Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Sponge Animals and Jesus

A few months ago while reading a book called Embracing Obscurity, I came across an incredible illustration that I couldn't wait to use with my girls in Clase Biblica. It involved the use of "magic grow sponge capsules," - you know, those plastic coated capsules that you put in warm water and when the plastic dissolves the sponge inside the capsule expands and reveals the shape of an animal. I put them on my amazon wish-list and within 5 minutes, my friends Josh and Adora had purchased them and they were on their way to me in Monte Plata.

I finally decided that this was the week to use them in class. But before we got around to using the capsules during the lesson, we opened class with some exciting new graphic Bibles that the Bridgens family from my church in Scottsdale sent down for the ministry. These Bibles are illustrated like comic books, completely in Spanish and in full color. Each page contains the exact Biblical reference from which that part of the story comes. Needless to say, the girls were fascinated with them. We sat together and read them for about 20 minutes, stopping to discuss what we were reading and how that part of the Old Testament relates to our lives today. One of the girls passed by my house this afternoon and said "Clase Biblica was really great today. I love those Bibles! Can we keep reading them?" Yes, Estefany, yes we can. 

After reading, we started our lesson which was based on 2 Corinthians 5:17 - If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. I passed out the magic capsules to each of our girls. I explained that we are each like one of those little capsules. God created us for a purpose, with a specific form and plan in mind. But because of our sin, which is like the plastic casing, we are constrained, held back, and prevented from taking on the form that Christ has planned for us. I then took out a bucket of warm water. As a review from one of our lessons earlier this year, I asked them who the Bible referred to as the "Living Water," - Jesus. I had each of them come forward and they filled a plastic cup with the warm water. Jesus is like the water, and when we give our lives to Him, we can finally become what we were meant to be. He takes away our sin, frees us from bondage, and fills us with His spirit so that we take on the form He originally created us in. The girls dropped their capsules in the warm water and...we waited. At first they were confused. "Are we supposed to drink it?" "NO!"* I yelled, "Just wait." Finally one of them called out "Mine is starting to grow!!!" And one by one, the capsules began to open. The plastic dissolved away and the animals began to emerge from their captivity. "Mine is a monkey! Mine is a rhino! Mine is a lion! Mine is a panther!" The girls literally could not stay seated. They had never seen these types of capsules before and were completely shocked by what happened! They were running around the classroom, showing each other their animals, watching their friends' capsules open, yelling and laughing and smiling and slowly, but surely, getting the point (see the video of their excitement below). 

Our sin is like the plastic. Until we allow the healing, transforming power of the Living Water - Jesus - to free us, we stay bottled up in our sin, never knowing our real purpose or who we were really created to be. But once we immerse ourselves in the Spirit, we are cleaned from our sin, released from our captivity, and take on the form of Christ and all He created us to be. 

First ones to ever open these books - exciting!

Incredibly illustrated and so interesting

The girls were completely enthralled 

Reading about the creation of the world and the fall of man

20 girls in class today - praise God!

Eagerly anticipating the transformation of their capsules

I have never seen them so excited about something!

One of our teacher assistants, Lucy, watches the capsules transform into animals with the girls

Having so much fun!

The girls literally could not contain themselves. They were so excited! Here's a video to prove it:




2 Corinthians 5:17 - If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.
While we studied this verse, our focus was on the word "Cristo" or Christ. It is not when we are in the world, when we are rich, when we have finished our degree, when our family is perfect, when we have a position of power or control, when we are married, when we have a career that we love, when we finally kicked that bad habit, or when we own a car or a home that we are made new. It is only in Christ that we are we made new. He alone has the power to transform us. He alone has the power to make us new in Him. 


*I yelled "NO!" for two reasons: 1. The water was not clean water, it was water from my sink, and although I warmed it on my stove, I didn't boil it nearly long enough for them to put it in their mouths. 2. I'm pretty sure if you eat an expandable sponge capsule and it opens in your throat/stomach, you would have a MAJOR problem. 

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

New Creation


Oh Margaret*. I had only been in Monte Plata for a few days when I heard my first "Margaret story." She has a very long history of defiance, disrespect, running away from school, violence towards classmates and teachers, and being one of "those kids." By the grace of God, she has continued here at our school and is currently finishing 6th grade. After a long talk outside of her classroom during my first month here, she and I have been on great terms and we have a special relationship. Margaret can usually be found hanging around outside my office during recess, not-so-subtly waiting for me to invite her in to work on math, look at pictures on my computer, or just sit while I do work. 


Margaret and I after Clase Biblica today

Margaret also loves coming to Clase Biblica on Wednesdays after school. I think her favorite part is when she stays after all the other girls go home and we pray together. That's my favorite part, at least! This has been our regular pattern for the past few months and Margaret always has a long list of problems to pray about - everything from her family to her living situation to her academics to her behavior to her friends...This girl prays for it all. Her life is hard. It's not just normal-teenage-girl hard. It's depressingly, sometimes dangerously, makes-you-want-to-cry, impossibly hard. 

After class today, Margaret stayed behind as usual and as I wrapped my arms around her in a hug I asked "What are we praying for today?" She looked up at me and said "Nothing - today I just want to pray and thank Jesus for all the ways that He's changing me. I used to be really bad but I behave at school now and I'm really different. And I want to praise God for that." 

Cue the tears. I hugged her tight as I prayed and thanked God for the way in which He is working in sweet Margaret's life. We laughed together as I said "God, we know that Margaret has been trying for a long time to change herself, but that didn't really work." And then we smiled as I continued, "But God, You are powerful enough to change even the hardest hearts and the most impossible situations."

Today's Clase Biblica lesson was about God making us new creations. The Bible says that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come." How beautiful it is to see this truth so perfectly displayed in the life of one of our girls. Praise God for all He is doing here and in the hearts of those who believe and trust in Him around the world. 


*Name changed to protect privacy.