Our son Nathan is on a one year internship with Urban Promise, a ministry “that exists to proclaim the love of Jesus, and to express it through the spiritual, social and educational development of children, youth and families living in government housing.”

February 2, 2011
Hello Everyone,

As you probably know, I found out I had shingles last Saturday. As such I have been sentenced to go home for a week or more of relaxation and recovery. However I think I’ll manage. The hardest part of Shingles is knowing that right now, as I am writing this, the kids are showing up at Camp Freedom and I cannot be there. On the Brightside, kids tend to like you more if you have been gone for a while, so hopefully that will be the case.

I really see getting shingles as a blessing. I first noticed the itchiness while at a Urban Promise retreat, and was afraid that it was something to do with bed bugs. When we got back to our apartment it started to get worse and I got more and more convinced we had bed bugs on our hands. If such had been the case, all the staff, interns, and supervisors from Urban Promise would have to deal with getting them removed, which is a pricy affair. Also the camp we stayed at get new groups every week, all of which would be taking bed bugs home with them. I would not have been able to come home, and when I could, it would be extremely complicated. I prayed that bed bugs was not the case, and thank be to God that it wasn’t. When I found out it was shingles I was very happy.

When we started up again in January, we started up a new incentive program that was created by us interns. Whenever the kids behave during Word Up (the Bible Lesson) time or do a good job using their time effectively during homework time, or do something nice like sharing or cleaning up, they receive a “Prize Pin” (a clothes pin with “Prize Pin” on the side, it’s amazing how kids automatically want anything with the word Prize associated to it) which is hung up on the wall the main office. Once they receive ten, they are allowed to go to the “Treasure Box” which is filled with chocolate and candy and silly bands. This new system has been such a blessing and has really helped things go smoothly. Before I had no time for the well behaved kids in my class because I was always dealing with the ones who would not behave. Now I can reward the well behaved ones. There is one girl in my class who is five. During the beginning of the year she generally hated me and would not listen to me. Now because of prize pins, she actively participates during Word Up time, and is a leader to the rest of the kids to behave. Recently we have become friends and she likes me now.

During Word Up times it has struck me how most of the kids in my class don’t know Bible stories that seem common knowledge to me. This is a testament to the great job that the leaders of Little Lambs, Church Daycare, and Scugog Christian School did teaching me. Thank you so much, and I apologize for the all the trouble I must have given you. I now am dealing with kids that remind me a lot of how I must have acted. I recently have tried to make a stronger effort to tell more Bible stories and to make them more dramatic and exciting. God really has been working with the kids. During Word Up time or around it, it was not uncommon to hear kids say “I hate Word Up” or similar sentiments, but recently, a girl actually wanted to have Word Up time early. This was such a blessing to hear.

Thank you to everyone for all your concern with my welfare. Thanks for your prayers. I am starting to feel a bit better, so the medicine must be starting to work. Please pray for the leader I work with in the 5/6 classroom, and for all the leaders and kids at camp. Also please pray for me as I worry about them even though everyone there is quite capable of keeping things running smoothly in my absence. Have a great day! And once again thanks for all your support, be it encouragement, prayers, financial, or just remembering me.

Thanks!

Nathan Sennema