What a week! Full of fun and friendship, energy and entertainment, challenge and choice! We had 42 children from around the community, aged between 5 and 11years, who took part in the mission.

Many new faces and families but also some of our regular children who helped to extend a friendly welcome to those they knew through school. All the children attended regularly, which is a tribute to the action packed programme that they wanted to come back for more each day.

Ian, Elaine and Ali were our leaders 'out front' each morning and introduced the theme 'Wild at Heart' in a wild and exciting way, but based on scripture that says we are chosen by God to do His special work and He invites us to have a special relationship with Him but we have to choose to follow Him.

Puppets, songs, tricks, sketches, stories, quizzes, all brought the teaching alive and remembering the memory verses each day involved laughter with learning!

Creative craft sessions proved a challenge for some but provided good tangible reminders of the teaching for the day that hopefully will be talking points back home with parents along with the bookmark memory verse and fun activity sheets. Food al fresco -picnic style but indoor, was available each day, prepared and served by members of our congregation which was demolished in seconds by some of the hungry hordes.

The afternoons were action packed with physical and practical activities. Unfortunately, the inclement weather prevented us from doing all that we had planned for outside but following the soaking on Monday when attempting sports games we did manage our 'hike' to Stubylee Park on Wednesday. Other afternoons involved indoor games and all kinds of crafts.

The BBQ on Thursday evening was a great success with a crowd of parents and friends coming to support the children in what they had achieved throughout the week as they shared the theme, songs and activities etc. It was fantastic to meet and speak with so many new faces and old friends together.

It was the end of the mission but it didn't stop there…The Sunday morning service was a fabulous recount of the week's events and invites have been given out to welcome children to CE and Sunday School or other family members to different activities of the church.

Hopefully, seeds have been sown and we hope and pray that many lives will have been touched and changed because of the work done and that the Holy Spirit will continue to challenge the hearts and minds of those who heard the gospel so that they will respond and come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. For many this is just the beginning…

I purposely haven't mentioned any names of helpers, other that Ian, Elaine and Ali, but as you can appreciate it took a whole team of dedicated volunteer helpers from within the church and beyond to run this mission.

Our sincere thanks to everyone involved in any way whatsoever - prayer, financial, practical, physical, administrative, food preparation, cleaning, counselling, follow up or anything else.

Let's give all the glory to God.