VBS Day 5~Celebrate!

The morning was spent packing and cleaning Father Mark's. We got to the school and started preparing the food for lunch. We prepared 175 hot dogs and 40 hamburgers for our picnic lunch (only 20 hot dogs remained at the end). We also had chips and sweets to finish off the meal.   The Southend kids were excited to join us and showed up even before the scheduled time. We celebrated the last day by singing their favorites songs.  The joy filled the room and was such an inspiration.  We knew that the Holy Spirit was at work!

Saying goodbye was hard - we made many new friends this past week and rekindled friendships from prior years.  There were tears from them as well as from our team members.   The relationships have intensified over the years as we have shared our love and the love of Christ.   When we say we will see you next summer, they now trust that we will return.  We are privileged to have been a part of what God is already doing in Southend.   We provide hope and love to them while they provide love and joy to us!

Thank-you for following our blog and thank-you for your prayers and support.  This Journey for Jesus is not over....this was just one leg of the trip.  We look forward to Southend 2013!

Heading down the hill from the school to Father Mark's to say more good-byes.

The Southend Rocks...

 

VBS DAY 4 ~ Jesus Gives Us Eternal Life

We had 102 children register for today's VBS and we gave each of the kids a special t-shirt that we had made.   It said "Jesus Loves Southend" and we had an image of rocks and someone jumping off the rocks which is what they like to do.  We used the shirt as a visual reminder of Jesus' love for them and our love for them.  The kids love to sign things so we thought it would be a great momento and so our craft for the day was autographing each others' shirts. 

The lesson for the day was "Jesus Gives Us Eternal Life" and so we taught them that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  The kids have done a great job of memorizing the daily Bible verse and today's verse was "In my Father's house there are many rooms."  John 14:2     The music this year has been a big hit and the kids have been very joyous and energetic in their singing and actions.   The challenge has been in keeping the kids back far enough so everyone can see.

The weather did not cooperate so our whole team was unable to go to an island and net the fish for our shore lunch.  The silver lining was that we enjoyed our last full afternoon and evening with the Southend kids.   At one point, we had 38 people in the house doing crafts and singing the VBS songs!  It was very busy but very fun.   Some of our team members were able to go with Joseph to pull the nets and bring home the fish.  A couple of local men (Joseph and Hector) cleaned the fish and cooked them over a wood fire for us.  It was a wonderful meal and we enjoyed visiting with them.

This was the last night for soccer camp and tomorrow will be the last day of VBS.   We are hosting a picnic for the kids and family members of both the VBS and Soccer programs.  This week has gone by so fast ~ it is hard to believe our time in Southend is almost over.  We are already looking forward to next year when we return, and so are the kids.

VBS Team 2012 with Father Mark

The image on the t-shirt we gave all of the Southend kids.   It says "Jesus Loves Southend".  

Notice the "t" in Southend is a Cross!

Shirt signing with Molly

A lot of autographs!

LAMP Soccer Team

Front row Messiah members:  Amanda, Celia, Kate, Dominique and Molly

Back row:  James, Dan, Andreas, and Stephan

  



Day 3 ~ Jesus, the Fulfillment of God's Promise

This is the day the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!  It's a beautiful morning in Southend and the children are already out at the rocks swimming!!  We start our day as a team with Bible Study at 9:30 based on what we are teaching the children each day.  We enjoyed an additional teaching from Father Mark about how covenants were made in the Old Testament days and how this connects with the new covenant and Jesus' sacrifice for all of us.   After Bible study, we have brunch together and then head to the school to prepare.  We were all happy to see Ron Ludke, director of LAMP, who visited us yesterday.

On Day 3 of VBS, we taught the children about Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise God made to Adam and Eve after the first sin.  The children love to sing, and each day their voices are stronger.  There is so much joy in the gym!!  The children who range in age from 10 - 12 enjoyed a soccer game with the LAMP soccer team!  Great interest builder for next year's soccer camp and so much fun!  After craft time, the care packages made by Messiah VBS kids were given to the children...they loved them.  Thank you, Messiah VBS!!   Also thanks to Dr Raab who donated toothbrushes and toothpaste!

After VBS, there is time at Father Mark's and at the rocks...swimming, kick baseball, wiffle ball and other games with the younger children.  Everyone has enjoyed continuing crafts at Father Mark's such as God's Eyes, Thumb Print creatures, bracelets and coloring.  All this time provides many opportunities to talk with children in smaller groupings.  We are already saddened at the prospect of leaving tomorrow because we love these children so much.  Some of the kids on our team have said that they wished this week wouldn't come to an end.  God has been so good to us!

