Curbside Evangelism in The Bahamas

As we cannot be in country physically yet, we continue to share highlights and guest posts from the CEF staff we directly serve on a day-to-day basis. This guest post is written by Lisa Moss, who currently serves as the new Regional Administrative Assistant, and at the time of writing served as the ministry coordinator for CEF Bahamas.

“The Courage To Make The Shift In Children’s Ministry”

Earlier in the year CEF® Bahamas partnered with the government operated Urban Renewal Center. Two of their staff members participated in CEF’s® Quick Start training and we established a Good News Club at the center. It was agreed that club would meet once a month and whenever there was a function at the center for the children in the community, CEF® would be invited. Due to COVID-19 things changed. Social distancing, wearing facial mask in public, no gathering of more than ten persons, constant sanitizing and washing of hands became the new norm. Ministering to children in person became a challenge but we thank God for Zoom and other online platforms.

I had received a message from the Activities Coordinator at the Urban Renewal Center. She informed me that the center took on a project to provide lunch for the children and elderly in the community. The lunch project was going to be a curbside event, while children were at the center for a brief moment to collect their lunch. As this was the last week for the lunch project the plan was to climax with a curbside, Back to school Jamboree. Lunch would be served for one hour curbside, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. on a first come first serve basis. CEF® was invited to attend and to share a positive word with children. I jumped at the opportunity. I thought, ‘What do I share for two minutes for five days? Well, the Lord revealed the plan, ‘The Message of Salvation’ better known as, ‘The Wordless Book’. This book has five pages, no pictures, no words, just five beautiful colored pages, gold, dark, red, clean and green, they represent the wonderful story of God’s love for us. Each day would represent a color and the message from the book.

Day one, the color was gold to begin the Message of Salvation. Well, that morning showers of blessings came down and continued for the entire day. The plan was adjusted. The next day was Tuesday, under the beautiful blue skies, I wore my gold and went to meet the children. One by one they collected lunch, I shared how the gold reminds me of heaven, where the street is paved with gold, God our Creator lives there and He loves you very much. I gave them a token that says God loves you with the verse John 3:16 on the reverse. For God so loved the world, but instead of saying “loved the world,” I told them to put their name instead of world. The token were given to all the children and the first 25 children received a mini package of skittles with their tokens. There were about 50 children on the first day, along with adults.

We praise the Lord for day one. Wednesday, day two, representing the dark and the red pages, I was dressed in the colors, with a familiar head piece for the children. I shared how the dark color reminds me the verse, “All have sinned…” Romans 3:23, No matter who you are, you have sinned. Sin is anything you think, say or do that displeases God and it cannot enter heaven. We were all born in sin, and sin must be punished. Punishment means separation from God. Thankfully God has a wonderful plan so you and I don’t have to be punished for our sin. This brings me to the red page, it reminds me that God, in His love for us sent His only begotten son, who did no wrong, but willingly took our punishment by dying on the cross for us. He shed His precious blood so that we may be forgiven of our sins. Christ died for our sins…1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Tokens with the message for the day and scripture on the reverse side was given along with treats for the children. I ministered to a total of 35 children that came by.

In attendance were two teen girls who looked forward to the message and tried their best to guess what the message and the verse would be for the day. The first day they were ‘spot on’. There was also a young man who came every day and collected two lunches for his mother and son. My first encounter with him was the first day when I told him what the gold page remind me of ; then I asked him who lives in heaven. Well, he looked at me and said, ’I wont say because the answer will not be what you want to hear’. I said, ‘Well tell me who you believe lives in heaven. He refused to say. He turn to me and said, ’I grew up believing the traditional Bible but has since changed my belief, but you can tell me what you believe’. I looked at him, told Him God lives in heaven and He loves you very much. I was thankful to the Lord that he was still willing to listen. Everyday he came and listen as I shared, amazingly he took the tokens with the messages home to his four year old son.

On day three, I dressed in my clean color, letting the children know, because of what the Lord has done for you, you can have your sins forgiven. The token, a clean heart with the message and verse, “You are forgiven!” The Lord has promised, ’He will be my helper.’ Hebrews 13:5b. The number of children decreased, as some came to collect lunch for six to eight family members, Overall twenty-eight children attended and the message continued.

Friday! And the “Back to School Jamboree’ had begun. There was excitement in the air. Over one hundred children came young and old, and parents there. Lunch was served, raffle tickets were given out for special prizes that could only be collected on that day. After lunch the children spread out on the park and around the Urban Renewal Center waiting patiently for their number to be called. Every child was given a back pack and special birthday gift bags were provided for everyone young and older who celebrated in the month of August. No one was turned away. The Lord provided for the children and parents were happy. So many persons attended and social distancing needed to be enforced. Yes, the father previously mentioned came and brought his little son. The color for the day was green, the last page in the Wordless Book. The message was shared, Now that you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ you can get to know Him better, by growing in Christ. I encouraged the children to Go to Sunday school, Read and Obey God’s word, and Witness – share the good news of the gospel with others. During Curbside Ministry, it was my prayer that by God’s grace the seeds planted through the message would have fallen on fertile ground. Just before the end of my time at the center three young boys showed up. It was my first time meeting them, they said they came during the first two weeks to get lunch and their first for this week. I asked if they had ever trusted Jesus as their personal Savior. Excitedly the answer was a resounding YES!! It was truly a blessing. The Lord allowed me to encourage them with the message for the day. To continue to Grow in Christ, confess your sin to the Lord and that He will never leave you nor forsake you. To God be the Glory!!!