Colombia - May 30th || Amanda

¡Buenas Noches!
¡Nosotros Tuvimos Muy Bien Día!

Nasia, Alana, Annetta, Amos, and I are craft team and this morning Nasia taught 'love stickers' which are always fun, the kids really liked them, both the making and the giving out of them : ) A lot of the children drew flags of the countries that are in the upcoming World Cup, then wrote encouraging things on them.
For lesson time Kristin told the story of Zaqueo, and how love changes people and things for the better!  Each child also made two bracelets one for them and one for them to give away - the point being that Christ loved us enough to give his life for us so we can show our love to others by giving little gifts.

We finished early so we filled our time till large group with pato, pato, ganzo (duck, duck, goose) it was so much fun. I really like the Colombian variation of the game, when ganzo is called the callee runs one way around the circle while the caller runs the other way and they both try to get back to the open seat, whoever is left standing is the next caller.  In large group we had 'Lovin' in the Hood' which is story about loving others. Ferdinand (Drew) is a bad child who steals Christian's (Maxwell) ball, then they grow up. Christian following God's path, while Ferdinand gets worse. Ferdinand knocks over a old lady (Alana) on her way home from the grocery store and steals her food. He then tramples the farmers (Nasia) field and scares her chickens. After which he takes the bakers (Kristin) shaving cream pie and shoves it in her face, then a 'her'-ah-cain (Sarah and I) comes and applies water gun rain and bed sheet wind to the towns people but especially Ferdinand who receives a 'broken' leg. No one wants to help Ferdinand as he was mean to them but then Christian sees him and knowing how much God loves Ferdinand and how as a Christian he is to show Christ's love to everyone he splints his leg, helps him to a safe spot and takes care of his wounds.

For lunch we had sweet potato soup, rice and beans and banana chips, with a lemon and honey drink. It was all delicious! After lunch it was back to the pavilion for Alana to teach the cross sun-catchers, then Kristin told the story of Louis Zamperini and how God worked through all the suffering he endured, and how he forgave the men who were so cruel to him. We then did 'Key to Forgiveness' necklaces. The main point of the necklaces is that if we don't forgive we get locked in the prison of our own bitterness and only when we use the miracle
of forgiveness, just like a key we can use it to unlock our hearts and allow Christ's love to flow through us.

Next it was the last large group of the day!  We did a 'Two Brothers' skit. The older brother, Philipe (Drew) lends the younger brother, Rigoberto (Maxwell) some money for lunch, then years later Philipe has a bright idea to bottle air and sell different scents. Rigoberto tells him that it isn't a good idea and he should think of something else, but Philipe insists and goes to the king (Briana) for a loan of a great sum to start his business. At first the king isn't convinced and tries to persuade him not to do it, but in the end the kings monkey, Mia, convinces her to give him a chance. As predicted his business is a flop as no one will buy his air, not even the tourists (Kristin and Nasia).  Now Philipe is penniless and has nothing but his bottled air. Mia reminds the king that Philipe never paid them back so she sends the guards (Sara and I) to collect him. He begs for forgiveness and Mia reminds the king that God forgave us a huge debt of sin, so we should forgive others, their by comparison small debts. So the king forgives Philipe the debt and he goes straightway to his brother and demands he pay back the debt of a few dollars from several years ago. Rigoberto can't pay him back, because he lost his job. Philipe starts fighting Rigoberto to make him to make him pay him. the guards are called to brake up the fight and Philipe demands that they put his brother in jail. The guards don't believe him at first because it is such a small amount, but eventually he persuades them. The guards tell the king about it, and it makes the king distraught. She calls for Philipe to be brought to her. The king tells him about how we are forgiven as we forgive, and because he refused to forgive his brother he now has to go to jail. The guards release Rigoberto and imprison Philipe.

That was the end of the program for today, then we had a little while before dinner so we headed back to the house to put everything away, but before we got inside we met several of the teens and Drew played his guitar while Sara played her violin, and we (the teens and us) sang and worshiped together until suppertime in Spanish and in English. It was an amazing time of fellowship : )

~ Amanda