Dearest Friends,
If you only read one of the letters I wrote this summer. I suggest you read this one. I did not write it. The young people that have traveled with me on the USA tour have each written a testimony about how they saw God move in their lives and in the lives of the children. You need to hear their words. They are dear and special to me because each one was willing to see the needs of others above their own needs. Rejoice!
Drake
See, it seems like a burden to travel across the US in a car with 6 other people, but it wasn’t. It was a huge privilege. Sure, sometimes it got hot, but it is all worth it. The faces of the kids when they hear the gospel, makes it all worth while. And the people I traveled with are ABSOLUTELY amazing. They love Jesus with all there heart, and they don’t care if the heat index is 111, they know it is about the kids. These kids don’t hear the gospel like most of us do, but to be given the opportunity to be apart of giving them the gospel, is the greatest privilege I’ve ever taken part of. Thank you all for praying for the team and I. Your prayers guided us through. And thank you all of you who prayed for my trip to Ireland, even though it isn’t happening, I understand that this is all God’s will, and I thank you all so much!
God Bless,
Drake
Jaimie
I had been praying about doing missions this summer, and when Linda asked me, I knew it was God opening the door. Shortly before I came on this trip, my mother received the news that she had breast cancer. Although we didn’t understand what God was doing, my family and I knew this trip was meant to be. It was hard leaving my mom in her time of need, but God is greater than our circumstances.
God has taught me so much on this trip. I have seen God mend the lonely and broken children and even adults of America and create within them a new hope and light into their lives. God can use anyone, anytime, any place. All He wants from us is to be willing to listen and obey Him. This summer has truly been a great journey with God. My mom has received a good report and only requires radiation (no chemo!) God is good!
The children of America are longing to be loved and accepted. There is no greater way for these kids to find hope and love than through someone willing to share Jesus with them. Thank you all for your support and prayers for The Agape Puppets. We are grateful and even more so the children of the world are grateful.
Kelsey
This past month, I’ve seen God do some amazing things through these children, adults, and me as well. During this mission trip, God has given us all strength, patience, compassion, and love for these kids and so much more! Most of these kids come from very bad homes which breaks my heart because you want to help them all. But the most important thing you can do is tell those children about Jesus. Kids as young as five years old have probably seen unimaginable things and had so much harm done to them. When I saw those kids and how happy they are, when most of them have next to nothing, it made me feel ashamed whenever I was selfish and greedy. So in that, God has pulled my eyes toward Him more and off me.
Another thing God has taught me through this trip is whatever is important in my life isn’t always important in God’s eyes. I just thank God for all the blessings He’s given to me and for bringing us all together! I also would like to thank you all for your prayers during this trip. You’ve been absolutely amazing! Just because this trip has come to an end doesn’t mean to stop praying for these children, because they need every bit of it.
Joe
My favorite part of the tour was bringing the gospel to kid’s living in impoverished and harsh communities in Baltimore. The fact that these kids have so little makes them all the more excited for our shows! They listened well and were super engaged with every part of the show. I found it especially thrilling to bring hope and light to these kids as many come from homes with little hope and much darkness! May they find their hope and joy in knowing Jesus as Lord, Saviour and friend.
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" James 4:6
Leslie
I never imagined I would learn so much in just three weeks, but God has shown me some truly inspiring things on this trip. In our first show, we still hadn’t quite got the hang of things yet, and we were all so worn out and hot, but I remember the feeling of peace and relief wash over me from behind the stage when I heard those kids pray out loud. I knew then and there that any exhaustion that occurred over the rest of the trip would be worth it, because these children deserved our best when it came to telling them about Christ.
After seeing the conditions in which some children lived, I knew this to be even more true. Sure, it was hard doing shows in 100-degree weather in buildings with poor air condition, but that’s all these kids had. We got to leave after the show and drink cold Cokes in an air conditioned car. The children stayed there. On our hardest days, I saw for the first time a multitude of blessings I took for granted every day.
Billy
I have been on a few trips with Linda Summer and I have seen amazing things for the Kingdom. I have see poor kids in Peru come to faith, I have seen South African kids with AIDS pray out loud to receive Christ into their lives. I have seen so many amazing and wonderful things happen. Traveling to the USA and taking the summer trip for the first time, I was not expecting to see all the things I did. I was not expecting to find places where the kids were so broken and lost. Kids, that in people’s eyes had it all, but in reality they where so lost and afraid. People think that to serve you have to go out of the country. But the truth is that you need to just open your eyes and see the ones that no one else want to see. God really opened my eyes this trip to all the broken kids in the USA. I want to tell you what happened at the first show we had. It was the start of the program, and Linda was telling the story of the Prodigal Son. She was talking about forgiveness and how the Father forgave his son. When out of the crowd one little boy raised his hand and said to Linda, "My daddy tried to kill my mommy and I had to save her and stop him, I can not forgive him." The kid was no older then ten. This touched me, and these are the kids we are talking with……kids that have no love, no hope, and are never told they are a treasure to the Kingdom.
In Jesus,
Linda Summer for everyone