The Sudbrock Scoop

Its Reformation Time!

October 31st is Reformation Day. The City of Wittenberg rolls out the red carpet, well, okay, the burlap bags, and becomes the reformation capital of the middle ages once again to welcome thousands of guests. This year, we were privileged to be invited to have a booth downtown for the festivities. Our church runs a nonprofit called "Culture and Counseling". This organization received an invitation to demonstrate a middle ages handcraft and advertise for our group. We gladly accepted the challenge. We set up a booth with books, tracts and Bibles. Our handcraft - homemade paper. This time, we cooked iris and hosta leaves into paper pulp. People loved the papers made from pineapple greens, asparagus and leeks. While the adults were browsing our paper and books, the children were invited to spin our prize wheel where they had a chance to win Christian CDs, books and prizes. Paul was able to talk to several people about salvation and invite them to visit our church while I worked with the children. The kids were great. I love it when a bashful little kid inches up to the spinning wheel, timidly places their hand on it and then WOW spins the thing almost off is its stand. Who would have ever thought so much power was hiding in such a little bundle. And so much more hiding in those little packages of love. I had so much fun opening Christmas packages and letting the winner pick out a prize. Oh how I pray those seeds will take root and grow into spiritual fruit.

We were able to distribute about 500 books, CDs, DVDs and tracts. We also handed out 50 balloons with Christian quotes on them. Next time I think we should order 200. I just loved watching these atheist parents pushing strollers and their children holding balloons that said things like "God is Love". That sight fueled my smile all day long.

As the sun set and we lit our lanterns, even more people stopped by to check out our Christian themed pumpkins. The kids had such fun carving them. They invited the neighbor kids over and we had a pumpkin carving party. If you have any good Christian carving ideas for next year, please send them our way.

As we roll into November, the month of thanks, please know that we are so very thankful for all of our friends and supporters who make it possible for us to be able to distribute the Gospel in Wittenberg, Germany. Have a great Thanksgiving Month!

Chelli