Keeping it simple

Dear Aaron and Nate, thank you both for taking the leadership role for our teaching times together in Haiti. One of the memorable quotes that Dr Danny Brassell made on Saturday was that: “What works for high school and college kids doesn’t work for kinder garden aged kids, but what works for kinder garden aged kids works for all ages.” The reason I mention this is that many of the older kids at the orphanage are struggling with their studies. They came to us already in their teens and not well educated. Add in the fact that the French schools they attend are not the best suited to help “catching up” delayed students and you end up with 17 & 18 year olds that are learning at 5^th grade levels. All this information to say that your audience will be vastly different than the youth groups you are use to teaching here in the US, and add to that the fact that translating each message will take double the time to make your point, my suggestion is that you use the broad outline and boiled down stories of these men and women’s lives building to one or two themes that their lives provide of their “faith walk”. Each of these “Hero’s of the Faith” lives in turn become life examples to emulate and encourage our kids in their journey toward God. Aka “So great a cloud of witnesses”.

I also wanted to mention how awe struck I was by Aarons testimony of being an orphan; your life validates the appropriation of life changing faith exemplified by the lives recounted in Hebrews 11. As Crabb states in his book, our brokenness is attractive to others (our spiritual friends) and causes us to lean into each other. I found myself glorying in God for His wonderful provision of a “real, flesh on the bones” example of a redeemed orphan that is willing to live right amongst these kids. Aaron, you’re another hero of the faith (all be it a New Testament version) to add to Hebrews 11 for these kids!

I realize we’ve put you both in a stretching position, but above all else, just keep praying (as I am) for His leadership in your preparation. He will honor your hearts pursuit.

 

Grace to you

 

Darin Kruse