At Philippi—attempts 1 & 2

On the 19^th of July, we had a #3 typhoon signal up. Those who managed to come anyway were so late that we decided to dispense with the regular program. We did play the game, though, and everyone seemed to really enjoy that. Since we were talking about Paul & Silas in prison, we played a game called "escape from prison." Passed around a "bomb" (a covered plastic bowl with a digital timer inside, set & reset for 30 seconds); whoever had the bomb when it went off had just blasted himself/herself an escape tunnel. That person (kids and adults all participated) had to crawl under a table & then at the other side, climb on a stool to reach a paper key that matched his/her "cell number" (label pasted on shirt). Played until everyone was out of prison.

Because we had so much time just sitting around waiting for people to show up, I was able to share a simple gospel presentation one-on-one with a-Wai. I asked him if he had received Christ as his Savior and he grunted. I had to ask, sorry, I don't know if that meant yes or no! So he grunted again, but with a tiny nod at the same time. Well then, I said, let's give thanks to the Lord! I meant we should pray and give thanks. But instead he jumped up with a big smile on his face and gave me a "secret handshake" (I asked mom about it and she said it meant we were good friends. Way cool.)

So, it was Sunday the 26^th before we got around to the story of Paul & Silas in Philippi. Here it is in Chinese:

最近我們跟哪兩個主角﹖	(問大家) 介紹保羅和巴拿巴
有一天﹐保羅對巴拿巴說﹐我們不如回去我們建立教會的地方﹐知道他們如何。巴拿巴說﹐好﹐又想叫他的表弟與他們一齊去。	巴拿巴揀選一個作表弟
但保羅不同意。他說﹐這位馬可﹐上次不夠負責﹐我不信任他。	保羅推馬可﹐想叫他走
但巴拿巴很想給馬可多機會。所以﹐保羅和巴拿巴要分開。巴拿巴帶馬可回去塞浦路斯﹔	巴拿巴和馬可坐凳子搖船﹐就可以坐低
保羅揀選西拉﹐他們一齊出發	保羅和西拉又坐船
他們先回去已經去過的地方。但坐那裏﹐有一晚:	他們鋪毛巾而睡覺
保羅夢見一個人顯然﹐對他說﹕請你到馬其頓來幫助我們。	一個人起身﹐對他們這樣說
第二天﹐他們一早出去馬其頓	又坐船
他們去到一個城市叫腓立比。在那裏有一個被鬼附的使女。她用法術﹐叫他的主人多得錢。	介紹一個女子﹐戴特帽
保羅和西拉傳道的時候﹐她跟他們﹐大聲說﹐[這兩位是至高神的僕人﹐教人怎能得救]	保羅和西拉行一個圈﹐女子跟他們這樣說。
好不好的事﹖	(問大家)
其實不是太好﹔她真是騷擾他們﹐直至到人想聽怎能得救就聽不見﹗保羅心中厭煩﹐對那鬼說﹕我奉耶穌基督的名吩咐你在她身上出來喇﹗	保羅指著女子﹐說﹕要出來﹗
鬼真是出了去。現在﹐女子不繼續騷擾他們﹐但一樣作不到法術﹔她的主人不再得益﹗他們怎樣呢﹖	(問大家)
他們拉保羅和西拉﹐用木棍打他們	用毛巾棍來打他們
就要他們坐監﹐看監的人的腳上了木狗。	他們要坐在[內監] ﹐一個男子叫他 們戴木狗
他們非常辛苦﹗他們坐在監裏﹐知不知作甚麼﹖	(問大家)
他們討論今天見到神的大能﹐又得榮幸為主受苦﹐就唱詩歌讚美神﹗	他們一齊唱 [主你的慈愛]
未唱完﹐突然有大的地震﹗所有監門自己開﹔木狗又開。	一個人大聲打鼓。要打開木狗。
看監的人見到監門全開﹐就拔刀要自殺	看監的遞高刀檢
但保羅說﹐不好害自己喇﹗我們沒有走﹗	保羅說﹕不要死﹗我們沒有走﹗
看監的很感動﹐欣賞保羅和西拉的態度。他先把水洗他們的傷口﹐然後求他們用水給他受洗禮。	看監的把毛巾子抹保羅和西拉的背 --保羅就把藍色紙倒在他頭上
第二天早上﹐差人來說﹐他們可以出監	男子戴證章拉他們起身推他們走

A definite highlight of the story was having the boys put in stocks:

We did the repeat of the prison escape game, and it went just as well the second time around.

