Beirut - Day 4

Started with breakfast and team meeting again. Pastor Kelly is doing a leadership training this morning for the local church. In addition to local church leadership, they've invited members of their church as well as leaders from other local churches to attend.



I spend a while handing out with the kids of the people attending the training. As most of them had been at the Fun Fair last night, I ended up showing them how the illusions I used the night before worked, and then let them try to do them.

Went into the last half of the training class. One of last things that Pastor Kelly showed them was the "SOAP" (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) approach we use for Bible study. One of the team members (David) shared his results from that morning, and then Pastor Kelly had them all go through an exercise of it. They really seemed to like it.

After lunch we headed back out into the neighborhood again. However, the interpreter than Glenn and I had appeared to be in a hurry to find a pharmacy and return to the church. We only talked to a few people, mainly we just handed out flyers and returned to the church early.

That evening we had the second session of the Fun Fair. I was working the syringe full of water putting out candle booth for the first half of the evening. Then Katie, Rodgett, David, Pastor Kelly an I gathered the kids and did a cross with beads necklace craft. After that I worked the popcorn machine for a while. Then we gathered the kids again and then I did the gospel presentation. After quizzing the kids about what the color of beads on the craft meant, I explained that I was going to show them something that explained the sin (black), blood of Christ (red) and our cleansing (white) portion.

Then I did an illusions where I told them I was going to make cookies. I broke an egg into a pan, then added suger, flower and water. Then I told them that to add color and texture, I would (and did) add dirt. I then asked the kids if they would eat the cookies with the dirt in them. When they said no, I asked if adding more surgar would help. They still said no, and I asked if adding lots of sugar would help and they still said no. I explained that dirt represents our sin and sugar the good things we try to do so that God will love us. There isn't enough sugar (good works) in the world that would cover up the dirt (our sin). However, Jesus' death on the cross allows Him to purge us of our sin, so that we are clean. At that point I covered the pan, and when I uncovered it again the pan was full of cookies!

When I asked if any of the kids would like to allow Jesus to cleanse them of their sins, almost all the kids raised their hands almost before I finish my sentance. Lead them through the sinners prayer, and then we distributed cookies to all the kids.

It's interesting that the one time I know we lost power both nights of the Fun Fair both night is a minute or two into my presentation of the gospel each night. We kept right on going though.

Was real glad to hear that the young kid we talked to on the first day has been at the church every day. He was actually at the leadership training that Pastor Kelly gave this morning.