Team 2010 update

July 19, 2010
This update has been long coming. We wanted to get it up two weeks ago, but we were so busy there just wasn't enough time in the day. Last week we tried again to work on the blog, but the internet access was limited and slow. We know that everything is in God's timing, so we rejoice in the opportunity given to us now, that we can update the blog.
What a joy and blessing it has been to join the Barnetts this summer on the MSM team. It has been wonderful to see the Lord work in each of the Vacation Bible Schools.
I arrived in Anchorage, Alaska on Wednesday, June twenty-third, from there we traveled to Talkeetna. We worked Thursday through the rest of the week planning and preparing for the Vacation Bible Schools that would take place over the next four weeks. We designed and created backgrounds,and prepared our lessons, crafts and snacks.
The first VBS took place at Talkeetna Baptist Church (Pastor- Wes Hudson.) It began with eighteen children and grew to twenty-six by the end of the week. Each day the kids learned Bible verses, songs, made crafts, had Bible lessons, played games, and had refreshments. The focus of each VBS is the share the gospel so that each child will know how they can be saved; and they are given the opportunity to trust Christ as their personal Savior. We greatly rejoice because we got word today, that one of the girls from my class accepted Christ today and was saved! Praise the Lord!
Our second VBS began July fifth at Pilgrim's Baptist Church (Pastor- Stan Tucker.) The Lord continued to work there as we had a total of fifty children register throughout their VBS. This was an added blessing, as Pastor Tucker had been praying a few weeks prior to the VBS that the Lord would send 50 kids. Amen. A few of the praises that week were when Mr. B had the opportunity to talk with two of the boys and see them become sure of their salvation in the Lord. Another praise was to see how the Lord worked in the hearts of the teen girls. God is really working in their lives.
We are three-fourths through the summer Vacation Bible Schools now. We've faced uncharted waters and new challenges along the way, but God has been gracious. It has been great to see how He leads and guides those who are teaching and ministering, and how He is working in the hearts and lives of the children. I'm so thankful that God only gives us that which we can handle, through His grace and glory.
We have seen the Lord work and bless in each of the Bible Schools and look forward to what He has in store for the week ahead. We will be updating the blog again soon, sharing how God worked last week at Pioneer Baptist Church (Pastor Marshall Hamilton,) and at Freedom Baptist, where we will be teaching this week.
There's never a dull moment here, as often the team is blessed with live entertainment. We won't name any names, but a certain young lady who's from Texas, seems to provide the medicine of laughter almost on a daily bases. For instance; mistaking a freezer for a fridge and having half a dozen cans of soda explode over the fourth of July weekend. So, instead of "black cats", sparklers, or cannons, we were entertained with a blast of stickiness. =)
Lord willing, we will be able to update to blog soon and add some pictures.
Please continue to pray for the team as we have VBS at Freedom Baptist Church this week and prepare for the FBF meetings coming up the following week.
Happy to be serving the Lord ~Michelle Stauss