Day 2 was full from wake-up time at 6 AM until I went to sleep past 10 PM. I think most of the team was exhausted, but it was all worth it because we did so much in just one day!
The team shared our first skit about a curry restaurant before Nobu-sensei’s message in the morning. It was based on the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. We tried to teach the kids that you can pray to God for help when you are in trouble or in need. After the message, I was able to have a one-on-one counseling time with one of the girls while the rest of the team helped the kids with workbook pages.
This is the fourth time I’ve had the chance to counsel one the the kids, and every time, I am amazed at their stories. They may only be third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, but many of them have a strong faith that withstands the pressures of their family, friends at school, and the larger Japanese culture. The girl I talked to doesn’t have a father and often times goes to church on her own without her mother. We prayed together and I thank God for letting me be able to communicate with her, despite my lack of Japanese vocabulary.
After lunch, we walked down to Lake Yamanaka for games and fun one the beach. The sun was out so it was a little hot, but we all enjoyed playing games, feeding the koi, and wading in the lake. Bradley was the only team member who got pushed into the water, but Brandon jumped in on his own.
The rest of the afternoon was spent working on team skits and playing with the kids at the cabin. After dinner, it was finally time to present the skits. One team did a skit about Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine. Another team did a skit about Jesus feeding the 5,000. And the last team, who ended up winning the contest, performed a skit about Jesus’ birth. The winning team was announced and individual winners were awarded prizes!
At the staff meeting at night after all the kids had gone to bed, the staff members talked about each part of the program and what they thought worked and didn’t work. They also talked about ever single one of the kids and what the staff members discussed and learned during the morning counseling session. These adults truly care about these kids and want them to know they are loved.
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