NAC 2010 - "Cote d'Ivoire & Storytelling" @ Kid's Place: AFRICAN ADVENTURE

    

The 2010 theme for Kid's Place June 28-30 at the North American Convention of the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana was "AFRICAN ADVENTURE." I was asked to write and lead the "Cote d'Ivoire and Storytelling" Learning Center.  I invited librarian Ruth Maxedon and her husband Lynn to join me in facilitating this portion of the 3-day adventure.

Cote d'Ivoire missionaries Sherman and Kay Critser tell about the Church of God ministry there, the country and schools, West Africa Bible Institute, CBH radio, and answer questions.

Andrew Lyon, with CBH: Christians Broadcasting Hope, shows picture of radio tower on church in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire. He tells about the French radio program and his trips there to train radio staff and soundproof the studio.

Lynn and Ruth Maxedon lead the song with actions “Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord” in English and French. The Maxedons describe their February 2010 Côte d'Ivoire trip to assist with soundproofing CBH radio studio and work on preparing books for the West Africa Bible Institute library.

 Ruth Maxedon shares It Takes a Village by Jane Cowan-Fletcher and My Baby by Jeanette Winter about making mud cloth. Ruth showed a sample of real mud cloth and several cloths she bought in Côte d'Ivoire.

I lead children in transition song “Beat the Drum,” (tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”) with homemade African drums or using our laps for drums.

Beat, beat, beat the drum, Rum, Pum, Pum, Pum, Pum.

Listen to the sounds it makes, Watch us have some fun.

Play, play, play the drum, Rum, Pum, Pum, Pum, Pum.

Hear it talk and tell a tale, Listen everyone.

(Travel the Globe, Multicultural Story Times, Desiree Webber ... [et al.] p. 111)

This small African drum was made from two plastic punch cups, taped bottom to bottom with duct tape; it can be covered with masking tape, color electrical tape, or 1" strips of woodgrain adhesive paper and decorated with electrical tape.

Children join in saying the name of the special tree, “Uwungelema” (oo-won-guh-LAY-muh) during the felt board story similar to the "Tortoise and the Hare."  (The Flannel Board Storytelling Book. Judy Sierra, p. 152-157 )

The book, Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier shows what a tremendous difference one goat can make in the life of a Ugandan family. Kid's Place outreach project from offerings this year went to buy goats in Uganda...and money was collected for 13 goats. PTL!

We have fun with a silly hippo rhyme and body percussion between stories. 

 A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus; (slap thighs)

Got on, got on, got on the city bus; (clap hands)

And all, and all, and all the people said… (brush hands past each other up and down)

You’re squishing us! (squish cheeks)

Special THANKS to my sister Pat Watts for making PowerPoints with music of French/English songs “Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord” and “Papa Abraham”. (Email me for these.) Thank you Larry Sellers for making French translation of “Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord” fit the melody and reflect Ivorian version. Thanks to South Meridian Church of God, Anderson for use of your plants and to Kid's Place workers for plant delivery.

"TOTAL It Up" - Wycliffe Orlando

What an awesome week!  It's called  "TOTAL It Up" -  "Taste Of Translation And Linguistics."  

TIU is a five-day course offered by Wycliffe Bible Translators which includes introductory classes on phonetics, phonology, grammar, language and cultural learning, and translation and semantics. Field reports, video and personal testimonies offer students a chance to experience translation as it happens in the field. Ethnic dinners enhance the experience.

My work schedule did not permit me to be a full participant in this past week's Orlando TIU, but I am grateful I could sit in on some of each day's programming and I got more of the big picture.

Titusville Spring Perspectives Class Wraps Up

It has been my privilege to serve the Titusville Florida Spring 2010 "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement" class as Grading Supervisor. We met Sunday evenings, January 10 - May 9 (with two break weeks) @ Indian River City United Methodist Church in Titusville. The photo above includes students and Coordinating Team members at our last evening multicultural dinner celebration with testimonies and graduation. It was a precious time of worship, sharing, and praying for one another.

Perspectives teaches the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic aspects of fulfilling the Great Commission. “Perspectives is a dynamic, engaging and thorough look at the state of world evangelization today. For any person who wonders where they may fit into God's plan for reaching the unreached, taking this course will give them insight to God's heart for the world and how they can and should get involved.” -Scott Graves, Pioneer Bible Translators

In 15 lessons, we engaged with a range of dynamic speakers from these missions organizations & more: New Tribes Mission, Walk Through the Bible, Unveiling Glory, YWAM Frontier Missions, Latin American Missions, Globe Serv, Intl. Orality Network, Jesus to Muslims, Fountain of Life, Wycliffe Bible Translators, New Mission Systems, Air Mobile Ministries.

Students in this Titusville class included among others: a high school senior taking the class for college credit, preparing to be a 3rd generation missionary and her mother who ministered in Panama during several weeks of the class; two ladies took class for college and graduate credit. Certificate students included a retired medical doctor and wife who are very supportive of missions, several missions committee chairpersons/members, a former English teacher to Japan, and others. Various students and CT members have already served in different parts of the world and some have plans to serve abroad this summer or sooner in Haiti and Nicaragua. Join us in praying for Kathleen Willey Peterson and daughter Anna who are currently on a short-term trip in Panama. Heather Trapp, graduate student, wrote on Facebook: "What a great experience!!! Tons of work but SO worth it. It has forever changed the way that I look at the world, and missions. Thanks be to God!"

It is an honor and privilege to work with such a program that is designed to equip and mobilize Christians to contribute their own abilities in their own strategic places of service to advance the Kingdom, whether locally, nationally or internationally.

I have been asked to also serve as Grading Supervisor of the Satellite Beach FL class this fall and mention has been made of my working with the Spring 2011 Orlando class (contingent on ramifications a full-time missions situation I am exploring).

Perspectives is about learning how to use your skills and passions to glorify God in all the earth – no matter your location or vocation. The course can be taken online. I challenge you to prayerfully consider it…go to http://www.perspectives.org/.