Molly, Celia, Amanda, Dominique and Kate join the Soccer Camp from 6:30 to well past dark.  They are enjoying this so much and each night, there are more Southend kids who participate!  The kids play for an hour and take a water break.  At that time, someone shares a testimony.  After that, there is more play and then the food comes out and is quickly consumed by the very hungry soccer players.  Last night, Dan, one of the soccer players shared Peter's perspective on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit.   Each night, there is teaching and sharing around the fire.  Adults from our team assist in preparing the camp fire, setting up chairs and food preparation and serving.  It is fun for us to see our former VBS kids and continue a relationship with them.  Molly will blog more about her adventures in soccer camp soon.

Today our lesson is Jesus Gives Us Eternal Life.  We will pass out T-shirts which say "Jesus Loves Southend" and the kids and adults will all have the chance to "autograph" them.   Our friend, Joseph, has set some nets on the lake and our team will travel by boat to an island to help pull up the nets and prepare a "shore dinner." 

Thank you for all your support and prayers!  "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His Name, make known His deeds among the peoples, proclaim that His Name is exhalted."  Isaiah 12:3.

Having fun with the new toothbrushes from Messiah VBS!

Music Time!

VBS DAY 2 - Man fell into Sin and God makes us a Promise

Our second day of VBS was another success with at least 88 kids registering.  Some of the Southend kids that attended VBS in the past and are now too old for this program have volunteered to help this year with things like registration and crafts.  It is encouraging and rewarding to see that they want to be involved and  are so supportive. One of them (Diana), when asked what the best thing was that happened in the last year responded with the comment "when you guys came last summer".   She is also the one who was overheard telling the younger kids that we ( the Messiah team) only come once a year and they need to be respectful and pay attention. It was heartwarming because we have known her since the first year when she at first said that VBS wasn't fun.  We hope we are instilling a passion and desire for future Christian leaders in this community. 

The day was filled with the VBS, game playing at Father Marks, Soccer Camp and fellowship.   Our time is passing quickly and we hope to continue to be blessed with opportunities to make a difference.  God is definitely here in Southend!

Father Mark and his bell ringing vehicle that drives through Southend to remind the kids to go to VBS.  With Ben, Luke, Caleb and local friend Kevin.

Sidewalk chalk with the pre-schoolers

Tug of War!

God's Eye Craft - a favorite from last year.  Dominique with her craft group.

Swimming at  "The Rocks" - this is the place they hang out daily

VBS DAY 1 - GOD CREATED US

Our first day of VBS was a busy and exciting day with 106 kids joining us!   We are so happy that God brought all of those kids to VBS.   There were a lot of familiar faces and a lot of new faces.   The lesson and theme today was about how God created each of us and we are special to Him.  A typical day consists of the opening with music, coloring, tattoos and free time in the gym. This is followed by  singing, teaching the kids a Bible verse through a game, a skit, a puppet show, and then game time.  After that we have snacks, music, and crafts.   The VBS starts at 1:00 each day with the morning being filled with a team Bible study and the preparations for the day.

After VBS we walked down the hill to Father Marks where there was a gathering of kids ranging in age from 3-13.  We spend time with them playing kick baseball and other games with the smaller kids. 

This is the first year for soccer camp with about 20 Southend teenagers participating!  There are four young men traveling from LAMP who spend their summer hosting soccer camps for teenagers  in the Cree communities.  They are doing it at the same time as our VBS so that there is something available for all of the kids in the community.  Messiah is supporting this by having some of our females be a part of their team since we want Southend males and females to be comfortable participating.  Molly is a counselor  joined by Amanda, Celia, Dominique and Kate.  This made for a long day for the girls since they were involved in the VBS as well.   The soccer camp starts at 7:00 each night.

We were very pleased with the lives we were able to touch today through both programs and during our free time.  Your continued prayers are appreciated as we continue to share Gods love.

Adam and Eve (Ben and Angela)

I've got the "joy, Joy, JOY!"

Craft time!  A book of this weeks Bible verses.

Soccer Camp - notice the long grass soccer field

And Then There Was Light!

