The first day of the Holiday Bible Club at Loch Gilphead Baptist went smashingly. Though there was a strong downpour most of the morning outside (and slight drips in a couple of roof leaks inside) the main room of the church building housed five classes of children. That open space is about 2/3 the size of the sanctuary at Long Green Baptist. There were probably 45 children participating plus the club staff members from the American and Scottish teams.

The theme is “Show Stoppers” and incorporates music and drama as means ofproclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ. He was and is the true “Show Stopper.”

As I write this, we are at a community athletic facility which is quite nicely equipped with Astroturf, soccer (football) goals and tennis courts. Whitney and Scott are directing activities for twelve youth on the soccer field. All but one of the youth are members of the Holiday Club staff. It’s an encouraging time for them as the church does not have any ongoing youth ministry for them at this point. There are also ten young Scottish men playing a game of soccer on the court next to ours and four more playing tennis just a wee bit down the way. Maybe in the evenings ahead we’ll have more interaction with some of them.

Tomorrow should be much like today in terms of activities. There will be a talent show Wednesday afternoon when we’ll hold an audition for the budding stars of the club. That evening we are scheduled to travel with out Scottish counterparts to Oban, about an hour away, for the Berlin Circus, touted as the best in Europe.  We shall see, but since it will have been the only circus in Europe I have seen, I may simply have to take their word for it.

Please pray that we will be filled with the Holy Spirit, demonstrate humility and unity with our Scottish brothers and sisters and that God will open hearts to the gospel of those we have opportunity to interact with.