Love Loud 2009

Wow.  If you are from this area, you know exactly what Love Loud is.  If you aren’t from around here, let me tell you about it.  Our church, First Baptist Church of Woodstock started having a church-wide mission trip in October.  Last year was the first year.  Josh is a project manager for Holly Park Mobile Home Community; our entire Sunday School class works together to love on this community.  This year we weren’t sure what to do, and we spent many days praying and asking God to help us know what to do.  We could have done many things that would have met various needs, but this is what we felt led to do……..

Starting at 2:00 a vacant trailer was open for FREE HAIRCUTS.  We were expecting three stylists to be there to cut hair;  only one sweet lady showed up.  Her help had not returned from lunch, so Dana and Tom showed their hair cutting skills!  We were all impressed with their ability and their willingness to help.

Dana cutting sweet little Eli’s hair

This is Brittany, a six year old girl, who just got her hair cut “like Molly’s.”

This is Austin, Brittany’s brother.

This is J.T.  While he doesn’t look very happy, he is.  He was the first one on the list for getting his hair cut!

This is Tom.  He had just gotten back from going home to get some extra hair cutting supplies.  He looks very ready for whatever hair-do anyone might want.  And he was…..

Everyone could get a new brush as they left from getting their hair cut.

Coleen set up a backdrop for taking some family pictures.  I can’t wait to see how they turn out!

Coleen and her mama

People played Corn Hole and helped set up for the cook-out.

Guys were setting up for a showing of FACING THE GIANTS.

This table is where people came to get free Bibles or devotionals.  There were free shoes and a place to write down prayer requests.

Ashlee painted quite a few little girls fingernails while we all waited on dinner.

Face painting was a big hit with all of the kids!

Above you see Connie…she came to church this morning.  I saw her walking through the preschool halls with her daughter!!

Josh sharing a laugh with Daniel.

I was so proud of Ruby!  She played with Eli and Brittany a lot while we were there.  She heard me asking Eli if he knew who Jesus was.  He said he didn’t, but he didn’t want to stay and talk with me, so I told Ruby to tell them both about Jesus.  And she did!!   She even ran over to the table of Bibles, grabbed one and told the girls there that she was just borrowing it for a minute, then opened it up with Eli and Brittany.  Ruby can’t read that well yet, but it was so great to know that she knew where all the stuff about Jesus could be found.  (Disclaimer:  She wasn’t supposed to be at the cookout, actually.  Josh drove home to drop all the kids off with Ms. Ashley, but he came back with Ruby because she really wanted to be there with everybody.  A few more layers were needed, but she told Josh she didn’t need any more clothes on…..and he believed her.  🙂  )

Above you can see Scott and Tom with Alex and Faith getting ready to unload and deliver boxes of food, toiletries and some cosmetics.  Several families helped with this endeavor!

And I must say that Alex is such a great, godly kid!  She has proven to be a very mature, growing believer at such a young age.  I watched her in action with some other girls at Holly Park, and I was so proud of her!  She also helped clean the trailers on Thursday.  She has a huge servants heart, and I love her.

Alex is the pretty little face you can see.  Her little sister is right behind her with the coke.  🙂

As it started to get dark, the movie began to play.  Many stayed and got to hear the Gospel clear and strong from Allen Scroggs.  It was an amazing night, and I am sure that we will not know all that the Lord did this night.  The class members were incredible…how they served and got to know people.  I was amazed at how receptive and open each person was that I talked to throughout the day.  I couldn’t help but think of a verse that the Lord has brought to mind many times throughout the past year:  I Thessalonians 2:8  “Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you had become very dear to us.” Josh talked about this very thing this morning in Sunday School.  We hope to hear more and more that people in class refer to people by name in a personal way instead of just ‘Holly Park’ in general.  I hope to see how we can share the Gospel ANDour lives with these new friends.

Love Loud should be followed by a Monday holiday called “SLEEP HARD.”