Edna Hickman is a Missionary

Edna is truly a missionary and an amazing woman. There is no one who is more about the Lord's business. She is active in WMU and also teaching Mission Friends on Wednesday.  She is also my Sunday School teacher.  She has been instrumental in getting our SS class working at Main Street Mission in Pineville, LA.  Every Friday members of our SS class go the Main Street Mission to prepare a meal as well as try to meet other needs of our homeless/less fortunate population in our area.  She has taught the Korean children in VBS for the past three years.  She also went with us to Red Oak, OK and taught VBS a couple of years ago. She serves the church on different committees as required.  Not to mention that she also is the primary babysitter for a great grandchild.

Edna has had experience with CEF.  We introduce the Wordless Book on all our mission trips where children are the focus.  She was a part of that on the trip to Red Oak, OK.   I was excited to see Ms. Edna use the wordless book to present the gospel at Holloway's VBS this year.  It is a great tool and the children can remember it and retell it easily. Ms Edna gave each child a Wordless book.  They also rec'd instructions with bible verses for each color and a sample prayer for salvation.

Mrs Edna is not without challenges.  She has had double knee replacement, open heart surgery and is dealing with other health issues.  Yet she chooses to serve the Lord anyway, no matter what.  Lots of teachers don't go to each class with their students.  What I've noticed about Edna is that she goes everywhere her students go.  That's pretty impressive.  Check out the slide show.

Edna is special and I really appreciate her faithfulness to the Lord. BTW, I appreciate all sweet things she has done for me such as the lunch she brought me when I was sitting with my MIL, Myrtis, in the hospital.  She was also there for me when Jackie had his heart attack.  Thanks Edna and may God Bless You and keep you until the day of His return.

VBS at Holloway Baptist Church

I was able to help with VBS at Holloway Baptist Church this past week.  It was especially special because our church had 26 Korean children here as Camp USA.  This group has been coming for bible school in our area for the past few years but this year it was HBC's turn to host the Korean children.

From the time I was too old for VBS, I was playing the piano for VBS.  We sang songs like "I've got that Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart" and "Deep and Wide".  The music is so much better now, it's hard to believe the SBC can come up with new music that is so evangelistic and contemporary every year.  The kids love it and I love it too.  The music in itself presents the gospel.  The kids are learning scripture and the good news about Christ through this awesome music.  Marcia Shields lead the music and did an excellent job. I guess you can say, I am very impressed.

I was able to present the Missions portion of VBS.  It was interesting learning about different missionaries and also to encourage each child to be a missionary and share the gospel with their friends.

I really wanted to give each child a Gideon New Testament.  The Gideons use to give the children a bible to all the 5th graders.  But they say now that the schools won't let them do that anymore.  What a pity.  Well, why not give them out at VBS?  So I was determined at least to give the Korean children one.  We found a box of the little treasures in the library and was able to give every child a Gideon New Testament. God had those hidden just for this special occasion.  I encouraged the children to mark the verses that were in the "Heaven How to Get There" tract that I gave them.  They each received 2 of those to share with friends. Hopefully they will read those and be ready to share verses and the gospel with their friends.  That was the emphasis one day of VBS: to go and to tell.  Wow, what a great VBS.

One of the VBS teachers, Jamie, (in picture above) told me that she was taking a kindergarten Sunday School class starting the new church year.  She expressed concern about her ability.  She expressed a desire for training information.  I was able to give her a "Children's Ministry Resource Bible".  She was excited to get it and  I think she will get much benefit from the training materials in this Bible.  She did an excellent job teaching the children.  I had them after their Bible lesson and the children could tell me all about what they had just learned.  I believe she is already on the way to being a super teacher of God's Word. 

This says it all-a small child learning to pray.
This is what it's all about.

Wow, what a great VBS.

Thanks to Hiro (also from Korea) for all the great shots

used in this blog and slide show!