For a craft, we chose a Chinese character meaning "joy," and drew it large but lightly on pieces of red card stock. Each child got a length of yarn, a pair of scissors, a small dish of glue, and a Q-tip, to create the character in yellow yarn on the red paper. Very pretty.

Bible study was from Philippians 4:1-9, on three secrets for enjoying peace and joy.

The rest of the journey

Mrs. Chu led the story this time, and she did a fantastic job! She had the balance just right of keeping the pace going, but also being aware of when the kids were getting distracted and needing to be put back into their roles. She also was the one to notice during game time, when all the kids had to write their names on their "passports," that the only boy who couldn't write his name on his own was the boy who has a Filipina maid who can't write Chinese either. So she jumped right in and helped him. She has definite teaching gifts!

Well, because she led the story, it was written in Chinese, so here it is:

上次我們見到保羅﹐巴拿巴﹐和巴拿巴的表弟馬可在塞浦路斯傳福音	介紹這三個人(巴拿巴最大隻)
保羅和巴拿巴決定往亞洲區去﹐但馬可想回家去	保羅和巴拿巴坐凳遙遙﹔馬可走
他們一上岸﹐就在別加市。	有人遞起[別加] 牌
在別加過不多時間﹐就行去彼西底的安提阿	行一個圈﹐就有[彼西底安提阿] 牌
他們先去猶太教的會堂。初時幾受歡迎	與坐在一邊的人握手
後來覺得他們所傳的道不適合﹐就叫他們走	所有與他們握手的人推他們走
保羅說﹐好你們不肯聽﹐就傳給外幫人啦﹗	與坐對面的人握手
他們很受歡迎﹔很多人信耶穌。但猶太人一聽就不開心﹐要趕他們走	坐在第一邊的人起身推他們走
所以他們去另外一個城市叫以哥念	行一個圈﹐就有[以哥念] 牌
在那裏又有很多人信耶穌﹔他們就留了多日	他們可以坐低
但有一天﹐保羅聽到不好消息	有人把一封信交給保羅。寫著﹕[某些人計劃打死你們]
不如繼續行不同的城市啦﹗就出去。	行一個圈﹐就有[路司] 牌
他們在路司傳福音的時候﹐見一個人很留心聽。這個人出世是瘸腿的。保羅很欣賞他的信心﹐就叫他起身﹐行走。他真是起身﹐有得行﹗	保羅揀選一個人﹐拉他起身
週圍的人覺得很出奇﹗他們沒有留意他們所傳的耶穌﹔彼此對說﹕我們所拜的神降臨了﹗
他們當巴拿巴等於最大的神[宙斯] 因為他大隻 又當保羅等於[希耳米] 因為希耳米說得多
就說﹐我們的神降臨﹐就要向他們獻祭﹗所以要牽一隻牛來﹐戴著花圈。就準備殺它	一個戴牛角﹐又戴花圈。另外一個把刀子。
保羅和巴拿把很激氣﹗說﹕不好﹐不好﹗ 我們不是神﹔乃是普通人﹗	保羅和巴拿巴取刀子﹐就作﹕ [NO,NO!]
過了不多時間﹐有些以哥念的有太人來﹐挑唆路司人﹐用石頭打他們。	把報紙的[石頭] 扔向他們
他們逃走﹐去特庇市傳福音	行一個圈﹐就有[特庇] 牌
他們又在那裏傳福音。最後要回去那幾個城市﹐堅固信徒的心。	保羅和巴拿巴慢慢拍每個人的肩﹐有牌子的人慢慢換牌。
最後﹐他們要再坐船回安提阿的母會	坐凳子﹐遙遙。就起身﹐所有人開開心心接他們回來。

The most memorable part of the story was when they got to Lystra and the people thought Paul and Barnabas were Hermes and Zeus, and were going to sacrifice a bull to them. But that wasn't a long enough story in itself, so we added short little bursts in the various other towns first. Our good reader was in charge of holding up a sign with the name of each new city as they "arrived."

Ka Ho made a cute sacrificial cow.

I thought the game was going to work well, but it seemed to fall flat. We numbered off six cities: Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and back to Syrian Antioch & posted those signs behind various chairs. Five kids (four kids and one adult volunteer; we were short on kids!) sat in the first five chairs while the sixth rolled the die to determine which city he/she would go to to "encourage the believers". At each stop they would get a "visa sticker" for their "passport." Not that most of them know what that's all about, but they all like stickers! Once a child rolled a six, he/she went back home to Antioch, got a treat, and was out of the game. I'm not sure if it was just too complicated to be fun, or if the "unlucky" throws of the die causing too many repeats of just a few of the kids was the problem. Sigh.

