Orlando: Two full weeks

It has been one of the toughest two weeks of my life. There were so many hurdles, trials and problems that it was hard to keep up.

Lyndsy LaneeSatan was attacking us. A friend here, Amy, scraped her foot badly, and it became infected It was very painful for her to walk on and work, because she has to stand for eight hours for five days. Later, she became sick and it really taking a toll on her. Another girl, Jessica, also was sick for a couple of days. A boy named Daniel was having problems back home. Paula is having major toothaches.

The first week and a half, I was sleep-deprived. I was so exhausted I was getting sick, and it was very difficult to keep my blood sugar up. Then I had a major eye infection, some breathing trouble and more lack of sleep. Even so, I found the good in it all. We must have been doing something right for Satan to want to attack us.

Although it was very hard to overcome, what kept me going was the fact that God was winning, and Satan was losing. I will gladly take sickness and pain if it means that the devil gets angry.

Balloon animals and face paint

It certainly was a busy two weeks. We learned how to make balloon animals and facepaint for all the kids we would be ministering to at McDonalds and Fun Spot. When we performed for the first time, it was very hot and tough, but we made it and got to share God’s word and love.

ROCK ministries team members Joshua Reaves Harrison, Christian Stringer, Jessica Paige Smith, Lyndsy Lanee Donnell, Caitlyn Barnes, Paola M Colunga and Daniel Burkeen at the Downtown Disney area of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.On Saturday evening after our second set, we talked to a woman who was worried about her brother and his walk in faith. We prayed with her right there inside the amusement park, and I was overjoyed. A lot of the people we talked to said they supported what we were doing and would be praying for us. We can use all the prayer we could get right now!

We do Kids Club at local hotels here for kids ages 4-11 from 10-12 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Saturday we had a little boy from the UK accept Christ as his Savior. That’s what it is all about. We tell Bible stories and do crafts with the kids. We play games with them in the pool and eat snacks and just try to share God’s word with them and take it back to where they live, no matter where it is.

The Innovators who work at Fun Spot have developed such great relationships with their coworkers already, and I am so proud of them! When people like us go to help in the summer every year, people know who we are and why we are here and may shut us out.

Great relationships

But the Innovators did an awesome job showing God’s love first and gaining trust to show them that we are not here to shove religion down their throats. We just want to show Christ’s compassion. The girls at Give Kids the World are developing great relationships with their coworkers and guests, as well.

I love all the people here and have loved getting to know them so far. In two weeks, we have grown so close to each other. We feel like we have known each other for years. They say that doesn’t usually happen until Week 5. They also say the fighting doesn’t happen until Week 5 either, but we broke that record on day 6! We fight like a real family and love like a real family, with God in the middle. We are one great big group of 26 dysfunctional students who would do anything for one another, and I wouldn’t change any of them. 

Please pray

God is very much needed here, and I just ask you to pray that we become his vessels so that the Lord can work through us as we continue the rest of the summer. It won’t be easy, but if my God is for us, then who can stand against us?

Lyndsy Lanee, a student at South Plains College, is serving with ROCK ministries in Orlando, Fla., this summer through Go Now Missions.