FBC's Arkansas Mission Team Update

A note from the Wootens:

Stephanie has ‘left our ranks’ to go to the WILDS — not sure if she’ll have the chance to blog.  We appreciate her work on the blog, keeping everyone informed and updating you.  Our last day of VBS was Friday.  God has really blessed this week. We had 5 new visitors on Friday alone, 30 kids throughout the week, 2 of which were ours   about 7 from the church here, the rest visitors!  The lady whose son brought several of the visitors Friday night said that they’re unchurched, that one family in particular she’d love to see come to Lifespring, would be a “good fit.”  Great contacts for the Dillons!   

Friday several of the ladies went to a Dayspring outlet store while Ryan took the teens and kids to an ice-skating, swimming sportscenter type of place.  We had one wounded one — Josh required a few stitches, but the Lord worked it all out, and Josh is doing fine now.  We had a pizza dinner Friday night with the church folks to get to know them some. 

The last night ended with a program to which the parents were invited, and a reception following.  This gave the chance to chat with parents.  Please pray for the Dillons as they follow up on these families.

Saturday we all (including the Dillons) had the opportunity to see Sight and Sound’s production of Noah.  (One ‘neat’ thing for me [Claudene] — the one playing Noah was one of my former speech students from PCC.  We all took a backstage tour, then after the production ”Noah” came out for a few moments and we had the chance to chat with him.  A good reunion time and especially good to see how God is using him and the talents he’s been given).  One moment during the production that was especially poignant to several of us was when God closed the door and people outside the ark were begging to get in.  The finality of their decision to reject God and the need for US to spread the gospel and reach souls for Him was so evident. May God find us faithful.

Today, services went well.  The morning service begins at 9, then Lifespring has to be done by 10:30 and gone “as if they were never there” so that the Lutheran church, from whom they rent the facility, can hold their services.  We formed a choir and sang under Liz Dillon’s direction.  Stephanie played the flute for offertory.  It was good to be able to worship with the church here — what a great work God is doing! 

The Dillons are leaving as well, Monday morning to go to Iowa for a missions conference.  So we tried to help them some today after the morning service.  We brought them lunch, then ‘donned work clothes’ and tried to be of help.  The men trimmed hedges, mowed the lawn, did yard work, Christina and Catherine helped them wash the Dillons’ cars. The ladies worked inside — vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, fixing goodies for tonight, folding laundry. 

For the evening service, Pastor Wooten spoke from Hebrews.  We had a fellowship afterward with the church family, grilled hotdogs, and had the chance to visit with and get to know the folks a bit.  Then we packed the van with our VBS things to have it all ready to go tomorrow.  One last stop at Braums ice cream which has quickly become a favorite completed our evening.

One prayer request — there is a lady who works here at the hoted, DJ, who has really taken to Christina and Catherine. She fixes the breakfasts here and looks for “the girls” every morning, gave them coloring sheets etc.  WE’ve had the chance to talk to her about the Lord and to invite her to Lifespring.  I don’t believe she’s saved.  She does not have a home church. Please pray that God works on her heart, that she comes to know the Lord, that she visits the church and the Dillons can follow up.  We have one last breakfast with her in the morning.

One last thought to close with — Liz Dillon told us today about one of the boys who attended VBS.  He told his mom that he was “so sad” that it was over.  It was the “best thing he’s done since Christmas”  — the really ‘neat thing’ about that is just a few months ago, he visited DisneyWorld for the first time.   May God who has begun a good work continue to perform it, at Lifespring Baptist Church. 

The workers from the church who have been helpers this week are already talking about next year and what they can do, for a VBS next summer. Praise the Lord!  It will be great to see how the Lord works here and grows His church.

Thank you so much for your prayers throughout the week. It was evident that you were praying.  God bless you and we’ll see you at home!