After we got all the cookies and hot chocolate cleanned up, we all piled into the church bus again, to make the drive around the campus to the cottage. (Which the campus itself is absolutely GORG!)
Once inside, we had a short little devotion. The house mother (whose name I still cannot think of!) mentioned that when they do their morning devotions, they always sit in the living room around the fire place.
Kathy, our TeamKid Leader, had asked that I lead the short devotion. I found a cute little devotion in The One Year Did You Know Devotions. The kids really seemed to enjoy it and to get something from it. If I can remember correctly, it had to do with how God creates all his creatures with specific things that helps them adapt to their surroundings. For instance, a rabbit has large ears so they hear much better and can be aware of danger. There was also something about a rabbit's nose and it twitching but my memory is failing me how it tied in.
The kids were so attentive and answered questions. There were even some of our Gapper Clappers who gave their testimonies. It was so precious to hear of how the Lord has worked in their little lives already. Such a huge blessing!
THEN some of the kids from the children's home gave their testimonies. Talk about tear-jerkers! It broke my heart to hear their sad stories of how their parents were in jail, or how they didn't have any family they could live with, etc. But it made my heart sing when they told of how coming to Broyhill was one of the best things that ever happened to them. How their house parents had shared the love of Christ through everything that they do. How they would tell that they in turn have shared the love of Christ to their [biological] parents and how they are trying to change their ways or in some cases, how they have accepted Christ. It was also a blessing to see the older children witnessing too and helping the other children in the cottage.
It is truely amazing to see how children who have come from such sad situations have made complete 180 degree changes in their attitudes and lifestyles. These children are proof that a little dab of Jesus' love and compassion can make a HUGE difference.
I know that I am thankful for the house parents who have devoted their lives to helping these children. Most of the house parents are retired couples who do not have any [young] children of their own. These particular house parents had retired and felt the Lord leading them to serve. They left their home and moved into one of the cottages. They have been there several years. These parents really are "life savers" to these children.
After the devotions the children at Broyhill were itching to show us their rooms. I didn't get any pictures of this, but I cannot explain the excitment in the little voices. They took such pride in the things that they had. It was like 10 children on Christmas morning.
Before the Gapper Clappers left to go home, they gave the kids a New Testament and a goody bag with some treats in them. Then we all posed for a group photo.
Thanks to our bus driver Dean-O for taking us to Broyhill. He rocks. The kids gave him high-5s as they got off the bus thanking him for driving them. haha 
Ok, I love the blogs. I thought you would have added your Halloween pictures. Guess that is next.
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