Centerpiece
I am writing the last part of this post first because I'm waiting for the other pictures, but also it is the best part of the story.
3 years ago funds we're donated to us for a play area. It took us 2 years to find time and decide how we'd use those funds. Last year we decided it would be a pool and barbecue area.
Though our pool sits to the side of the property it has become a centerpiece of our events.
An unintentional perk to having a pool has been having baptisms.
Well we've had our annual visit with Temple Christian College who not only brings great kids who spend quality time with our children they have also always bring tremendous support for the works that go on here. This year like the last we held a little one day VBS. Our school is out of session but still we had hundreds of kids show up.
We had kids from 4th and 5th grade who had not been baptized yet so today was the day.
Little prayers
First ones in was our second grade teachers (Sela's) son on the left. One of our most awesome children Ratha in the middle and Joe my own son.
First 3
Joe
Ratha
#6
#9
New to our household is Seitha
#12
#15
Also new to our home Thon and Beautiful Naiput
#18
#21
Tate's get's to help baptize his niece who comes to our school
#24
This young lady has had her eyes on our son Sam for a couple years. If anything works out in the future this will be a wonderful picture to have. ;)
#27
Some of TCC students who've not been baptized before joined us.
A little pool time afterwards.
Other parts of the VBS
T-Shirts and Classrooms
We came up with an idea about an empty tree and having the kids put their hands on it for leaves and the team adding their hands as fruit on the tree. Then we though of making a t-shirt the same but using thumb prints. So on Monday the day before the VBS half the team spent the day adding their yellow thumb prints to the shirts.
While half the team spent the day painting the empty tree trunks in the classrooms.
It was a long day to say the least. Some of our kids confirmed they do not want to work in a garment factory.
Team Thumbprints
Team painting the trunks of the trees in the class rooms.
Tuesday
Far more children showing up than we had hoped for.
A little bit of worship from the team and our worship team
Team house in the back right is complete and being used.
Pastor Mark sharing with Tate's translating.
Some sort of Mexican Chicken dance being taught. By the sounds I heard later later I think was one of the more popular classes.
Class by class the kids got to add their thumbprints to their shirts.
A finished, personalized t-shirts
Coloring pages and adding their hand print to the wall of what will be their class come October.
Finished murals
The idea here is that the classes each year will add their print as will our coming guest and over time our tree will fill out, "in theory".
There was also a lot of yard games, more music, soccer and volleyball going on.
With the kids going home after the baptism with a juice and a snack.
Ream and I spent the rest of the day on the couch.