For our craft, I was going to have each child make a "flower garland" by folding & cutting origami paper flowers (extremely simple ones) and gluing them to a newspaper "garland." It was clear right away that almost none of the kids would be able to fold enough flowers for a whole garland without somebody melting down first! So we ended up just cooperating to make one garland.

Isn't it pretty?

Bible study was from Matthew 10:28-31, talking about how knowing God's care for them made Paul & Barnabas (and can help us) have the courage to keep going in spite of all the opposition they faced in various cities.

Paul’s First Missionary Journey

Here I am, way behind again. I hope I can remember our highlights! I was disappointed that our visiting boy didn't return. We had a new visitor, a six-year-old neurotypical girl who fit right in and enjoyed herself. I thought mom did too—and was sorry they didn't come back the following week, either. Sigh. It would be nice to understand exactly what we're doing wrong.

Anyway, here's the story:

Last time we saw that after Peter got out of prison, he needed to get out of Jerusalem because Herod wanted to kill him. Now, not long ago, we heard about another man who had had to get out of Israel for a time; what was his name?	(ask all)
Yes, Saul, but because he is always encountering Greeks and Romans, he has quit using his Hebrew name and goes by the name Paul.	Introduce Paul
Now, it's been quite a few years since Paul left. He is living in Antioch, where there is by now a large and mature church.	(find on map)
Under the Holy Spirit's leading, the Antioch church sends Paul and Barnabas out to preach the gospel in surrounding nations.	Introduce Barnabas; he & Paul kneel, others lay hands on them & one says: "Sahn jukfuk neih dik sihfuhng"
Barnabas is from Cyprus, so they go there first.	(find on map)
What kind of place is it? How would you get there?	(ask all)
Barnabas decides to bring along his cousin Mark	introduce smaller boy as (John)Mark
They take a boat to Cyprus	Sit on line of stools, row together
They go around the island preaching the gospel.	Boys walk around room repeating: "Yehsou sih jyu"
Finally they arrive at Paphos. There is an official there called Sergius, who invites them to come and see him.	Introduce Sergius (Paulus), wearing gold medallion.
He's quite interested in the gospel, because he has a Jewish friend named Elymas, who has told him about Israel's God Yahweh. But it fact, this Elymas is not a good person. He has taken God's word and twisted it in order to make it more pleasing to Sergius, so that he will keep listening to him.	Introduce Elymas, wearing star of David
So when he sees Paul looking at the Scriptures with Sergius, he is nervous! If he comes to understand the Scripture for himself, he will know that Elymas has been bending the truth.	Paul sits next to Sergius & they look at Bible together
So he keeps finding ways to keep Sergius from listening.	Instruct Elymas to find ways to interrupt Sergius' concentration
Paul is getting frustrated! He stands up and points to Elymas, saying, Shame on you! You, a Jew, should understand these truths about God, but you are spiritually blind! And so, in order that you will understand your spiritual blindness, you will be physically blind for a time.	Paul stands up, points at Elymas, and repeats, "Neih yiu satmihng"
Whoa! Immediately, he is blind! He needs people to lead him out of the room.	Put blacked-out glasses on Elymas, two volunteers lead him away.
Now that Sergius has no one interrupting him, he quickly understands and believes the gospel, and is baptized.	Sergius says: "Ngoh mihng!" Paul baptizes him.

You might notice I shorted the names of John Mark and Sergius Paulus. Just to make them easier to keep track of. I personally find the Chinese names hard to remember!

Our Elymas did a good job at interrupting the two looking at the Bible together. He has had experience! (smile)

Our game & craft were about blindness. I made some thick numbers, 1-6. Each player would throw our big foam die and then put one hand into our "incubator style" cardboard box and try to feel for the correct number. For most of the kids, we just slipped one or two extra numbers into a slot on the back of the box to make it a little easier. Most of them still cheated, by pulling the numbers slightly out of the slot and checking. Sigh.

Our craft was learning some Braille writing. Each child got a Braille alphabet "cheat sheet" plus a worksheet with some English words from the story (with Chinese translation; mostly they know their alphabet and I couldn't find out anything in time about Chinese Braille). They were supposed to write the Braille above each of the letters, in the boxes provided. Then at the bottom, there was a string of Braille they were supposed to "decode" into the English alphabet, which worked out to be that child's name.

