The last few days of our time in the Mole were a whirlwind. Between internet connection problems, a busy ministry schedule, and then a last minute change in our travel plans, we didn’t get to send another update from our team while we were still there. We’re home now, but our hearts are still very full from the work that God was able to do in and through us during the rest of our time there…
VBS in Carenage
Being in the Mole, there is no doubt at all that you are in a 3rd world country. However, taking the short boat ride over to the village of Carenage to visit for a few hours was eye-opening for all of us. In comparison to Carenage, the Mole was prosperous and thriving! As we approached the shore of the very small village, it was amazing to see the faces of the kids and adults as we approached…yelling and dancing with excitement to see us there. We were able to share with them the story of Daniel and the fact that God is our protector and that we should always worship Him as our Lord and King above all others. Perhaps one of the most beloved parts of the trip was watching the worship of one of the older women in the village. Her face was full of joy and the grace of God with every word – even though the songs we sang were for “kids”!
Teen Outreach
We were able to have another time of small group ministry with the teens in the area. During our second day for this, we talked to the kids about our need to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors – the 2 greatest commandments. We had great interaction and input from the kids and they were full of questions and clearly hungry to know more about how God wants them to live their lives within the every day reality of their worlds. As a team, we were moved and challenged by how they sought out time with us and how often this group of kids is overlooked and forgotten…we felt privileged that God allowed us to all be a part of reaching out to them all. Our last event with them was watching Narnia and sharing a gospel message with them based on the themes of the movie. Continue to pray for those that will come after us and reach out to that particular age-group in the Mole. They truly are the future of that country!!
Sports Camp
We had another fun day of just spending some unhurried time with the kids in the area. Soccer games. Four corners. Bubbles. Balloons. Fingernail polish. Basketball. Simon Says. Kickball. It was a morning full of fun, sweat, and some good times of connecting and getting to know a few people in the community. It was a touching time for many of us when we hand the chance to sit and play with smaller groups of kids and just “be” with them…making them smile and laugh and just sharing in the joy that God gives us in this life.
Eat Mole Chicken
This is Jody’s adopted slogan for the project…but we LOVE it! We had the opportunity on our last morning to give away materials for building a chicken coop, a rooster and 9 hens to 3 different families. We had the chance to meet each of the families and pray for God’s blessing among them all, that the gift of those chickens God would use to bless and provide for their families in new and wonderful ways. We’re excited to see how God will continue to use that project to transform the day-to-day lives of the families in the Mole.
As you can see, we had the opportunity to see and do many more things during the last couple of days on our trip. And we know that the work God has planned for that place is only just beginning. I think that most of us are already contemplating and praying about our next trips in…excited to see how God will continue the work that He began during our time there!
-the team from Pleasant Valley Baptist Church
Liberty, MO