Texas/Cowboy Party!

Do you have your drink, glasses, chair cushion, and laughter ready? I`ll wait for you to get settled in! Ha! Ha!

Saturday, June 21st, was the date for our first LST Party. We had a bang up time! There were 30 in attendance! You might not think that`s a high number, but it is considering how small this church is. There were six of our 32 readers there. Many had prior engagements. l0 church members, 5 friends of readers, and 7 kids ranging in ages 3-16. The party was from 7-9 p.m. Our theme was Texas/Western Cowboy. We had salsa, chips, tea, Japanese melon, watermelon, and pumpkin cake! Yummy...finger licking good, I tell you. LST funds paid for the salsa, chips, and tea. Where did the other food items come from? One reader ( Mr. Todayoshie Koboto) brought in a watermelon and a Japanese melon (sort of a cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew). Another reader brought in another melon, and a woman whose daughter is friends with a church member brought in the Delicious pumpkin cake. Weren`t those wonderful gestures of appreciation from our new friends? Keep in mind how expensive melons are over here......$7-) dollars for the small one like I was holding in another picture.


We started off with signing everyone end, getting their little paper friend name tags, and giving each participant a sheet with the mixer game we`d play later so they can become familiar with the directions and words before the mixer started. There was one American/Japanese translator at each table to go over the mixer game with the readers and church members. After everyone was signed in and studied the mixer rules, we got started! The mixer was a sheet with items such as ; find someone older than you, find a person who can sing, find someone with the same first initial as your name..etc. etc. This game was a get to know each other game. You couldn't`t just ask your friend or family member to sign the square relating to them. You had to go to new faces and could only use that person`s name once.

The next game was to relax and also designed to create conversations between new readers, church members, and friends of readers and the community. Each table was labeled 1-3. Three puzzles were taken apart and each piece numbered l, 2, or 3. Party participants went to the bowl of puzzle pieces, selected a piece and took that piece to the specific numbered table. Each piece built the puzzle. You should have heard the discussions (most of which Phyllis nor I could understand) generated. There was much gasping as the puzzles came to completion. These people know how to have fun!

We then took a snack break and listened to county/western/Texas themed music playing softly in the background. Whew!

We were going to have horse races and horseshoe tosses, but we only had time for one more game which was TEXAS BINGO! We had cards of famous Texas landmarks and historical figures as the draw cards. Mark placed all the cards on a PowerPoint for us and flashed the pictures on the wall which made the game much easier. We drew the cards out of a cowboy hat Jeanne let us borrow. You should have seen the expressions and reactions of everyone as each card was pulled. All the people would repeat the words after I said them and then Marlin would translate. Sometime the people would stop to ask for more information on the Texas symbols/landmarks, or heroes.
We finally had about six or so winners. You would have thought they were winning a million bucks the way they yelled out (BINGO). Ha! Ha!

The party ended with us singing a few songs and Marlin offering a prayer.

I will post the pictures in a separate post which will probably show before this one because I haven`t learned how to switch the order of the post.......he he!

Now here`s the thing....I worried about this party because I`m not a party planner. We really plan the party as a team, but Phyllis and I both are responsible for being the leader of specific parties. I was to take the lead on this one. I quickly forgot the love of the Lord for his children and servants. He guides and leads us to do what is best for his plan. The party was very successful in attendance and enjoyment not because of our planning, but because God wanted that success for his future plans for the party goers. God put together a wonderful team of workers for this event. Phyllis and I had the most kindhearted helpers from the ages of 3 and up.

I am so thankful for my heavenly father. He always takes care of us, doesn`t he? He used each of our talents to pull this connection off. We`re planting the seeds that God will water, nurture, and grow. Please begin praying now for our new readers and the Tomobe church members. Pray these two groups will become friends through this LST work and brothers/sisters through the blood of Christ. In this culture, it`s very difficult for the people to understand our belief of trusting, loving, serving, and being faithful to one God. To become a Christian means sometimes losing your family here or a life of semi-isolation from your family, friends, jobs, etc. etc. for many. Also pray for Marlin and Jeanne that they do not grow weary in their mission here. This is all part of why it`s important to host social events such as parties so the Christians can help uplift new readers as they start a new life in Jesus.

Thank you for listening to my/our thoughts. We`re tired after a long day of church and readers today.

Good Night or Good Morning/Afternoon there,

Tommie and Phyllis