Another Gloomy Easter Weekend

Another Gloomy Easter Weekend, doesn’t it always seem like The Saturday before Easter Sunday is a dark and dreary day? When Sunday morning comes however, the sun is bright the clouds are white and everything seems a bit brighter. This past Easter was no different.

When John and I met at Peppertree as we began setting up for the outreach we made sure to have the easy-ups set up first just in case we got rain. All the kids helped set up chairs and tables, the worship began and we were ready to party! The Youth from my church (Generations Community Church) presented a very powerful play to the kids. I was standing behind them facing the crowd as they performed. It would have been great to be out in the audience but “someone” had to hold the three way electrical outlet together to keep power running to the sound system. I guess John figured if someone was going to get electrocuted it may as well be the guy with no hair and besides every time I see that play I cry like a little girl. Anyway, to see the faces of everyone it was obvious that it had an impact. The Kids stopped fidgeting, the teens stopped talking and everyone else just watched as gods love for us was illustrated right in front of their eyes. The play is about how someone can get caught up in the temptations of money, alcohol, beauty and lust reaching such dark hopeless places that taking ones own life seems the only way out. Just as we see no hope, just as we give up, Jesus breaks through the darkness restoring what was lost and healing our wounds.

John and I gave a message about the cross and resurrection by placing items representing things like the purple robe of Christ or the crown of thorns into 10 eggs which were later hidden in the Easter egg hunt. The kids who found those ten eggs had to recite what the item inside represented to receive a prize. I don’t think either of us can claim the creativity to have come up with that idea but it was a great one and thanks to whomever it was.

We enjoyed great worship music, games, food and gifts but for me the best part of the whole day was after the play and the message. John asked everyone to bow their heads and close their eyes and if anyone wanted to receive Christ to raise their hand. One child raised his hand. That one child is why we had the food, the games the worship the weeks of preparation and all the hard work everyone put in to pull it all together. I feel like hope has been resurrected in that campground. Hope for all who saw the play to know that there is a Jesus who loves them so much and that there is nothing that can separate them from his love. Just the fact that the ministry serves there every week gives hope to the parents and children for a brighter future. I believe that through Gods blessing on this ministry we are taking back a cold gloomy place from the enemy and turning it into a place of hope.

Thank you Lord for providing the willing servants and resources we need to bring your love to the people at peppertree. Thank you everyone who had a hand in the outreach and to all the tutors who show up faithfully every week to help resurrect hope to Gods children.

Manny Villa