Love Covers Outreach

For our last week in Sudan we were able to bless a school with FRM’s signature school outreach called Love Covers. Lover Covers is a 3 day VBS at a local school. We scouted out schools in the bush looking for one that had the most need and fit other criteria. We found Angel Primary school in the remote village of Mugali. Angel primary had about 50 kids and 3 teachers with only 1 teacher showing up regularly, and had grades P1-P4 (1^st grade-4^th grade). The school has one mud hut which is the teachers’ office and the children sit under trees on broken benches and tires. As the sun moves throughout the day the students move from tree to tree seeking the shade. In the few weeks prior to the outreach FRM registers the children and then makes random drop-ins at the school to check attendance.

             Me & my translator Godfrey

This is to encourage the children to attend school regularly to get an education and not just show up the day of the outreach to receive gifts. On the day of the outreach if a child is in attendance but isn’t on the registry they do not receive a backpack or school supplies because most likely they found out from a friend that Americans were in town giving out things.

During the 3 days I taught P-4 different stories from the Bible that showed the kids that God is our provider. The lessons were broken up with crafts, recess, lunch, and dramas.

Gifti, me, Bosco doing a drama

       I had the prestigious role of playing Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue

                                                     

 In Christina’s class she had a little boy that asked for prayer because both of his parents just died. He was crying uncontrollably and the other kids in her class cried along with him and they all prayed for him. These kids face challenges at young ages that most of us will never face.

                This is the boy who lost his parents

The last day of Lover Covers was the big day! All the classes gathered together and Wes did a short teaching and shared the Gospel. The kids then performed songs and dances for us, and thanked us for being there.

                Wes sharing the Gospel                                                 Girls performing a dance for us


We closed out the day with distributing backpacks stuffed full of notebooks, pencils, erasers, a blanket and mosquito net. We also gave the children new school uniforms and bright red Love Covers t-shirts. I’ve never seen kids get so excited for paper and pencils!


                                                          Godfrey giving out backpacks

Immediately they all put on their new t-shirts and had big smiles on their faces. I just imagine how excited they will be come Monday morning to put on their new uniform and show up to school with a backpack and supplies.

They went from this....                                                         ...to this

       From this backpack....                                                             ...to this backpack

                        



As we were preparing to leave we treated each kid with a soda and then we waved good-bye.

 

                                                      My bodyguard-he's a commando!!!

                                                          Mine & Godfrey's class P-4

                                                                    1 Peter 4:8

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."