For Spring break this year, we went with some other members of my church (and about 3000 other people) to Arlington, Texas to help Mission Arlington. Every Spring break, teams from surrounding states come to Arlington to lead Rainbow Express for children in apartments across Arlington and the surrounding areas. This was our church's family mission trip, so I took my family. Shannon couldn't go, but my parents could, so we headed out Sunday morning. Most of the preceding week, and sometimes during the week, I wondered if I was completely crazy to drag my kids off to do such a thing. To try to do such a thing with my kids. But in the end, I was glad we went. We got to serve together and make better friends with people that I see at church each week but rarely see much more than passing in the hall.
Isaac took his soccer ball, which I had encouraged because I remembered from my Israel trip that it is a GREAT thing to do. And it was. He helped keep the early arrivals there--and made new friends. Because he learned how to do puppets last year on Wednesday nights, he also got a chance to use those skills, performing a song for the kids each day. Both of my kids also got to participate in Rainbow Express and hear the stories and testimonies, seeds in their own hearts and souls.
Our first group was small, with two kids the first day and four by the end of the week. This was truly a blessing though, because it gave us a less stressful start and a chance to become more comfortable with our tasks each day before our second session in the afternoon. Those afternoon sessions usually had about 40-50 children, and at least a third of them were new each day. It was crazy at times, but the kids were great, loving, and wanted to be there.
It was a tiring week, but well worth it. I look forward to seeing some of our teams do the same thing here in Norman in May for To Norman with Love!
Isaac took his soccer ball, which I had encouraged because I remembered from my Israel trip that it is a GREAT thing to do. And it was. He helped keep the early arrivals there--and made new friends. Because he learned how to do puppets last year on Wednesday nights, he also got a chance to use those skills, performing a song for the kids each day. Both of my kids also got to participate in Rainbow Express and hear the stories and testimonies, seeds in their own hearts and souls. Our first group was small, with two kids the first day and four by the end of the week. This was truly a blessing though, because it gave us a less stressful start and a chance to become more comfortable with our tasks each day before our second session in the afternoon. Those afternoon sessions usually had about 40-50 children, and at least a third of them were new each day. It was crazy at times, but the kids were great, loving, and wanted to be there.
It was a tiring week, but well worth it. I look forward to seeing some of our teams do the same thing here in Norman in May for To Norman with Love!
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