In 1974, a neighbor friend from our church in Miami held a “5-Day Bible Club” in her home. At the time, I was 5 years old and looking forward to starting school. My big brother Dan would walk with me as we crossed busy 82nd Avenue to get there and back home again. I must confess not remembering much about the lessons she taught…but I do remember a special little book she used to tell us a wonderful story. This book had no words, only colors, and as she flipped through the pages something resonated deep within me. On the final day of the club, I met with one of the adult volunteers in her Florida room and prayed to accept God’s gift of salvation.
Now, 34 years later, God gave me the opportunity to do the same for another child.
This week was the week for Back Yard Bible Clubs at McKinney Fellowship. I knew from the moment we first heard about them that we would be hosting one at our home. Sure enough, we did. The church provided the curriculum, crafts materials, volunteers, and even a few children. The rest was up to us.
What a week! Each day, we had around 15 children show up at our front door. I was blessed to have 3 wonderful adult volunteers plus a youth helper (all but one from our neighborhood) assisting me each day, and I truly couldn’t have done it without them. We learned about four parables of Jesus and had a wonderful time singing, dancing, doing crafts, playing games, and eating popsicles in our back yard. Culvert loved the extra attention and spent quality time getting to know each of the children who came.
The most exciting part for me was seeing those children react to the Bible stories and hearing the way that God was moving and working in their hearts. I may not have had the opportunity to lead a child to Christ this week, but I know that seeds have been planted. Several of the children have already made professions of faith, so it was exciting to help equip them to now go out and be missionaries to their friends and others in our neighborhood. Who knows what will happen over the next several weeks…months…years in our little community in Fairview? All I know is I am grateful to God for putting us here and allowing me to have a small part in His great plan.