Don't laugh. Just hang tight for a minute, and it will all make sense. :)
There is a ministry called Gospel for Asia (GFA) that has its headquarters right here in Carrollton, and several of those on staff with this ministry attend our church. Every year, GFA sends out a Christmas catalog that allows people to give specific gifts to poor families in Asia. (go to www.gfa.org/gift) You can give anything from Bibles, to bicycles for missionaries, to chickens, to blankets...
And don't forget about the water buffaloes!
To the poverty stricken families in Asia, a water buffalo is like manna straight from heaven. They serve as tractors, "vehicles" for transportation, surrogate cows to give milk, and of course, an income generator when they reproduce every other year. They can live for 29 years, and even after they die, they are still useful by the meat they give. So you are getting some bang for your buck with that gift!
But, speaking of bucks, a water buffalo costs $460. So we thought we would throw a party to raise the money as a church family - water buffalo style!!
Our pastor and his wife, who are retired missionaries from Taiwan, had several statues of water buffaloes and water buffalo horns and were excited to bring those to help decorate!
We started out with splitting up everybody into four separate teams and having a competitive quiz involving fun facts about water buffaloes. Whoever answered a question right got a point for their team and a Starburst. :)
The next game, and by far the biggest hit and the most lively, was Pictionary! Each of the four teams had to draw items that involved life in Asia and make their teammates guess what they were drawing before the other teams got it. Needless to say, we had some pretty crazy drawings, and some pretty crazy people too... :)
Christa and our friend Nicole enjoying some social time together.
Some more intense sketching. :) Our pastor is great with children, and loves to gather the little ones around him whenever he gets a chance!
As you can see, the scores were pretty close!
Sweet Miss Hannah was my faithful team partner and helper for the evening. I greatly enjoyed getting to know her better! :)
Dad was the emcee for the night, and did an awesome job! We also showed two videos from GFA that shared testimonies of changed lives. You can go to their website (click here) to view one of the films we showed.
Our friend Mr. Dickson who is on staff with GFA shared a testimony that he heard about a widow who received a water buffalo recently and accepted Christ as her Savior as a result of it! That was so exciting to hear!And we are thrilled to report that God raised up enough money to purchase not one, not two, but three water buffaloes, plus a goat and fourteen Bibles on top of that!! We praise God that He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us! ~ Ephesians 3:20. May God use these gifts to change many lives for His kingdom.
