Fish Ponds for Love

What an amazing week we had at MAD for Mission. Today we learned that most people in Sudan are not Christian . . .they either have no religion or they are Muslim. We talked about how important it is for us to love every person in the world, even if they are not Christian, because God wil use our love to help them understand God's love. Wow! Isn't it amazing how God works even in our differences. We made lunches for children in our local community who might not have lunch during the summer and we prepared to sing in worship THIS Sunday at 9:45 and ll:00. We are so excited for the adults to hear us praise God in the Sudanese languages. A wonderful praise is that the children raised $67.90 to start a fund to build a fish pond in the Sudan so that a whole village can have fish to eat. You can help us by sending your contribution to AUMC and marking it "fish pond". We're so proud of our kids for loving the WHOLE world in the name of Jesus.

The Red Hand Campaign

Today we learned about schools in the Sudan and made school kits to be shipped through UMCOR around the world to help children learn. Surely God is at work in that effort! We also made our contribution to the Red Hand Campaign . . . an efort of the United Nations to abolish the use of children under the age of 18 as soldiers in war. do you know that the United Nations estimates that as many as 250,000 children are still being used as soldiers in some way in armed conflicts? Our messages for peace will be sent to our United Nations representatives to voice our hope that every child will have the privilege of growing up without war. We learned that a part of our responsibility as Christians is to be a voice that speaks up for other people who don't have the blessings we know! Thank you God, for giving us courage!

Four Feet, Two Sandles

Today in MAD (Music, Art and Drama) for Mission we learned about refugees . . . persons who don't have a country in which to live . . . and we learned that even Jesus was a refugee when he had to go to Egypt with Mary and Joseph to be safe. We made more school kits for UMCOR Sager Brown and heard a wonderful story about two friends who shared the one pair of sandles they had while living in a refugee camp (thanks to Nancy Guhl). Most of all, we learned that prayer is very important . . . prayers of thanksgiving for water and homes and parents and our church . . . and prayers for peace around the world and for the necessities of live for persons who live in refugee camps around the world. And we prayed prayers of thanksgiving for the United Methodist Committee on Relief that takes our school supplies and sends them all over the world with the love of Jesus!

MAD for Mission ala the Sudan

Welcome to day 1 of MAD for Mission . . . goes to the Sudan. Today we learned that life in the Sudan is very hard for children . . . that many children live in refugee camps where they have only their basic needs met . . . and that many come to the United States and other countries to be educated so that they can be a voice for hope and peace in their country. We learned, most of all, that God loves everyone in the world and that God wants us to love everyone in the world. And that out of that love comes our help for them. Sooooo. . . today we started making school kits that will be sent around the world to children in need through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and we started a collection to build a fishpond in Sudan that will help people have food to eat. We were reminded by the story of the loaves and the fishes that no gift we have is EVER too small for God!

It's all Good!

As we think about Vacation Bible School 2010 at Rancho Brazos all we can say is "It's all Good!" God was at work in wonderful ways this week as learned about our Bible friends, talked about God's love for us, sang and prayed with great joy. We ended the week with a visit from Jesus and the disciples on the road to Emmaus (aka Dan and Margaret Gessley and Carolyn Morrow) and a community party complete with a bounce house, a praise band and wonderful food. Our children led us in worship as they sang "God of Wonders" and we were reminded once againt that our God is an amazing, incredible, wonderful God who knows and loves each one of us!

Thanks to Janice Whitecotton and our amazing volunteers who blessed us with God's love.

Holy Visitors

Wednesday was another amazing day at Rancho Brazos. We fed lunch to over 60 children and then led approximately 40 in learning that God is knows everything about us and loves us unconditionally. We had a special visitor, Su Kelley, portraying the Woman at the Well and children learned that the same God that created the universe, who spoke to Elijah in the still, small voice came in person to meet the woman at the well and our response should be like hers . . . go and tell! We had wonderful singing, crafts, snacks and games thanks to our most wonderful volunteers. Come out on Friday at 6:00 PM to see and hear how God has been at work.

God of Wonders

Today at Rancho Brazos VBS we learned that God speaks to us sometimes in the wind, sometimes in the earthquake, sometimes in the fire, but most often in the still small voice that requires our listening. We had a surprise visit from Elijah who reminded us that even when we are scared or angry, God will hear us and show us the way!! God of wonders beyond our galaxy, you are holy, holy, holy!

Galactic Blast ala Rancho Brazos

What happens when God's children focus on the wonder of creation? Galactic Grace! That's what is happening this week at AUMC's Rancho Brazos Community Center with amazing volunteers and 30+ wonderful children! Monday's lesson focused on the creation story with creative storytelling, crafts, music and games. The best way to tell the story is to give you the opportunity to see for yourself! Please come on Friday at 6:00 PM for our wrap-up and celestial celebration!!