Our latest adventure on this trip was when the power went out for 17 hours. That happened later in the afternoon so we had already been to church with Father Mark and had the soccer team over for brunch. Because the power went out we couldn't reherse any songs or skits because there was no light or electricity. Instead we passed out invitations with some of the kids from Southend to people's homes. The yard was full of our team and Southend kids as we played kick baseball, painted nails, and had games for the little kids. There was about 50 kids that we spent time with and gave out snacks to (provided by Messiah members).

MEALS ON WHEELS~Because the electricity went out we were not able to provide food for the 21 mission workers. Plan A was to cook on the kitchen stove, Plan B was to use the gas grill which ended up not working either. Plan C was created by Father Mark. It involved by putting chuncks of rock and sand into a wheelbarrow. He then put scraps of wood in, torched it, placed a grate over on top, and then we were ready to prepare our Meals on Wheels.

Brian, Father Mark, and Barb cooking dinner in the wheelbarrow

Yard Games - waiting for their turn in kick baseball and interacting with the Southend kids

Brian and Dave with the cross they built for VBS

We are now starting our Monday with Bible Study and Brunch, then it is off to school for our first day of VBS.  We are so Excited to see what God has planned for the day!

A Rainbow Welcome

We left Prince Albert yesterday morning and met Father Mark at his church in La Ronge. The soccer team arrived shortly after having driven all the way from Edmonton. The soccer team is made up of four young men named Andreas, James, Dan, and Stephen. They travel into communities with LAMP VBS to work with the older kids of each community. We traveled to LAMP lake to leave our cars and connect our trailor to Father Marks car.


As the parents unloaded, the kids took a "barefoot trail" with "Barefoot Mick" who believes in the health benefits of walking everywhere barefoot. We spent some time in the water and then hopped in the cars for the last stretch. Along the rainy drive, we saw sheep, deer, fox, and a beautiful rainbow that welcomed us just before we entered Southend! That was the biggest, brightest rainbow that Father Mark had ever seen and he reminded us over the walkie talkie that the rainbow is the symbol of the first covenant between God and man. When we arrived in Southend, we were also welcomed by excited kids waiting to see us!

                                                          ~Amanda and Angela

"I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant  between Me and the earth"  Genesis 9:13

Father Mark and the mission team kids at the Churchill River

Learning about the benefits of being barefoot by Barefoot Mick!

Southend Bound !

We left Estevan and continued north through Regina to Prince Albert.   It was  an 8 hour drive with a few stops along the way.  In Regina some of the team members had the opportunities to witness and give out our "Jesus Is My Rock" coin.  We enjoyed a wonderful spaghetti dinner with homemade pies that were provided by the members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Prince Albert.   Then we spent the night at a hotel, getting a good nights rest before heading into Southend.

We will have another 8 hour drive today.  We are meeting Father Mark in La Ronge and will then transfer all of our  personal things into a  taxi van.  Our trailer will be pulled by a vehicle that has tires suitable for the gravel roads.  The last four hours  of our drive will be on a coarse gravel road into Southend - we are so excited!

Thank-you for your continued prayers.

Witnessing to a street musician - then he sang a special song for  the team..."I saw the light!"

The Piper families - they housed and fed our team of 17!

The team kids getting ready to leave Bethel Lutheran Church in Bismarck

We're Back at the Pipers!!

After a stop at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bismark for lunch (thanks to Vernice's family!), we made it across the border and safely to the Piper Family's home in Estevan, Saskatchewan.  We experienced safe and fun travel and are thankful to the Lord.  Our journey of 13 hours took a little longer than anticipated because we took the Lewis and Clark scenic byway (God's plan!!  And we liked it!!).  This gave us an opportunity for a practical joke involving running out of gas.  Just kidding, Brian!  We were delayed at the border briefly.  The border guard happily accepted the coin we gave him which says "Jesus is my Rock" and "My strength in whom I will trust."  (Psalm 18:2).  The entire verse says, :The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my Rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."  So very very good and God is great!  Once our passports were returned to us we were sent on our way by a big gust of wind which we believed to be the Holy Spirit! 

 It is so wonderful to connect with our friends, the Pipers and we are so grateful because we know there are not many families who will host 17 people.  They are family to us and hopefully you will have a chance to meet them when they visit Minnesota!  We are looking forward to seeing Laura's parents, Nat and Joyce this morning.  The Messiah kids love their time with the Piper kids!

Today we will head to Regina for groceries and Prince Albert for dinner at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Thanks so much for all your prayers!  They are the fuel for our journey for Jesus!

Ready to Roll!

