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Mother’s Day. Few holidays can rival it for emotional highs and lows. As a child, I loved it. My dad would “cook” breakfast with us (or run to McDonald’s to buy pancakes), and we would “surprise” my mother with breakfast in bed. One year, my brother and I gave Mom a Folgers coffee can full of worms . . . on the same tray as her breakfast . . . in bed. She was genuinely ecstatic—she wanted more worms to put in her garden. Mother’s Day was full of love and happy memories.

When I became a mom, I delivered our firstborn the day before Mother’s Day. The entire staff of doctors and nurses rejoiced, and my food tray came with a rose on it. It felt like the whole world was celebrating with me.

When Mother’s Day Hurts

But Mother’s Day isn’t a celebration for all. It’s excruciating for many: my friend who lost a child this year, another friend who’s celebrating her last Mother’s Day with her dying mom, my friends who would love to be mothers but aren’t, my friends who’ve had abusive moms, my friends whose adult children are estranged. These situations are extremely difficult, and Mother’s Day can serve to only intensify the pain.

How, then, should we treat Mother’s Day? Churches, pastors, friends, and families struggle with this question every year. Do we ignore those hurting and go on celebrating? Do we suppress the celebration in hopes of lessening the pain around us? It might help to ask a deeper question: Should we be surprised that such intense joy and sorrow are wrapped up in motherhood?

It wouldn’t surprise us if we knew our story.

Motherhood in the Metanarrative

God’s first recorded words to Adam and Eve implied motherhood: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). Motherhood was part of Eden, and it should have been an experience of pure joy. 

But after the couple sinned, God pronounced the consequences of their rebellion. To Eve he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children” (Gen. 3:16). This pain goes beyond the physical pain of childbirth—it includes everything painful about childbearing and motherhood: miscarriage, infertility, SIDS, abortion, rebellious children . . . the list could go on and on.

But we don’t stop reading at Genesis 3:16—the story continues. Four verse later we read, “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20). In spite of the curse, life would come, and redemption would come through life. The first thing that happens after Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden is a birth—God’s mercy in the midst of his curse.

Eventually, Christ himself would come, “born of woman,” to bring salvation to his people and break the curse (Gal. 4:4; cf. Gen. 3:15). Until the final redemption of all things, however, the effects of the curse are still with us. Motherhood continues to be a mixture of great joy and tremendous pain. We live in a time that requires us to mourn over all that is broken and, at the same time, rejoice over what is good and right.

On this Mother’s Day, weep for yourself and for those you love who mourn over infertility, miscarriages, abortions, wayward children, and other consequences of the curse. At the same time, rejoice for everything good and right in motherhood that shines as a testimony to God’s goodness, mercy, and redemption. Celebrate life, extol the praiseworthy deeds of the moms around you, and praise God that he will one day, finally and fully, set everything to rights and wipe every tear from our eyes.

Doctor, Courtney. "Let Joy and Sadness Mingle This Mother's Day" The Gospel Coalition May 13, 2017  https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/let-joy-and-sadness-mingle-this-mothers-day/

Vacation Bible School will be here before you know it! And we can't do it without you! There are so many ways you can be involved and bless this ministry.  If you have an hour or a day here and there or even just want to make a donation, the lending hand is our lifeblood.  

VBS Job Descriptions

Bible Storyteller – A master teacher and communicator; tell the Bible story during Opening segment in a creative, attention-gripping way.

 Coffee Corner Helper – Visit with parents over coffee and treats after they drop their children off at VBS; can volunteer one or two days or every day.

Closing Ceremony Reception – Host or help with the Closing Reception – set up, make drinks, clean up, etc.

Cookie Baker – Bake a batch or two of cookies for the Closing Reception.

Crafts Helper – Assist children with pre-planned craft projects.

Daily Clean up - Tidy up after VBS each day to prepare for the next day! Empty trash, wipe bathrooms, restock paper products, etc.

Dance Team – learn the choreography and dance during Opening and Closing each day of VBS, and at Closing ‘Ceremony’

Games – Help to prepare for and lead groups of elementary age kids in fun physical activities and discussions. You can expect lots of hard work, fun, and high-fives.

Guest Teacher – Prepare for and teach a pre-planned lesson one day during VBS; a great way for men to participate in VBS

Handy-Man / Construction – Be available for any handy man projects that may come up (building of props, painting, climbing ladders, etc)

Nurse - Provide basic first aid for scraped knees, etc that happen during VBS

Photographer / Slideshow – Take pictures throughout the week; Create a slideshow to show at the Closing “Ceremony”.