Our Bible study was from I John 2:9-11, on one symptom of spiritual blindness.

Peter rescued from prison

Hurray, we had a new visitor this Sunday! A very well-behaved 11-year old who jumped up to help every time someone started putting things away. I like this kid! (True, I like them all…)

Our story:

First, introduce King Herod	Boy with crown
Several years ago, he had a part in letting Jesus be sentenced to death. Now he is quite against the believers, and is happy to have them killed as well. He's already put one of the leaders, named James, to death.	King takes one boy, kills with sword.
A lot of the Jewish leaders were pleased by that, so now he arrests the most prominent leader of all, named:	(ask all: Peter) King takes Peter.
But right now it's just before a holiday, so he decides to keep Peter in prison until after the holiday, & kill him then.	Sit in upside-down wooden table.
He is guarded in his cell by two soldiers	Two boys with swords. Tie wrists to soldiers' wrists.
There are two more soldiers standing guard out at the main prison gate.	Two more boys with swords, in front of "fence" of upside-down stools
Okay, now the holidays are over, and Herod is going to take Peter out and kill him tomorrow. What do you suppose the believers are doing?	Ask all: praying
And Peter?	Ask all
He's sleeping! He is really experiencing the kind of peace that Jesus gives!	Give him pillow to lean on
Suddenly, a light shines in the cell	Turn on flashlight or lamp
And an angel appears.	Angel with halo.
He wakes Peter up	Shakes Peter awake
He tells him to get up & put on his cloak.	Angel cuts "chains," Peter puts on shoes and jacket or shawl
The guards stay fast asleep!	Guards snore
The angel brings Peter out through the front gate of the prison. The gate opens by itself—and the guards there are also sleeping soundly.	Fence of stools opens up. (guards snore)
Peter and the angel walk a few blocks, and then the angel leaves him.	They walk around & then angel sits down.
Up to now, Peter thought maybe he was just dreaming. But now he realizes, he really is out of prison! Quickly, he goes to the gathering place of the believers, and knocks on the door.	Have helper bring him out to bedroom & keep him there knocking on door.
Everyone inside is busy praying, so a young servant girl goes to see who is at the door. She is a little scared—is it soldiers coming to arrest them? So she doesn't open the door but asks who is there.	Girl goes to door and asks who it is. Peter answers, Peter.
Peter! Wow—they were just praying for his release, and here he is! She is so excited, she forgets to open the door & just runs & tells everyone that Peter has come.	She runs and tells the others Peter is at the door.
The believers think she's crazy.	They laugh at her
If it's really Peter, then where is he? Oops! She'd better let him in!	Rhoda runs back and opens the door & lets Peter in.
Everyone celebrates.	Everyone celebrates, hugs, high-fives.
But then Peter needs to get out of the city, because Herod will certainly be searching for him. So we won't hear from Peter again for a while.	Peter shakes everyone's hand & then leaves.

Everything went pretty well except that one of our prison guards got too into his role (ha) and was kicking the prisoner. So we had to make a substitution. We run a humane prison here! (smile) Trying to keep Peter knocking at the door & not just walking in was hard too. Our helper had to make like a door chain & keep it from opening far enough to let him through.

Our game was about "escaping" from entanglement—a game where everyone makes a tight circle and joins hands with any two different people somewhere in the circle. Lots of criss-crossing of hands. Then everyone has to cooperate by weaving over & under until we become one big open circle. I don't know what you call this game, but it's fun.

Craft: we said that very possibly the prison was in the dungeon of Herod's castle, so we did these castle pictures I found in a craft book. Except the craft book called for making the "bricks" with Chex cereal. I can't get Chex here but I could get Life. Unfortunately, this was a little too big for the diagram in the book, so it didn't look right. Plus, it was hugely messy to keep dipping the cereal in the glue. Our kids would be wanting to wash their hands every few seconds! So instead I issued them all with grey color-crayoned square labels of almost the right size (a little too small, but better than too big). They looked nice—I'll have to add a photo later.

For adult Bible study, we talked about how God can do great things even when our faith is as tiny as a mustard seed (or a sesame seed—Bruce passed around a sesame-seed bun and had everyone take a seed as a visual focus)

May God do great things at Merciful Love even when my faith gets overwhelmed by the seemingly hard hearts!!