A big thank you to those of you who were praying for our first significant community activity in Jesus Mary last night.
we had a very good attendance of probably between 150-200 people, the vast majority of them first-time visitors.
The program consisted of both Christmas Carols in Spanish led by the Sendero de Vida praise band, and songs in English sung by the English students. We also enjoyed a presentation from the Amigas del Alma (Friends Forever), Mayra, Shari and Aurora. They gave out several gifts, including a really pretty embroidered apron and a 2010 calendar, to the ladies who have participated in their baking class over the last 6 weeks. The Christmas drama (in English) also was a real hit. I shared a Christmas reflection at the end, reminding people of the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
During the whole program, nobody left. Parents were video-taping their kids. People were sipping on punch and coffee and singing along with the band. It was a great night! It was very significant for us, because it created a community consciousness of who we are and what we do, in an attractive yet clear way. I suspect that attendance in our ESL classes will continue to grow after last night, as many people were asking about the English classes. We start another 10-week course January 13 and 14, ending with…Easter, and another great opportunity to witness!
