Seminaries and Bible schools offer courses in theology and /or language as part of the preparation of missionaries. But few deal with the cut and paste aspect of much of what a mission team does.
This weekend three people gathered for over two hours cutting paper plates in half, cutting doilies, cutting beaks out of construction paper and cutting boxes. We cut only enough for each of us to make a sample craft and test whether it would work with children. The paper plates and doilies form the dove that Noah sent out to see if the land had dried and those in the ark could leave. The boxes are for making shakers for worshiping God with instruments such as those listed in Psalm 150. We also cut out hearts to use to demonstrate that Jesus heals. Each heart will have band-aids placed on it in the shape of a cross. Later we will need to cut enough supplies for each craft for 200 or more kids.
I also spent Sunday afternoon cutting out 100 hearts from plastic canvas. Ladies will stitch the canvas and then stitch in the centre of the heart a cross to represent that fact that Jesus lives, and indeed, he lives in our hearts. It may not be theology 101 but it is very clear teaching about the love and power of God. One of the simplest definitions of theology is God talk. We want to talk to children and women about God.
bonitabarbara 