Learning from Holidays

There is no way to know how a holiday weekend will turn out. I knew I would be speaking at Conejo Valley Church of Christ Sunday and that the group from the church who visited us in the summer at Made in the Streets-Nairobi would give a report. I also knew that our daughter would have a day off on Monday.

But Darlene and I had never before experienced a report to a home congregation by people who visited us. We had no idea how meaningful it would be, and emotional. We heard such good words about our Kenyan team and about the street kids in our program. The kids who came with them were charged up about it -- how great to see such interest in 8, 10 and 12 year olds. We heard how some of the street kids made it a point to wash mud off the visitors' shoes, and how interested the Kenyan Team is in learning and improving themselves. Makes me feel really good about the ministry.

And Monday Darlene and our daughter and son-by-marriage and I took a long walk together, then stopped at a coffee shop to drink coffee (iced! it's hot here in sunny So. Cal.). We had a great talk together about the future, and about the granddaughters, and the street ministry. It's the longest time the 4 of us have had to sit and talk since the girls were born!

Two values come out of a weekend like this -- stay close to the church. The church is a family where we can let joy and new life enter into us. And number 2 - stay close to the kids. Just talking to family a few minutes lifts up the heart of the one who is getting older.

Keep your values clear, charles