Dearest Friends,
Something Wonderful
Tonight, a little girl came up to me at a church outreach we did. She asked for the pictures that I had drawn. Her mother was standing behind her and explained that she had asked for and received my pictures when she was about her daughter’s age now.
That puppet trip was our first out of state trip 22 years ago to Baltimore. Our sons Josh and Matt, with their friends Jeremy Snow and Jeremy Southernland were the puppet team. They were all little boys who believed that they should tell people about Jesus, even if they were only children.
How sweet it was to meet this little girl and see her mother. Their story of faith crossed more than two decades. Oh, and the little girl told me that she knew Jesus as her Savior. God is faithful!
Hard Places
We have done so many shows this week for children who live in hard places. They live in the inner city of Baltimore. Too many are well acquainted with the problems of alcohol and drug abuse. Many are from broken homes. The areas as they live in are well known for having high crime rates that include prostitution and murder. It is a hard place to be a little child.
We heard so many children praying out loud, asking Jesus to be their Savior. Others called on Him silently and told me after the show that they had prayed. Some prayed in whispers. At one program, a single child prayed loudly and clearly, though no one else joined him. Children have real courage.
Our friends in these places welcomed us and asked that we always remember to come again. One dear lady shouted for joy when I called to schedule the show. She thought that I had forgotten them and was not coming. We love the children in these places and so we go.
I met a little girl named Tigeria. She met Jesus at one of these shows. She loved the tricks and stories that the young people told. Her story is the story of many of the children that we have met. She desperately wants to know that God sees her and that He cares. Hold her in your prayers.
Helping Up Mission
This is a wonderful place where men who are living on the streets or suffering the results of alcohol or drug addiction can find real help. We always look forward to this show. It is a sweet joy to share with these men.
As they watched the puppets, they began to smile and laugh. They listened to the Bible story with their hearts. So many men prayed out loud, calling on Jesus to rescue them. Praise God!
When we finished, they clapped, cheered, and I heard some whistling. More, they gave us a standing ovation. All of us were humbled and encouraged by these men. Please continue to hold them in your prayers. They are precious to the Father and to us.
Churches
Already, we have been in five churches in this area. Covenant of Grace PCA, Liberty PCA, Dundalk Evangelical, and Severna Park. We have two others scheduled this week, Central Baptist and Dundalk Baptist. Because of the generosity of these churches, we are able to do dozens of free shows across Baltimore and in 6 cities in Tennessee.
Chick-Fil-A
Every year I am delightfully surprised when we do programs at the Chick-Fil-A in White Marsh. Some of the people sat for all four shows. Others stayed for two programs. No one objected to our talking about Jesus. That in itself was a wonder! Many came and thanked me for the message. Sometimes, I think we as believers forget how very hungry people are to hear about hope, love, peace, Jesus.
Something Funny
One little boy at an inner city show told me that he had seen a show like this last year. He was sure that I had not done the program. I smiled and told him that it was me. I explained that I was just older and more tired. He smiled and said, "True dat!"
Prayer Requests
Keep praying! We have two shows in the Baltimore area tomorrow, Sunday. On Monday, we are in Philadelphia. Tuesday, we are traveling to New York City to share with children. We need your prayers.
In Jesus,
Linda for Seth, Jared, Heather, Paige, and Mykayla