From Ireland to CEF Training School

The 2014 Dublin CEF CYIA Team

Ireland was a blast. I was so blessed to be able to spend 8 weeks there this summer. The last week I was there I got to meet up with Child Evangelism Fellowship and do 5-Day Clubs with them during their Christian Youth in Action week. I was put on a team with 3 other students along with Tanya Hamilton, the CEF director for Dublin.

Ollie, Adam, Andrew, and me

We were sent into the same clubs I was able to help out with one day last year. We had three clubs each day and it was a blessing to minister to the kids. I was able to teach 3 of the 5 Bible lessons - The paralyzed man, Jesus calms the storm, and then a wordless book demonstration. We all led songs, taught Bible memory verses, played games, and just had fun with the kids.

It was tough teaching those clubs as the kids are from very rough areas so some of them were huge handfuls sometimes. God was definitely protecting us as we were threatened to be stabbed, along with other things. One day one of the boys took our 'football' (soccer ball) and came up to our car with some friends as we were about to leave. He told us he would give our ball back if we gave him a 'jelly' (candy). We told him we would not give him a jelly for stealing. So as we were all buckled up in the car, he opened our 'boot' (trunk) and stole the jellys, spilling them all on the ground, and running away. His friends were encouraging him up until that point when they realized what was going on. They then told him to GIVE BACK THE BALL AND DON'T STEAL THE JELLIES! It was great. We got our ball back, without caving into what he was asking to do and the other kids stood up for what was right.

We didn't have any known salvations that week but we saw some softened hearts like Tommy who the first day of class was yelling at us and riding his bike right through the club. He was only 8 years old but his heart was hard as rock. A couple of us had the chance to talk to him throughout the week, and show Christ's love to him while inviting him to play games with us no matter what he did to us. By the end of the week, he was sitting quietly on the mat listening to the club and answering questions! Praise God!

It was a great week. God showed me how much the kids of the world need Jesus. And who will tell them? I will.

After Dublin CYIA, I finished up some things at Ireland Outreach before heading home on Tuesday, August 12. When I got to the Dublin airport that morning, I was told the plane that I thought had 9 seats was full as well as the plane that I thought had 21. At 7:00 in the morning I was told to wait until 8:15 to see if either would have a seat. So I waited in the front of the airport because they wouldn't even let me check my bag or go through security. At 8:15 I went back up to the counter inquiring of the situation. The lady was super excited to tell me I got on the earlier flight (the one I wanted to get on)! I then rushed through baggage check-in, security, pre-customs, and the rest of the airport. I arrived at my gate as they were just starting to board. I then realized I had a middle seat in between two people but it was an exit row so I had so much leg room so it was so worth it. God is so good!

In Charlotte, NC I found out that the pilot friend that provided me the cheap standby airline tickets was going to be flying into that airport while I was on my layover. He was hoping to surprise me, but I surprised him. We sat in the airport together until I had to board my final plane to New Orleans. 

On the flight from Charlotte to New Orleans, it was really empty. They assigned me a seat in an empty row so I laid down and slept the whole time. It was so good to see my family when I first saw them in the airport in New Orleans. Stephen and Olivia were waiting for me at baggage claim and when I saw them, we all started running towards each other until we ran into a huge hug! Oh, I missed those kids!

The rest of the kids were in the car or at home, and it was so good to see them. I was able to spend one week with them before heading off to my next adventure.

On Wednesday, August 20, I was once again at the airport. I flew via Houston to St, Louis, Missouri. I was on my way to Child Evangelism Fellowship's Children's Ministries Institute. At CMI I will be studying Children's Ministry and other ministry organization and leadership. 

The first week's class was Teaching Children Effectively level 1. A lot of it was review for me as I have been to CEF's Christian Youth in Action for four summers, but it was a lot harder. Instead of just studying our Bible lessons, we wrote our own Bible lessons. We also had to do writing assignments and practicums of a memory verse, the wordless book, and a Bible lesson. Today was the last day of the TCE1. I have learned so much that I will be implementing as I teach children in the future.

Some prayer requests:

1. Pray for our studying habits. We have around 2-3 hours of homework each night so it can be hard to keep studying when homework gets tough.
2. Please pray for unity among the students here. Its a small school (around 40 right now) and most of us are here for the full 12 weeks.
3. Pray for God to provide the needed funding for me as well as the other students attending CMI. We are all trusting in God to provide.
4. Pray for my family back at home as they are praying for me.
5. And please pray for me as I try to determine what will be the next step in my Missions journey. God has provided many opportunities and I just pray that I will have the wisdom to do what I should be, but step back from what is not meant to be.

Thank you all for your prayers! It means so much.

Sarah

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