Prayer Team – Pray for VBS specific requests leading up to and during VBS.

Preschool / Nursery - Love on and care for the little ones of our Volunteers

Registration – Welcome families Monday morning; sign kids in, hand out name tags, etc

Snacks – Prepare and serve snacks to the kids and volunteers each day

Supply List Coordinator - Gather lists from VBS leaders (snacks, crafts, etc) to share with the MCC Communication Coordinator to share with the congregation. Keep track of supplies as they are received and distribute to Department Coordinators.

Team Leader – Lead a set group of children throughout the week, building relationships with them (this position is best for those who can help every day) We need leaders and helpers.

Tech Team – Works together to provide audio, video, and computer graphics support

Work Day Director– Plan for and collect needed materials for our Work Day Wednesdays.

Work Day Helper – Wednesdays, 9:00 – noon; working on whatever needs to be done; come when you can for however long you can!

Wherever – I’m willing to help wherever you need me!

It all started as a crazy idea. Marcio Bolitas had gone to bed troubled about how to help many communities stay healthy during COVID. As Bolivia’s director for Food for the Hungry, Marcio had been hearing from the staff how the government’s recommendation to stay healthy by washing hands was causing distress in many communities. How can they wash their hands when they don’t have clean water? Does this mean they would all die of COVID? It was mid-2020, and no one knew. As the COVID scare was happening all over the world, Bolivia was one of the many countries still suffering from lack fresh water to a vast majority of its small communities. These people were very scared that they couldn’t protect themselves or their children.

Marcio woke up one morning asking himself, “Why not just get water to these people?” It had been a troubling problem for decades but maybe now was the time to make some big changes. Marcio presented this huge idea to his staff, and they looked at him dubiously. He replied with, “If God wants it done, He will do it.” And do it He did!

Marcio was able to connect with several other international non-profits whose goal is to supply access to fresh water, such as Water for People. When they presented their case, and significant international funding, to the local water authorities, God made things happen!

By the end of 2021, one- thousand Bolivian families had gone from carrying buckets many kilometers to a dirty hole in the ground to now having clean water piped to a storage tank that 2-4 families shared. This tank would allow for continuous sanitary water access in their new indoor-plumed kitchen sink and toilet! Now washing hands, regular bathing, and clean drinking water were a reality!

Not only was Marcio’s team able to work alongside the families as they prepared the ditches for the pipes to be laid, but they also were able to share about Jesus’s Living Water with them. Just as clean water was supplying health to their bodies, Jesus could satisfy their souls. Many families were connected with local churches and the gospel continued to spread! Marcio even had communities come and ask if they could help their neighboring towns get water too!

God had one more surprise in store for Marcio. In early 2023, he was asked to come speak to the United Nations in New York City about their program – Bolivia con Agua. The success of the program had been making international waves, and the UN wanted to hear about it and apply the method in other developing nations. So in March 2023, Marcio was able to not only present the methods and impact of Bolivia con Agua, but also speak the gospel to the UN as he shared the most impactful aspect of the program – spiritual and life change! God was using this idea to share the message to the ends ofthe earth!

Marcio continues to be amazed at how God has used this crazy idea to impact so many lives – 6,000 families by the end of 2023. As he looks ahead, he continues to believe, “If God wants it done, He will do it.”

Note: MCC has already partnered with 150+ families in Villa Margarita, Bolivia, to receive fresh water via this program!

Hello MCC Missions Board,

I am writing to you to express my appreciation for love, support, and prayers for my recent trip to Ecuador. During my time in Ecuador I spent my time with my team in Sucua, Ecuador about 160 miles southeast of the capital Quito. In Sucua, we worked for a Christian high school helping add classrooms to the school. It was 6 days of digging water trenches, moving rocks, and mixing concrete. It was early mornings and we finished our days with late nights in a circle sharing testimonies and discussing how the Lord is moving in Ecuador.

During this week I was able to see just how big the God we worship is and that he is the same God in Ecuador as He is in Cedar Crest and Wheaton, IL. I had many conversations with students about the love God has for His people and that we are never too far from His grace.

I saw a lot of similarities to this trip as I experienced in my trips to Bolivia with MCC. It is a people that value family above all else and seek strong community. This trip was a great reminder that the people I surround myself with are worth more than gold and to continue to pray that God will soften my heart toward His people as I continue to strive to serve Him in all I do.

Thank you again for your support and prayers.
Dakota Powell