Here are some photos. We cleared out the coach, borrowed extra table and chairs, and removed the wall hangings. Basically tore apart our house to make it a kind of conference room.
One of my favorite moments is when we were teaching a Bible study and had the Board members stand up and put all their clothes, shoes, watches, rings on backwords. Then standing in the living room, i said now we are going to walk down the street. They all gasped. We walked backwards down the sidewalk, they were very imbarrased (that was the point).
Next we took a list of cards and put them in a Pyramid, what is the most honored in our world that we live in and what is the most undervalued. Children were placed at the bottom with many other things, widows, poor, uneducated, etc.
Next we turned the Pyramid upsidedown. Explaining how Jesus Christ the most honorable lowered himself to be the least honorable in our world, making the least honorable in the world to be the most honored in the Kingdom of God. It was amazing to see there minds work, the point was to show our model of teaching - with an experiencial activity, creative way of presenting the Bible, a real discussion and finally a response that the Word of God demands. Really it was impactful and amazing, even for us.
We wanted the walls to be colorful, so at one point we took stories form the old and new testament that demonstrated this idea of the Upsidedown Kingdom and posted them on the wall.
Another important point for the two days was to help the Board to understand the idea of coming along as a support with the teachers and helping them in the entire process of their development as teachers. This was grasped more strongly then any other Board i have experienced. They really want to come along side the teachers and not only supply them with information. It is a philosophy that the education world uses that can be seen in the life of Jesus. It was amazing the the leaders grasped the vision and started talking about how to implement it.
Another hot topic. Is helping people understand that we are trying to disciple children and not educate them the way the school does. It was another beautiful process as we saw Board members challenged by the idea that we need to help transform the lives of the children through discipleship and not through education.
Here is the group. Two of the Board members were unable to make it. We are praying that we can share the information with them and that they are able to be more committed in the future.
Though not all the families could attend, we invited them to dinner on the Friday night. We went to a Rotisserie chicken place and were joined by three members and their families. Michaela was a big hit, as she was cared for by everyone but us!
You have to have the picture of the Inca Kola- bubblegum tasting stuff that every Peruvian loves!
Thanks again to all those who prayed with us. Next are individual meetings in January with each Board member and on to a final group orientation at the end of February before the ministry officially starts.
