News from Nance
As I finally get around to writing my July letter, it is the 14th. Of course it could even be the first week of August by the time you get it: SUMMER! My twins just turned 40 yesterday, which makes it hard for me to deny my age, which is no longer 39, thus, I’m a little slower getting things done. 😊
We closed down the Montgomery County Fair Saturday night and piled all the chairs and boxes into the office ready to sort and pack for the next fair, which is Clark County.
Montgomery seemed pretty quiet this year. There are two factors that I think explain that:
1. It was very hot and very humid, except where we were in the building wearing sweaters due to extreme air-conditioning.
2. They were enforcing a rule that anyone under 18 had to attend with someone over 25. They were actually turning teens away due to some fights breaking out. Nonetheless, we were able to share the Gospel with 815, and praise the Lord for 138, who received Christ.
As we head to the Clark County Fair in Springfield, July 18-25, I don’t know what to expect because I’ve never been there. We’ll be there noon to nine daily. Pray for a good turn out and adequate staffing.
In the meantime, we have two 5-Day Clubs this week, July 14-18 (yes, there’s an overlap with setting up and manning the fair on the 18th). One is in Beavercreek in the afternoon and the other is in Yellow Springs in the evening. From there, we head to the Preble County Fair July 26-August 2, then two more 5-Day Clubs in Eaton and Xenia, August 4-8. The 8th will be busy since the Miami County Fair runs August 8-14. The Great Darke County Fair ends the summer ministry season August 15-23. Unbelievably, some kids go back to school fairly early in August-what happened to school starting after Labor Day?
Rachel’s Report
In the summer, each week is different. We did 5-Day Clubs the first three weeks of the summer, starting in Wilmington. The 5-Day Club/VBS at a small church in Englewood is a sweet collaborative effort – the CEF team does the teaching and games, and the church decorates, plans crafts and puppet shows, provides snacks, and does check-in and the opening ceremony.
The Montgomery County Fair was the first full week of July. This year’s fair was not as busy and even the attendants at the gate noticed it. The quieter booth meant that we were able to have longer, more individualized conversations, plus there were a handful of 4H kids who came by our booth all the time and they were like junior helpers by the end of the week. One morning, I met a mom who told me that she trusted in Jesus as her Savior when she was four years old after reading a Mailbox Club story that illustrated forgiveness. Overall, we had the privilege of sharing the Gospel with 815 individuals and 138 trusted Christ!
After the Montgomery County Fair, we had two 5-Day Clubs, one at a home in Beavercreek and the other at a small church in Yellow Springs. Many of the kids in the Beavercreek club attend the hostess’s Good News Club, making 5-Day Club a good chance to continue teaching and encouraging them. One child came to talk to the club hostess during club and said that she trusted in Jesus as her Savior at a church’s VBS the night before! In Yellow Springs, we had a smaller group which gave us a greater opportunity to get to know the kids.
The last two weeks of July are county fair weeks; Clark County is first and then Preble starts the day after Clark ends. The first full week of August is the last 5-Day Club week of the summer and then the next two weeks are county fair weeks again (Miami and then Darke).
Praise God for salvations at the county fairs, both children and adults , and good conversations at 5-Day Clubs and fairs .
Please pray for endurance and joy in the busy summer months, and children’s hearts to be ready to hear the Gospel.