GOOD THURSDAY

I spent a lot of time today choosing songs for our praise & worship, among other things for our first youth group tomorrow night.

We got a call from Manangua saying that they were bringing a trcuk load of Tomym and Linda's personal things and a lot of bulding supplies that has been stuck in customs for months. They said they would leave around 2 and be here by 5, then that shcnaged to leave around 3, then 4, then 5...the truck left about 5:30 and go tto Leon around 7:30...it was not everything we need, but ti is a start so we Thank God for that. They have been jerked aorund about getting this stuff for a very long time and now it is starting to come to them, finally.

Tommy held his leadership of 12 pastors meeting again today...it is every Wed/Thurs/Fri from 3-5...i go with him during that time to play with the kids who have morning school...so far they do not know that we are coming every Wed/Thurs/Fri...so when we get there i walk around the village for about 20 mins and our group grows from me to me and 2 more, then 5 more, then usually within 10 mintues we have a good 15 person group of kids ages 3-15...and head to the church

Within30 mins more kids start showing up, i think they go to find their friends at each others houses and when they find out we are at the church playing they get a group and come...by 5 we usually have 20-25 kids

There we play kick ball or baseball or soccer or throw frisbees...just giving them something to do than sit in the house, and be around me and other kids...today i had about 15 shirts packed in my backpack so we played a game with the frisbees to win shirts...they stood at home plate and i got to move aorund the infield...one at a time they got to try and throw, and if it landed within 3 steps of me in any direction they get to pick a shirt...if it is a bad throw they get in the back of the line

When somone wins a shirt they must then help me collect throws and watch/cheer for the other kids, so that they cant rack up on shirts...the game seemed to work well, and i told the kids we can play it more on wed/thurs/fridays..i also told them that i come at 3 on wednesdays thursdays and fridays...so maybe they will begin to show up without spending the first 20 mins gathering..not that i mind but we will have more playing time

Tonight i spent a long time preparing powerpoints for our youth group...i slected 5 songs and put lyrics into slides with large print in spanish and small english print below...i also made a photo story with pictures of all the youth from my trip in january...and another powerpoint with pictures from my first week back this trip...and the optical illusion of Jesus's face

I am preparing my lesson on teamwork/discipline...we plan to have our first 30 mins with fun and games...then 30 mins of projector things..videos picture shows..praise and worship...followed by the lesson and small group prayer and full congregation prayer...one final song and then snacks and fellowship

click this for the praise songs ppt file:

http://makemsmile.info/PRAISE.ppt

right click and choose Save Target As....to see the photostory 16 MB:


http://makemsmile.info/022208video.wmv

Please pray that our first youth group goes very well in hopes the group will grow and be a great ministry here for the hardest group to get at chruch 15-25 years old..

hope all is well with all of you

Diego