Sandbox Baking

   At the missionary compound in Yaounde, Cameroon the pre-school kids had the use of a large square contrete sandbox.  My wife and I had fourteen 3, 4, and 5 year olds to take care of for three weeks from 8 - 12 each day and they loved to play in the sandbox.  The girls would pretend that they were baking all kinds of cookies and cakes.  They presented them to me on toy saucers to taste.  I pretended to eat them and praised them for their baking skills.  The boys liked to fill toy trucks up with sand and haul them around the concrete enclosure.  It was a joy to watch them play together and have a fun time.  

    Soon they would be going back to the villages away from their friends with only Cameroonian children to play with.  During the rainy season the red clay would turn to mud while during the dry season there'd be wind and dust.  Our task was to teach them the Story of Creation, love on them, and help them have a fun time.  I believe we accomplished that goal.  

Bob and Elaine Delaney

MK's Favorite Pastime

I found that pre-schooler missionary kids love to have you read books to them.  The more you "ham" it up the better.  They love to sit and listen to stories about animals and people.  One of their favorite stories was the "Three Dassies."

 The book was written by Jan Bret and had very colorful pictures and a fascinating tale involving each Dassie building a house and a dangerous eagle.  The first Dassie built a house out of grass and the eagle came and blew it down carrying Dassie off to his nest.

 The second Dassie built a house out of sticks and the eagle blew it down and carried Dassie off.

 The third Dassie built a house using rocks, but the eagle tried as hard as he could, but could not blow it down.  He even tried to go down the chimney, but all he got was burnt feathers and covered with black soot.

 While he was busy trying to blew down the rock house the other two Dassies escaped out of his nest and scampered down the mountain to hide in their sisters stone house.  The poor eagle ended up with no breakfast and the three little Dassies were safe.

  Alls well that ends well seems to be the favorite part of the story. 

If you want to hold the attention of pre-schoolers try reading and acting out a good story book to them.  It worked for me.   Bob Delaney

Mystery Bible Character

    One of the enjoyable tasks while working with the missionary pre-schoolers on our Cameroon mission trip was telling them a story about a Bible character and seeing if they could figure out who it was.  Do you want to join us?

   The person I have in mind was an idol worshiper until God called him to go to a foreign country and start a new nation.  He had to travel a long distance leaving his family behind and trust God for direction.  When he arrived in the land a famine broke out and he journeyed on down to Egypt.  While there he lied about his wife which resulted in his being forced to leave the country.  He returned to Bethel and built an altar to worship God.  God made him a promise that all the nation would be blessed through him, and his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven.  He finally had a son at the age of 100. 
WHO WAS HE?

    The children could hardly wait for me to finish before their little hands were in the air to tell me that my mystery Bible character was ABRAHAM.   Did you get it right?   I can still hear the kids shouting -- Mr. Bob!  Mr. Bob! tell us a Bible story.   It was such fun!

 

Norm & Fay Boulton

We have been in Israel since March 3rd and will arrive back in the States May 25th. We both fell in love with Israel and the Jewish people when we came on a tour with Pastor Jim Henry in 2006. We come to stand with Israel. Without the Jewish people we would not have a Bible and possibility salvation. The Bible was written by all Jews except maybe Luke and our Lord and Savior was also born a Jew, died and  rose again as a Jew and will return as a Jew. We have been volunteering with Christian Friends of Israel and a Messianic / Christian Church called Jerusalem Assembly. We are told to stand in the gap, be intercessors and "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem may they prosper who love you" Psalm 122:6

Christian Friends of Israel is a helping organization, they are helping to settle all the new immigrants returning to Israel from other countries. We give support, food, clothes, and are always there for those who just walk into the office. When asked about our faith we can answer freely. I was surprised at how many each day walk into the office to have their needs met. CFI is supported by 26 countries around the world. Countries like Zimbabwe, Uganda, Slovakia send sacrifical support even though they are very poor countries themselves. 

The Lord has blessed with an apartment that is a 5 minute walk to a park area that has a beautiful view of the Old City. We go there often to sit and spend time looking over the very place God calls "My People" and "My Land" (Ezekiel 38:16 and Joel 3:2) 1st Kings 9:3 says the Lord has put "...My Name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually." Amazing to be blessed to look over the Old City, City of David, Mt. Moriah, the Kidron Valley, Mt. of Olives and the Garden area where Jesus spent so much time in prayer. We try to visualize all that has happened here (the best is soon to come). We enjoy mentally removing the "modern stuff" and thinking of people on the hill sides, in the Kidron and Hinnon valleys coming to the feasts or to offer sacrifice's unto the Lord, or just coming to "the city." 

While walking through the park on our way to the Old City to take in the spirit of Passover, we happened across a herd of goats, the man (shepherd) with them made some strange sounds and they all turned and followed him. We should be so obedient to our Shepherd. Our visits to Israel have deepened our understanding of how much God loves this land and His people. 

We need to continue to pray that the people and nation of Israel will truly look for and find the Prince of Peace. We are hearing and seeing that the hearts of the Jews are softening and many are coming to Christ. There are a number of Messianic and Christian groups reaching out to the people here. They earnestly need our prayer and support. All that happens here will be for His glory. IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM.

The seeds of the poppy take the shape of the cross during the time of the Passover.

Lynn Kennedy, missionary to Burkina Faso, West Africa

Thank you so very much for taking our request and need seriously! National curfew has been lifted. Planes are now permitted to land. Students have returned to school. (The school year will be extended, allowing all to get credit for this school year.) The military has also been calmed and the rioting and looting stopped. Thank you again for your prayers.