Moses and Pharoah and Plagues ...oh my

The Hebrew Mother laying her baby son in a basket and placing him in the Nile river.

Our family was able to go to two different schools and act out the story of Moses including his birth, the 10 plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. The Intern Bradyn did a fantastic job playing the part of Pharoah- which we just referred to as King and the Intern McKenna Kreger joined in to be an Israelite. 

Whenever I (Bekah) start getting ready to teach a portion of the Bible I read through the scripture in its entirety several times. Then I prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit which parts to highlight and also consider how to adapt things so that it is understood best in this specific culture. I keep in mind that I am a foreigner so the way I perceive things can be completely different than how the people do. I also have grown up in a Christian home so I have heard about the characters in the Bible countless amounts of times, whereas the children in these schools are often hearing about them for their very first time. Furthermore I have not only studied the Bible for myself, I have also gotten my bachelor's degree from a Bible/missionary college. My lens on how I view the world is very unique. As I get ready to stand before the students and give "His message" I need to recognize who my audience is. I need to be ready to communicate in a way that they will understand.  Henry G. Hendricks famously says, "The teacher has not taught until the student has learned." I do spend time trying to figure this out but at the end of the day I am simply the Lord's vessel- trusting Him to grant me the right words to say. 

When we went to these schools we shared about the Israelites suffering in Egypt and crying out for God to intervene. Their deliverance came after the plagues. My daughters visually showed the elements for each plague.

For #1. We had painted the river blue and had painted a separate paper red to place on top. My girls went to try to drink from the river but were horrified finding it had turned to blood. (Damu in Swahili)

#2. They jumped around like frogs, even into a big pot we had brought.

#3. Scratched themselves to represent the gnat invasion.

#4. Swatted flies. (An invisible one landed on one sister's head and another sister had to kill it; much to the one sister's dismay)

#5. The girls got down on all fours and moo`d, baa`d, and hee haw`d then fell over dead. (In the first school, the girls spit to show they were camels- only to find out that doesn't translate over well here.)

#6. Wrapped themselves in gauze and moaned to represent the boils.

#7. My Aunt Di had sent us fabric snowballs so we used these as hail.

#8.  In this part of Kenya there have been locust problems in the past. When the cloud of locusts gets ready to land on crops people shout and bang on pots and pans to make them go. We brought our kitchen pots and pans from home and made quite the scene to show this plague. 

#9. The girls closed their eyes and bumped into each other as an example of it being completely dark for 3 days.

#10. For this last an final plague, We showed a picture of a door that had the blood of a spotless lamb smeared all around the doorway and explained only the families with this blood were spared death. We showed that Pharaoh's Firstborn son died by covering up Samara's body with a sheet as she layed still on the floor and then the other girls started wailing.

We ended the play by Pharoah allowing the Israelites to be free and leave Egypt. The girls rejoiced and began walking away- they were off to the Promised land. Pharoah then retracted his statement and sent his chariots after the Israelites. The Israelites were to be brought back. Charis had done an amazing job painting 2 horse and chariots out of a boxes, all eyes were watching what was happening. The chariots set off after the Israelites. The Israelites began running but were stopped by the Red Sea.We had made the Red Sea by taping blue posters together and placed them on the ground. Intern Kaleb and teacher Maggie held up the blue posters so the Israelites could pass through. When the Chariots came following through the Red Sea Kaleb and Maggie layed the blue Poster papers on top of them to show that God let the waters return and they drowned.  The Israelites rejoiced again for witnessing God's provision and protection. 

I don't know what everyone grasped from this story but when I was preparing to tell it never realized how much foreshadowing there was. In the beginning of the book of Exodus, Pharoah gave an order for all the Hebrew baby boys to be killed by throwing them into the Nile. This is a foreshadowing of Herod giving the order to kill all boys in Bethlehem 2 years old and younger. (Interestingly, an angel of the Lord had told Joseph to bring Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape this.) 

The word for the basket that saves Moses life is the same word that is used for Noah's ark.

Moses had time in the wilderness before he begins his "ministry", just as Jesus is lead by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness before starting His ministry. 

When God reveals Himself as a burning bush, He gives Moses His name- "I AM WHO I AM". In John 8: 58, when Jesus is having a conversation with Jews He makes reference to this name say, "Very, truly I tell you,  before Abraham was born, IAM!"

 God had the households choose a lamb; without blemish or defect, and have it slaughtered so that it's blood smeared on the doorways would ensure life for all inside. Jesus Christ is referred to this pure and spotless lamb, who shed His blood for all who believe will be granted life. 

Isn't it remarkable to read scripture and see all God has done again and again. When I think about the Lord and all He's done it makes me so thankful. I can look back on the years see that He has been at work in my own life and I want to tell the world about His mercies that are new every morning. 

My prayer is that as the Lord continues to reveal Himself to me that He would also reveal

 Himself to these little ones through the stories in His Word!

Here is a glimpse of the Moses in the basket on a paper plate. (Thank you Josh and Jennifer for bringing these for us last year!

Samara holding up the chart for all to see.

Bradyn is the Pharoah and Nevaeh is Moses.

A view of the classroom 

My beautiful friend Grace. She translated for me at one school and my handsome husband translated at the other school. 

precious onlookers.

We painted popsicle sticks Red to be the blood smeared arthe doorway. 

Walking through the Red Sea craft.

Me and Charis are the crafty ones of the family. 

Everyone lending a helping hand to get the crafts done.

Kaleb and Righteous (she's looking like she's grown more and more each day.)