide Baibel Skul (Vacation Bible School).
Kendal is helping with registration
Calvin and Sydney are doing performances, teaching, helping with small groups and other events.
I am not really helping so much as shooting some of it on video and making a recap video.
The valley around us consists of several Villages (aka tribes). On Day 1 there were 485 children which is a record high for day 1. Day 2, 580. I've yet to hear what day 3 is. AND, that is without the nearby Bae' village because the river was too high to cross.
This happens once a year, through the planning and coordination of several people spearheaded by 1 family who traditionally puts it on.
The kids learn Scripture, use it, memorize, are taught it through skits, teaching, puppetry, play, crafts, etc. Our prayers are that we can change the country by discipling the future generations into saving relationships with Christ.
Each day the kids come, and they sign in, and they get 1 slice of banana bread (or some sweet bread) and a cup of water. Since the entire event is coordinated by volunteers, and since there are no bakeries near by, a very practical question is, how do you get that much banana bread?
In day 1, there were 43 loaves consumed. I'll post a video on it shortly. 43 loaves, at around 12 slices a loaf, that's a Lot kids, and a LOT of banana bread. My son counted, because he was the one saying 'only take 1 please' (wan tasol).
So how did we get that much bread? Weeks in advance an email blast went out to community asking for people to volunteer to make sweet bread.
Kendal made 12.
5 days of school, at 43-50 loaves a day, with 1 person able to make 10-12 loaves.
That's 250 loaves needed, and at 10 loaves per household, that's 25 households volunteering to make banana bread.
So, when I say, that what we do here, is much more than our passport jobs, this is one of those things I meant.
Since it is during school break, my wife baked loaves of bread, and then volunteered to do registration.
And several others from this community are getting involved.
I showed up to record my family working, that was it. But when I heard nearly 600 kids praising God in song, reciting memory verses, my heart was stirred and I let the camera run.
There are times in ministry when you see despair, and there are times when you see hope.
When you see 600 kids in a room, reciting Ephesians, singing 'We love to praise God' (mi laik presim God), that's one of those 'hope' moments.
Hope for the future of the children, their families, their tribes, their region, their country.
I'll post the video soon.
