Dear Reader: Here is an
accounting of a weekend I recently spent in North Carolina with
friends in Christ. I try to visit these people at least once a year.
These people are true friends and have stayed with me in my struggles
over the past two and a half years.
Normally these letters are of
my trips to England but I thought I would write about something that
happened here in America.
Sometime
ago I had asked when would be a good time to visit and it was finally
decided the weekend starting the 17th of July 2009. I was asked if I could help teach a Sunday School Class
that Sunday to my friend’s first grade class. I consented and he
sent me some material I had to learn because I was the one who would
be reading it to the class.
Finally Friday the 17th rolled around and I was off at 05:30 in the morning. I know this sounds like a rather early departure but please remember I had to go through Baltimore and Washington D.C. and I really didn’t want to get jacked up in the horrendous traffic in that area on I-95.
I
arrived at about three thirty in the afternoon and after I unpacked
and freshened up a bit, we went to his church. They were having
activities and a sleepover for those who are going to be in the first
grade in their Sunday school. This is a sort of “rite of passage”
for these youngsters. I was very flattered and honoured that I as an
outsider would be allowed to participate in an event like this with
five to seven year olds. There were some older kids but this was
actually open to all grade schoolers. Earlier in the day the group
had gone to a pottery mill to learn how clay pottery is made. The
place where they went makes all of their goods by hand and has been
in business since the late 1700's. After a lunch in the mill’s
picnic grove, they returned to the church. They had activities
planned by a young lady who is working on a degree for teaching. This
young lady not only developed the curriculum but executed it as well.
When we arrived, she was in the middle of reading a Dr. Seuss story
to them. The story was Bartholomew
and the Oobleck (1959), which
the kids seemed to enjoy very much. Afterwards, the kids went to
tables that were set up out side with some kitchen utensils and bowls
on them. There was water, cornstarch and green food coloring
provided. The kids were instructed on how to mix the ingredients and
went to it. The idea here was to make an Oobleck like substance as
well as teach the kids the differences between solids, semi solids
and liquids. I feel the most important thing taught here was
teamwork. This is perhaps one of the most important lessons that can
be taught a child and in my humble opinion; this is an excellent age
to do it.
After they were done with the Oobleck, they went back inside to a critique of what they had learned and then went to supper. Supper consisted of Pizza, Pop Corn and “Bug Juice”
When supper was over, we had arts and crafts like activities as well as a game of “Bible Jingo”. The arts activities consisted of making our own “stained glass” figures of the fish symbol with a cross inside it [Icthus]. Some of the results were very nice as you can see.
No, I am not going to tell you which one is mine . There was another thing the kids were supposed to paint but by that time most had lost interest in painting. This is when the Minister of Education took over and held a game of “Bible Jingo”. The game is something like bingo only the prizes are not monetary. The game works like this.
The answers are on the boards that are given out. The caller asks a question and if the answer is on your board, you get to place a marker on it. The rest of Bingo rules apply for winning.
After this, it was time to get the kids ready for bed. This is where I had to leave. Since I am not a member of this church, the rules say this is one function I cannot participate in. This church, like most others has a “Safe Church” policy in effect. I returned to my host home for the night and enjoyed a quiet evening with his wife and son.
The next morning I went back to the church to have breakfast with my host and the kids. However breakfast was late in arriving and we had to get going, as we had to be in Raleigh for a show at the I MAX Theater. We stopped at Mc Donald’s and picked up Egg Mc Muffins and Hash Browns and went to his home for breakfast.
We arrived in Raleigh and went to the I MAX for a show that was one of their own productions. I had never been in an I MAX before so this was a real treat for me. I will say the realism is terrific and there is no comparison to the original 3 D movies we had when I was a kid. Afterwards we went to an “Olive Garden” for lunch. This is one of the nicer ones I have been in. The service was very prompt and courteous and the portions generous, generous enough for us to take part of our meals home with us .
We arrived home after a Cooks tour of Raleigh and just kicked back for the rest of the day. I went out and did some shopping and afterwards helped my host with some of the preparation for his Sunday school class the next day.
Sunday dawned mostly sunny and cool for the time of year. After we had a big cooked breakfast, my host had to get going early to set up the classroom and I soon followed to help with this. I also had to mind the room for kids coming in since all of the teachers had an emergency meeting. This classroom is equipped with a computer and the kids can take turns playing interactive Bible games. The favourite seems to be puzzles of different kinds.
After the meeting and a good many of the kids had arrived [some of whom remembered me from previous visits], we started the class. The day’s lesson was on Romans 13:9. There were a number of interactive games devised by my host as well as a monologue done by me. I was dressed in some stage props to look like the Roman Centurion Cornelius. I read the story to the kids of how Cornelius met Peter and then answered some questions afterwards. In all it was a very successful class with 12 students being in attendance.
After the class, I had gone out into the hallway to talk to the Minister of Education and ran into a 10 year old boy who has sent shock waves through the church. I had met this boy last year and in a way, I helped my host mentor him. The real shock to the congregation came when this past spring, he came forward at an alter call during a revival meeting and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour. The shock here is he has been the youngest to ever do this with out parental support!
This boy saw and greeted me with “Hello Mr. Terry, how are you” coupled with a handshake and a very surprising but modest hug. Needless to say, I was very touched by this act.
Afterwards, we went to the sanctuary for service and while we were waiting for the service to start, this very same boy had taken a piece of paper and made a paper boat out of it. He then turned to me and said, “here Mr. Terry, I made this for you”. I tell you truly, this is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given by anybody and I have it at a place of honour on my computer monitor where it will serve as a reminder of just how awesome God is.
After the service we went home for lunch and just plain chilled for a while. It was a lazy afternoon and that was fine with me. I’m not one of those people that need some kind of constant activity, I am perfectly happy to just kick back and relax .
After a bit, we went back to the church for the evening activities. This church doesn’t have any organised activities as such during the summer vacation season but it has things like movies for the kids in the evenings. This night we were treated to a movie complete with munchies like popcorn, cake and bug juice. I also took this time to take some photos of the new Sunday school wing.
After the movie it was time to say farewell to my friends there. I met the boy from that morning in the hallway, shook his hand and wished him a goodbye, he in turn did the same to me then he hugged me again and said, “Mr. Terry, Please come back as soon as you can”. In all honesty, I almost lost it right there. I went outside and said my farewell to the adults that were kibitzing in the parking lot and went back to my host home. We had some supper and before I went to bed, I bade his wife and son goodbye as I knew by the time they got up I would be long gone. The next morning I was up and gone by 06:10 and had a rather uneventful 500 mile trip home.
Some things I wish to point out here. Before meals, grace is always said. Each person in the circle [yes, we hold hands and make a circle] offers the prayer at least once. I usually offer the prayer on Saturday evenings. Also, I have for two years gone to the alter call and have renewed my dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ. This may seem like a lot to some, but it never hurts to let Jesus know you’re still committed to him. Also, I was very blessed this past trip. I was allowed to participate in a children’s Sunday school class even though I am not a member of that church. The trust here came from my host say so. I was also very blessed by the presence of a ten-year-old boy who opened his heart to me and allowed the light of Christ to shine through him. Not only did he give me a precious physical gift, also, more importantly, he gave me his unsolicited love. I was very humbled by this act. This is a good example of Romans 13:9 “Love one another as yourself” ; I am a very rich man for what has been given me.
As always, you are in my prayers.
Terry
I might point out the children shown here are now adults in their early 20's.
Sorry for the poor line spacing but this is a case of Google fixing something that wasn't broke :(
