Choose Life!

Every time I upload a picture of the school we’ll be working in I think that for you, our faithful supporter, each one must look pretty much like the last. But this morning is different, for some reason I look at this picture of Auchmuty School and imagine the individuals sitting in those classrooms behind those windows, looking out on the world, every one with a story to tell, thoughts, personalities, hopes and dreams, experiences, doubts, hurts and passions. A complete mix and yet each known and loved by their Creator God. What an amazing opportunity we have, to help each one on their ‘Personal Search’ to consider the possibility that God exists and if that is true, is He interested in me? Can He actually make a difference in my life, and even change my situation! Yesterday’s programme would have given them an opportunity to look at the evidence for the existence of God and to look at who Jesus is and today we would be exploring the statement that Jesus made that He came to bring life to the max, so bring it on!!!!

So not quite such an early start this morning, pickups start at 7.25 so we need to be up at 5.30 to allow everyone a turn in the shower and breakfast. The team are excited about the potential for today and looking forward to lessons that are more familiar. It means that everyone in the band has an opportunity to deliver some of the material and to share about the way Jesus has influenced their lives and effected their choices and decisions.

But for the first session of the day, everyone was in together. 210 x 11-12 year olds all together for an hour. Bruce from Scripture Union and Fiona from Foolproof Theatre were leading this programme. Setting up the chairs around the hall instead of rows created a whole new feel for the morning. Students were in three rows facing the centre of the room with Bruce & Fiona presenting from the middle of the ’round’. It was a brilliant idea and had the attention of the kids from the moment they walked in (after the confusion of finding where to sit!) and created a whole new atmosphere. Looking at different philosophers and how they view life gave the young people loads to think about and consider before going into classrooms to unpack the theme in more detail. With drama from Foolproof and a song from Taste this session was completely interactive. Snippets from ‘Horton hears a Who’ and the new film Hugo augmented the whole theme.

Lunchtime today was a real answer to prayer as on Monday not many pupils had come to the hall to meet the team, and those informal times outside the class situation are so important in getting to know the young people better. Today we had about 100 come down which was really unusual as the hall and the area surrounding it is not a place where people hang out or even pass by much at lunchtime. However, the wider SU team had grabbed their lunch and gone out to the dining room and other corridors to try and encourage kids to come down to the hall to meet Taste and hear some music. It clearly worked and a great atmosphere built up as more came along and joined in with what was going on. After lunch we had another music lesson and then the final session with whole year group all together again in the hall to sum up the day using film clips, discussion, drama and music.

As well as presentations from stage we feel we are gradually building some relationships and getting alongside some of the young people too. Please pray that this continues and that many will decide in the next couple of days to come along to our evening concert on Thursday night where we’ll have the opportunity to share even more.

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