By: Cindy
Well, after several weeks of unforeseen delay (“Island time” strikes again), I FINALLY had my first Sunday morning Bible class for young girls ages 13 on up. I think I’ve had my lesson prepared for about two months! So, needless to say, I was happy that I was finally able to present it.
I’ve decided to take the girls on a study of the Proverbs and focus on some practical things they can do in their everyday life. This introductory class focused on the importance of thinking about what they really want out of life and how their decisions now will directly impact those goals.
We read from Proverbs 3:1-8 and then I made a lesson application about the life of a young girl. I talked about how every day we are presented with decisions and we have two choices – to follow our own wants and desires or to think about what God would have us do. In my application of this fictional girl I touched on what her choices are regarding attending church with her parents, what she might do if a friend offered her a beer, what she might do if she meets a boy she really likes and how she ought to conduct herself within that relationship before they are married. It really hit home when I showed how she finds herself pregnant and, as is all to common in Vanuatu, the daddy “runs away”, leaving her with a baby and no help or support…and then he goes and finds himself another girl. It was amazing (and sad) how the girls in my class reacted to this…they have all seen this within their own family and friends, probably more than once. Once I brought up the subject they all started whispering names to each other. (In Port Vila hospital, statistics show that 3 out of 4 babies are born to young women with no “man”.) Anyway, I tried to just show them how their decisions now can affect their lives in the future. I urged them to think about how long they want to go to school (in Vanuatu it is up to the individual student), what work they might want to do as an adult, and what kind of man they want to marry. I hope it made an impact and I look forward to my class this coming Sunday on choosing your friends wisely.
Side Notes
We are FREEZING here in Tanna…okay, it may not be sub-zero weather, but 60 degrees with high humidity feels pretty chilly on our skin. In the day we are wearing long pants, jackets and socks. And at night we pile on the clothes and burrow under our wool blankets and quilts for warmth! It’s the last week of June and the locals are saying, “If you think this is cold, just wait until July”!
If there is any congregation looking for a benevolence project, the women here could really use some used undergarments. Two years ago a congregation in the States gathered up and donated three boxes of used women’s bras and underwear and it was a major hit with the locals. Most people’s undergarments are threadbare and filled with holes, but as long as they will hold together, they keep wearing them. People wear things here LONG after you and I would toss them in the trash. If anyone is interested in donating undergarments they no longer wear, this is a real need. FYI - Married women in Tanna do not wear bras, only teenage girls do (they really like sports bras). Tank tops, however, are popular with many women. And underwear is needed by women of all ages and sizes. So, that is the need. Do with it what you will. :o) Have a great week!
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