Day Camp

I am currently serving in my first fully supported church pastorate. Up to this point I've served bivocationally - I worked another job to support my family. Because of this, I've not been able to do a lot of things with the church that I would like to do. For example, the Pulaski Baptist Association conducts a Day Camp for 1st-6th graders each summer. I've not been able to participate previously but this year I accompanied 12 children and one other adult from our church.

I had a blast! It's pretty cool to see the kids have such a good time playing in safe environments. It was my first opportunity to spend quality time with many of them and I'm thankful for the chance to be with them. We also had Bible study each day and a missionary report - from a real missionary! The kids loved it.

If Christianity is all about relationships then this is a great Day Camp. Hopefully, these kids will remember the fun we had this week and turn to me for help as they grow older. This week was the foundation for that kind of relationship.

Parade

As she told me about it all I could see in my mind was the Chinese New Year parades with the paper dragons bouncing from side to side and up and down.

Last Sunday Dianna was preparing for the worst.  All the doctors said she had cancer and that it was spreading quickly.  Her mother wanted to me to talk with her about her salvation because there was a good chance she would not live much longer.

Monday morning Dianna went to surgery.  Monday afternoon her mother called to tell me there was no cancer.  They had been parading down the halls of UAMS.

Tuesday morning I went to see Dianna again.  She looked much better than she had on Sunday night.  Physically, she was tired from the surgery.  Emotionally, she was on cloud nine.  Spiritually, she was thankful and praising God.

Dianna told me that as soon as she woke up she began to ask those tending to her how bad the cancer was.  There was no cancer!  She began to wave her arms and shout (almost like a cheerleader) “No Cancer!  No Cancer!”  When it was time for the family to see her they all joined the cheer.  As Dianna was moved back to her room she and her entourage paraded down the halls of the hospital, “No Cancer! No Cancer!”

People along the route joined in.  Nurses station after nurses station.  It was a parade…orchestrated by God.