Each weekend of the trailer ministry saw a hive of activity at Eastside. Trailers coming in, unpacked, cleaned, ready to be restocked and prepared for another week of ministry. Teams were debriefed and others were commissioned. We celebrated. We worked. We ate together!
This gallery gives you an idea of what those weekends entailed. Enjoy!
First Impressions and Training (Christina Covington)
As an American that has been here for two weeks, the most amazing component of training has been the people. For age group time, we’ve been presenting an example scripture and memory verse and asking the groups to come up with creative methods of making the stories real and memorable to the kids at Holiday Club. Within five minutes these groups come up with dramas, songs, and dances that blow me away. I’m not sure I possess that kind of talent and creativity in general, much less in a five minute brainstorming session.
Their eagerness to serve God has also inspired me. In witnessing the drive to share the Gospel, to teach and to learn, and the capacity of these people to care, God has greatly blessed me. In the people we’ve trained, and even in each person I’ve met here, I’ve seen such joy, such compassion. From handshakes to smiles to hugs, I have been so welcomed. The people here know what it means to be thankful and praise. For all those C.S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia fans, it is obvious to me that Aslan is on the move- God’s Holy Spirit is upon us.
Training (Thembani Ketse)
The weekend training sessions have been very interesting. Having run about 6 training sessions over the last two months, I’ve had many different experiences.
We normally run the training sessions the same way we would run a day of holiday club even though most of the trainees are older than the average trainer they humbly accepted the materials we presented to them.
Each time that we have gone out to do training we have had to adapt or think on the fly, because of a lack of resources at the training venues. God has been faithful with providing us ways to adapt.
Seeing how people from all different regions embrace the material we’ve presented has been very encouraging. I really expect God to move in phenomenal ways during trailer ministry, not because of what we as a church have done, but because of what Christ will do through us.
Maths lesson for today:1 trailer packed with food, cooking equipment, Bibles, tracks, blankets, pvc pipe soccer goals, a PA system, a projector, a DVD player, and soccer equipment + 10 people from different parts of the world with a heart to serve the Lord = Incredible ministry. Now take this equation and multiply by 10 to 12 trailers per week for 4 weeks. The answer is God’s multiplication blessing and a MASSIVE logistics undertaking.
For the last few weeks, hundreds of boxes of supplies have begun to roll in and fill up every available corner of Eastside. God has opened the floodgates of blessing and most of us would admit that occasionally we have felt like we are just barely keeping our heads above the water. Still, as the physical supplies are beginning to come into place, the volunteers and churches are beginning to lay into place as well. We are in the process connecting churches with teams and chaperones. Choose Life Church has stepped forward to help with some of the airport transportation and to house some of the volunteers, and many Eastside members have begun to volunteer as well. We are still lacking of supplies and people in many areas, but we believe God laid this ministry before us, and because of that, He will provide.