Youth Ministry Allnighter

Last night was an "Allnighter" for the Youth Ministry of Quisqueya Chapel. There were 146 on campus, including the leaders. (Some could not stay all night, though.) It was an amazing night. After watching a long film, Q&A time and worship time, most of the kids stood in a long line to be prayed for by not one, but several of the leaders. They went to the first leader, he prayed for them, then they went to the next leader. I think there were 4 leaders praying like this. This took about 2 1/2 - 3 hours! ('til about 2 AM). One amazing thing was that you can get a crowd easily in Haiti among the poor who don't have much to do, but about a third of these kids are not poor (financially) but many are becoming very aware of their needs for God's work in their lives.

After the Q& A time, during worship, I felt that God was prompting me to pray with 3 specific guys--friends of Ricky's. During the first song, I noticed that one of them was praying with his head in his hand instead of singing. I felt pretty strongly I was supposed to pray THEN, so I walked over to where they were and only one was still there. It took me a few minutes to get up the courage to tap him on the shoulder and ask him if he would like to pray together. He had asked some questions about assurance of salvation, so we talked about that. Then we talked about other things and I said the obvious..."if you want to be sure, you can get that straight right now." He said "I guess we should pray." Then to decide who would pray first, he suggested we do "Rock, Paper, Scissors" His scissors could cut my paper, so that meant he prayed first. When we finished, we were both bursting. He said he felt filled with the fruit of the Spirit--filled with joy--like he was smiling soo big! Highlight of my year, I think.

ANOTHER amazing thing about last night was realizing how God has been answering prayers of mine from last year. Some of you have been praying for these things too. I prayed that Ricky would not fight us too much about going to Youth, that he would want to go and that his friends would come. Last year none of his closest friends were attending. As I looked around last night, I realized that in the past month almost all of his close friends have been at Youth or at least this Allnighter. And mostly they are showing interest in the things of the Lord. Another prayer was for a young Christian man who is strong in his faith to mentor Ricky and his friends. There were specific men I prayed about who have taught at our school. One of them was supposed to return to California and stay there, but God brought him back to be the main leader of the Youth Ministry (Marc). Ricky and his friends have Marc for Algebra, they get to talk to him at break, lunch, after school and at Youth. And when I was talking with Kevin (above) he mentioned that Marc has had a huge influence on all of them. I hadn't noticed how God was working...Now I thank Him for it!

Girls' Small Group

Yesterday I had my first meeting of my small group for girls that is part of the Youth Ministry of Quisqueya Chapel. I think it was a good start.

The small groups this year are "interest groups," and ours will be doing some baking, cooking, sewing and crafts. We are also studying the book of Mark (as is the whole church--in small groups). I am co-leading with a another missionary who was out of the country this week, but is coming back this week. We have 9 7th and 8th graders, half of them MKs and half of them girls from the neighborhood around Quisqueya Chapel. It will be a challenge to get them to connect. Last year's group didn't go so well in that regard. But this year, instead of having the small group as a 10 minute activity at the end of the youth meeting, we're allowing more time and going to our homes when possible.

Yesterday we started out meeting at the church. I share a song with the girls (from my laptop) that I just discovered and really love. It's called "By Your Side" and it's by Tenth Avenue North. My daughter Joy recommended it. It fit perfectly with our Bible Study from the first part of Mark about the baptism of repentence. I shared with them what I had heard online by the musician who wrote it. He was expressing how God was impressing on him that when we sin, we can go to God immediately. He doesn't need us to feel bad about for a certain amount of time or try to get better first before repenting and enoying his forgiveness. Of course regretting the sin is part of the process and we should focus on not sinning in that way again, but we can come to him right away "in the dead of night" as the author says.

After the song, Introductions, Bible study and discussion, I got out my beads. I showed them how I like to make beaded bookmarks and stretchy ribbon bookmarks to sell to help people in need. (one of the goals of our group is to help others with the things we make.) But I told them that whenever anybody helps me with these, it seems they really want to make a necklace. So for the first day I let each girl make one necklace or pair of earrings for herself.

Just to let you know what kinds of things we'll deal with in the group....I'll share this....
One of the girls lives in an orphanage (J) and is being adopted by a Canadian family. But this adoption has been taking years. I dont' know what she's been through before she came to the orphanage, or what it's like for her living with 50 (?) or more girls, the directors and some nannys (boys are in a separate home, babies, I think, are with the girls). Anyway, she made a beautiful pair of earrings quickly and then started making other ones. I reminded her that she was only allowed to make one pair for herself. She immediately (and expressionlessly) put everything back in one of my bins and sat there. Still showing no emotion. I didn't know what to make of it so I wen taround to other girls for a bit. Then I said she could make a necklace if she wanted, because I don't have many earring holders. She turned me down. Just sat there. Later one of the MKs was having a hard time tying a knot and remembered that I had remarked about how well "J" did at tying tiny knots for her earrings, so she asked her to help her. "J" went over and helped her (still expressionless). At the end I said, "J, don't you want to take a pair of earrings?" "No."
I don't know what was going on inside. ('I don't need your stupid earrings!' ? or 'I was making them for YOU to SELL!' ?.....no idea.) All last year she was in my group and hardly talked. I'm sure her English is a little lacking too. Pray for her please. As I said, I have no idea--yet--what she's been through or what it's like for her.
Thanks,
Carol

Quisqueya Chapel Youth!

I (Carol) have been involved with the Youth Ministry at Quisqueya Chapel (an English church here in Port-au-Prince) last year and this year. It has grown so much! I'm so excited to see all these young people coming out on Saturday afternoon! We might have had 90 this week.

This week we are starting small groups. Please pray for my small group of 8 girls.

This year I've gotten involved in the youth ministry of Quisqueya Chapel. I'm co-leader of a small group of 9 12-14 year old girls. My co-leader, Coby DeBlaeij and I hosted a Christmas party for the group over Christmas break. Seven of the nine were able to come. We made necklaces and gift boxes, sang Christmas carols and ate together. Please pray for these girls to open up--for most of them it's probably the first time they've been part of a group like this.
Edline, Shirley, Sendy, Rachel, Jules, Jennifer. (Natasha, Elodie & Naika not pictured here)