Day 8 - 7/5/19 - Jesus's Love Can Do Anything

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11

I can't believe how fast this week has flown by. Looking back, there were so many ups and downs, so many of God's blessings and lessons, that I'm not sure I can fit it all in my tired brain. But I'll start with today, the last day of VBS:

Instead of playing games in the morning with the kids like we normally do, today we practiced the plays our kids would perform to their parents. Many of them had already memorized their lines the night before, but adding in stage directions and props created a pretty chaotic situation. We then had body worship with the amazing (as always) Chinese worship songs, including the Chinese version of Nothing is Impossible.

Afterwards, I presented my Bible story of the prodigal son, with Cherry as my translator. I also reviewed the wordless bracelet with everyone, which led to the church's confession time. One of the church members went up and told an amazing story about her son survivng a car crash and went through the gospel with the children. With everyone's eyes closed, she asked who would like to accept Jesus as their savior and into their heart. I kept my head down, but I heard from others that many of the kids raised their hands!! Praise the Lord!!!!! Please continue to keep these children in your prayers, for the ones who did raise their hand to grow in their faith and love God with all their hearts, and for the ones who didn't to remember the love they felt this week and in the future, if according to God's perfect plan, believe as well.

English Class (1st grade)

My English lesson ran smoothly as we reviewed the prodigal son vocab, played Marco Polo, reviewed our verse (Luke 19:10), and went over the final bead, green symbolizing growth. During lunch, we talked about our last English lessons and practiced our dance to I Lift Your Name Up, and I got to squeeze in a quick nap.

Finally, it was time for the "closing ceremony." All of the groups performed their plays and a song, awards were given to MVPs and the group with the most points (congrats to Levi!), we performed our dance, and it all ended with an exuberant SuXing!

Delicious mango water ice!!!

Scoreboard (drawn by Penny)

At night, we ate a pizza dinner at the church and had heartfelt and tearful speeches from both our team and the Taiwanese youth. I constantly thank the Lord for these brothers and sisters who we love so much, and I pray that we can continue lifting each other up for His glory. Getting sick a few days into the VBS has been heartbraking for me. At times, I wasn't able to play with the kids or talk with other youth even when I desperately wanted to in our limited time together. But through this, I realized it wasn't my strength that was at work, but God's. Through this, God again humbled me. And through this, I was able to see God work through my wonderful partners, Penny and Byran, who have led our kids with amazing excitement and love.

Please continue to pray for the health of all of our team members!

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10


This week has been filled with tons of excitement, emotion, and exhaustion, but one person's story stands out to me: Kevin's (one of the kids). Last year, Amy 阿姨 pulled us aside to let us know one of the kids was addicted to his phone, so we should try to encourage him specifically to participate. During lunch, I would often times see him sitting alone on his phone, not eating or speaking to anyone. He didn't like the songs or stories, and when I tried to speak with him he would mutter a response and go back to his game. This year, Kevin was in my my group, but I didn't recognize him until the second day when my sister asked for me to check in on him - not because I forgot about him, but because he had changed so much!!! He actively participated in answering story questions, initiated conversations with me and other kids, and most amazingly, never took out a phone even once the entire week! God truly works in amazing ways!! Amy 阿姨 later told me that last year after the VBS ended, he often cried and came to the church everyday for an entire week looking for us. And throughout the year, he would come to church around once a month! Talking with him this past week, he wants to, or in his words, 超想, become a teacher here, and as a prerequisite must come to church regularly. Please, please keep him in your prayers!

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 15:10

I told this story to older Kevin (one of the youth) as he drove me home on his moped a couple nights ago. He told me about a couple parents who have also joined the church because their kids went to last year's VBS, and later his own story of how he became a Christian (he is still the only one in his household). Racing accross a bridge at close to 90km/hr, he shouted "Jesus's love can do anything!" Looking at my life as well as the brothers and sisters in Christ both here and in the US, I know this is true.

If God can so gloriously transform lives using broken people like us, there is surely nothing Jesus's love can't do.