One  more sleep and we're off to Southend.  The trailer is full...really full!  We had a pizza and packing party at the church tonight and joined together in prayer.  It's been a great year of preparation and team work.  We're grateful for the people God has put together once again this year; just as He has in the past.  We are grateful for all the support we receive from the members of Messiah, our friends and family.  We are thankful for Pastor Bob and Beth who have encouraged and supported us and modeled for us the love of sharing Christ with others!  Thank you for praying for the people of Southend and for us. 

I will praise You, O LORD, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and  rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

Southend Team for 2012

These are the people going to Southend in a few days (2 more sleeps)! 

We are all looking forward to seeing the kids and Father Mark!

THE CREE

The Cree are the First Nation of Canada.  They are special people that have characteristics and values that are often different from those of our own Midwestern ways.   They value relationships over tasks as we tend to be task oriented.   They don’t let the clock control them…time doesn’t mean the same to them as it does to us.  They are a culture that shares everything and they are not materialistic, much of their property is communal.  They would much prefer story telling over reading, or being read to.  These are some of the differences we recognize but more important is what we have in common….that we are all children of God and He loves us and gave his Son to die for our sins so that we could have eternal life.  THIS is the message that we are going to Southend to share.  May God Bless the Cree and open their hearts to receive his Word!   

              

These are some of our friends from our 2011 VBS....look at the joy on their faces!

Puppet Practice

The kids (and Snickers) are having fun practicing the skits and puppet shows we will use to share the Good News of what Christ has done and continues to do for all of us!!

SOUTHEND ~ GOD'S COUNTRY

God created the earth and its beauty and that includes Southend!    This is a village in Northern Saskatchewan which is located on the south end of Reindeer Lake (the 9^th largest lake in Canada).    In addition to the beautiful water there is a large wide open sky to showcase sunshine and sunsets.  The waters are bordered by a rocky terrain and rock formations that are a favorite for the swimmers to jump off of (and that includes a number of our team members!). 

The road leading to the town is made of course gravel and when you get into Southend the roads are dusty and very natural.  When driving through town you never have to wait for the lights to turn green as they don’t have them in Southend.  The population of this village is approximately 1,000 people with half of them being children under the age of 12.. 

This is the home of the Cree natives who are the First Nation of Canada.  It is a remote community in Northern Saskatchewan that has challenges brought on by its location and the climate.  This is the village that God has chosen for our team to serve.  We will travel 1,320 miles to get there from Lakeville, MN.   It will be a 25 hour drive one way for our team that will be traveling with three vehicles and a trailer.   This is God’s country where we will have the privilege of sharing the love of Christ and the Hope for their future with Him.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!

The people of Southend Saskatchewan and the love of Christ have filled our hearts with joy and excitement as we prepare for our Mission Trip to Canada.  This will be the third year that Messiah has sent a team to this community as part of the LAMP ministries (Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots).   

 Our Mission is to go into the community of Southend and reach out to all ages.   We will teach VBS to the Cree children  (ages 5-12).   In the past we have averaged 90-100 kids per day.    This year we are excited that there will be the addition of a sports camp for the older kids (ages 13+).  LAMP  is providing the core team for this camp and one of our team members will be dedicated to supporting this soccer camp full time.   Some of our VBS team members will also participate and support them in various ways.   During all of our activities we will be building relationships in the community and will be sharing the  Gospel of Jesus Christ.   We pray that we can also establish relationships with more of the adults in the community.  

 In the Bible we learn that we are to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation”. Mark 16:15   We are getting ready to go and know that God has a plan and that we are privileged to be a part of it.  We ask for your prayers of support and blessings as we finish our preparation and continue on this Journey for Jesus.

 Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church. - Southend SK

Messiah Lutheran Church - Lakeville, MN

Back to Canada 'Eh?

Yes we are at it again! We are going back to Southend, Saskatchewan for Messiahs 3rd year teaching VBS to the youth of the community. This year, the team will be 17 members. The team includes:

• Brian, Sandy, and Kate (14) Doyle -3rd year to Southend
• Vernice, Dominique (14), and Angela (12) Dabu -3rd year
• Gwen, Celia (14) and Luke (10) Veldhuis-Kroeze -2nd year
• Barb Durst-2nd year
• Dave, Kristin, Amanda (13), Rachel (12), and Caleb (10) Scott -1st year
• Molly, and Ben (11) Cochran -1st year

Follow our blog as we continue to spread the word this summer!


- Dominique and Angela Dabu