CEF® of Peninsula participated in Christian Youth in Action® (CYIA™) training in Kingston Jamaica for two weeks July 9th to the 20th!
The first week the mission team led the intensive CYIA training and the second week Jamaican CYIA students taught 5-Day Clubs for the area children, sharing what they learned the first week. All Glory goes to the Father for the awesome success we saw in Jamaica! He made it happen.
There were 43 Jamaican students that attended the first week of CYIA training. Most were teenagers, with a few adults attending. The first day, they were all reserved and shy. They did not know each other. They did not know that the next two weeks had been prepared for them by the Father.
Most did not stand on the first day when we sang the CEF songs (they were embarrassed to get too involved). But by the end of the week they were all standing, cheering, and going through all of the song motions with enthusiasm. They had become a team of Christ’s disciples with more excitement than ever. Praise God!
They were ready to sing God’s praise and share the Gospel of the glory of Jesus to the children of Jamaica on the second week. Bible lessons, Scripture memorization, and mission story were in place. Jamaican teens and adults alike were equipped to reach the Jamaican children in Kingston. Praise God!
Next, we all – trainers and students together – split into six groups to lead 5-Day clubs in six locations in the Kingston area. The Jamaican CYIA students awesomely performed the 5-Day Clubs the second week. As a team, we reached 294 children with 74 children accepting Christ. We also had 49 children receive counseling for assurance and other issues.
What an awesome blessing to help evangelize in Jamaica! CEF staff and volunteers traveled from several locations yet we worked as a united team. The Jamaica mission team included Maggie and Caroline Haines, Hannah Michael, Daniel Janney, and John Taylor from the Greater Richmond area; Emily McGraw from CEF Headquarters; and Kevin and Judy Mooers from CEF of Peninsula. Maggie Haines was the fearless coordinator who never missed a step.
How did this training come about? Jamaica has a lot going for them to advance the Kingdom. The new CEF Director for Jamaica, Uncle Carl Scharschmidt , has a lot of energy and has been gaining support from influential Christians. (Calling someone “uncle” is a sign of great respect in Jamaica.)
The Jamaican Minister of Education, the Honorable Ruel Reid, gave permission for after-school Good News Clubs® (GNCs) to be included in all schools in Jamaica. Uncle Robert Levy, CD, Jamaica Broilers Group Limited, is a major donor for CEF in Jamaica. Uncle Robert said that he wants Jamaica to have the most GNCs per capita than any other country within two years. The Lord is clearly at work in Jamaica!
How does this summer mission trip fit into CEF’s goal of reaching Every Child in Every Nation Every Day? Jamaica has CEF-trained people. These folks watched us give CYIA training to teens and adults that resulted in 5-Day Clubs. The summer clubs will be used as a starting point for a new GNC in a neighborhood school. The Jamaicans can take it from here. Next summer they can host CYIA training themselves. Pray for them.
Let’s also join Uncle Robert in praying that Jamaica will raise up enough volunteer teachers and administrators to start many more Good News Clubs so they will have the most GNCs per capita than any other country in the world!
Report by Kevin Mooers
Training Instructor & Northern Neck Ambassador
CEF of Peninsula
