Fridays with the kids

We worked with the Children at First Chinese Baptist Church on Fridays throughout the summer. It was such a fun experience that we just might have enjoyed more than the kids.

Week One

Before Forge on Thursday we were seated in the room and prayed before the meeting started. When we finished and opened our eyes, another of the leaders had walked in and joined the prayer time. Kevin quipped, 'we're still missing some, so lets pray again.'
But in all seriousness, God has honored the prayers that were offered and we had about 15 new students at Forge. Usually we run about 30-35, and we had about 50--not that it is all about numbers, but I do believe that numbers in some way do mean something.
I could feel the excitement in the room as the students started coming. One even came an hour early! Then they started coming in a steady flow a half-hour early. They were hungry to meet some fellow believers and to get connected with a Christian community. The BSM students ('my kids,' as I often refer to them, and they refer to themselves) we so open and welcoming to them. I stood at the door with two other students welcoming the new arrivals and inviting them in, then sometimes if the student had been really nervous as they entered the room, I would walk in just a few seconds after them and one of the kids would have already found them and started conversing with them. I was so proud!
After Forge most of the new kids stayed around talking, laughing and then taking it upon themselves to meet others that they had not yet met. They were very eager and several of them came up to me afterwards and asked how they could get more involved.
It was such a humbling night. We had prayed before, but sometimes we just don't know what we are praying for. Granted we know that our desire it to meet and love and reach students, but who? how? where? when? etc... As we were praying, I was reminded of this passage in Romans:

"For we do not know how we ought to pray, the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express. And God, who sees into our hearts, knows what the thought of the Spirit is, because the Spirit pleads with God on behalf of His people and in accordance with His will. We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him. Those whom He has called according to His purpose." Romans 8:26-28

And then there was this excitement and hunger present that night. I don't know how else to describe it. It was also exciting because we knew that it was not because of us. The desire of the BSM this year has been, "we will do nothing that we can take credit for." So we desire to become a people of prayer and we will seek the face of God that we will know how we can serve. In the end, it is not how great of conversationalists we are, it is not how cool we are, it is not how good we sing, it is not how grand of events we can pull off, it is who HE is and how He manifests Himself through our lives when we are completely surrendered to Him.

Spring overview

Who doesn't love free lunch?!

UTSA Roadrunners

Ashley with the cupcake she made


Cory and Joel wanted pizza



FUGITIVE NIGHT
Al won--twice




Lots of games...


Rowdy's head for the homecoming parade

Emmanuel and Andy

Abigail giving Katie a piggy-back ride

Travis carrying Sam and John


When Thierry and Stephanie came to visit UTSA

April is the time for Fiestas!

End-of-the-year-Banquet


Andy and Cat


Katy and Sami

The guys played musical chairs--blindfolded





Trevor won the shoe game

Andy made the lemonade

Jack and Carlos serving the ladies

Ashley covering up the shoes






The guys cooked lasagna... yum!




Fiesta UTSA
The Katies

Emmanuel, Jack, Joseph and Lance

Katie, Rhoda and Ashley after beating the boys at basketball ;)

Ashley and Emmanuel
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