Inter-Generational Witnessing Training

Since 2016, I have been volunteering at the Gospel Outreach/Ark Encounter booth at the Iowa State Fair. Each year, I have had the same caregiver come with me. She has become very familiar with the routine and we know what to do. This year, Sara was gone for surgery recovery and I thought I would not be able to volunteer. Thankfully that was not the case and I got to go for two days, but with different helpers.

Friday the ninth was my first day at the fair and my intern nurse, Brenda, came as my assistant. She has helped me some during the spring outreach event, but the fair is an entirely different situation and much busier. As she always has, Brenda adapted very quickly and figured out how to setup my microphone and then volunteered to help put dinosaur sticker tattoos on kids. 

Our three hour shift went well including our restroom break in unfamiliar surroundings. We likely talked with over 100 kids showing that dinosaurs were made on the sixth day of creation week, along with Adam and Eve. I talked with many parents about the Ark Encounter and confirming God's Word as real history. When our time was up, we took a couple hours to explore and I tried to show Brenda a sample of the Fair for her first visit.

Tuesday was my second day and the day that my dad helped. Dad has helped me do many things throughout my life, but a gospel outreach has barely been one of them. Unlike Friday, it took us nearly 45 minutes just to get into the fairgrounds and then to our booth a few minutes late. It took more instructing, but he also figured out my mic system and how to fill my hands with gospel tracts. Dad was a little more hesitant on helping with sticker tattoos, but he also helped and at one point was one of three people applying tattoos to throngs of waiting children.

Therefore, my first day was training someone that could be my daughter (if I had been blessed with kids in late teens/early 20's). The second day was working with my dad, so two different generations helping with the same task. I'm thankful to be able to live an active quad life and all the help God has given me. It was also nice having younger legs for a day that didn't mind going up large hills.

Next year, I don't know what God will bring or what situation I will be in. Whatever the case will be, I hope to continue to serve and doing more outreach.