I am stuck on Band Aid brand cuz Band Aid stuck on me would be the theme of this last week. Luckily Zach carries band aids in his wallet and there was a first aid kit available to us. When it comes down to it band aids only merely make it seem like the problem is solved. Putting a band aid on won’t make the pain go away. Won’t make it so you won’t bump the same spot again and won’t make it so you won’t scratch off the scab for the 3rd time. We used a lot of band aids this week.
Levelock is the only village where we fly to it every day. With it being a 15 minute flight, it gives us the ability to stay in Naknek at night. With this mind we are more intentional to make VBS as relational as possible given that we didn’t get time outside of VBS with them this week. Most days we didn’t officially start VBS until 1:30 and had kids come at 12:30.
We had 6 kids come and every once in awhile had a 1 year old join us for games or songs. We had half the school at VBS and was able to have one kid come for several days before he had to leave for fishing. We ended up giving each child a Bible. Yes even the 1 year old got a little one. We’re praying that those Bibles are read and that people will read them. If they sit on a shelf for years we pray that they will remember who to turn to and grab the dusty Bible off the shelf.
Its our 4th week and it can wear you out a little. Running VBS with 4 people in person and prayer warriors all around can be exhausting. This week we felt it. Katy felt it the most as she was fighting a cold all week and stayed home on Thursday to rest. In these moments of tiredness its easy to see the kids in a worldly perspective instead of a godly perspective. As a team we fell into that. There were moments we were clinging to him more because our cups weren’t overflowing. His grace abounded.
On the last day we packed goodie bags for all the kids. Filled with things from stickers to play dough to paint to sunglasses. You can imagine in our tiredness those times where we didn’t want to give those out because we didn’t feel like the kids deserved them. That isn’t grace. The puppets came around and popped up with a bag in their mouth and called out their name. The children would come up a receive their gift with gladness except the 1 year old who was scared. When we gave those bags to the kids the atmosphere changed. The kids got excited but were decent and polite. There wasn’t any band aids given out during that time. Smiles were all around as they were excited and showed what they had received.
The Gospel is the same for us. We didn’t deserve it and we didn’t have to work it for it. It was freely given. God has called us by name and we just have to receive the gift and when we do we change. We’re not perfect by any means but we need less band aids as we carry on.
Sone other updates since the last blog. We had 2 men come up from Mission Aviation Training Academy come up on their way to help with flying kids to KAKO Bible Camp. They stayed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday night and were able to help fly kids to Tanalian Bible Camp on Monday. Tuesday they repaired a magneto (probably spelt the part wrong because I’m not pilot or mechanic). The bonus is that when one has come before in the past there was a bear walk through the front yard. This time the bear was at the end of the driveway. I’m always glad when he comes! Being that he’s a retired State Trooper I know he’s not baiting the bears to get them closer he just has good luck!
We also had the Net rummage sale Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Living in a community where you have to fly to nearest thrift shop to donate your items the Net rummage sale is a great opportunity for locals to donate their items. It’s also a help to those who come up for the summer that might have forgotten to pack some warmer clothes or an extra pair of shoes. Its a free will donation and the proceeds go to sending kids to Tanalian Bible Camp. All around its a win!
Prayers for wisdom this next week as the next village has had a difficult winter. Good health and energy are always welcomed too! Let us know how we can praying for you!
In case anyone was wondering as has made it this far in the blog Heather’s hair is just as long as Katy’s leg.
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