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| Look up! The UniShow is that-a way! |
First, we had 3 outreaches scheduled at local schools where MBC is building relationships with families. On Friday night, 8 December, students came to Hutchinson Elementary for a UniShow where they heard the Gospel. They also had fun with bouncy castles, dodge-ball, making gingerbread house, then they received gifts of hats and gloves before heading home. This event was scheduled to repeat at two different schools on Saturday, but due to a snow storm forecast, the school district closed their facilities which meant our events were cancelled.
Our assistants, David and Misun arrived Friday night. They are workers in Turkey whom we’ve performed with countless times in numerous countries for the past 9 years. They were on home assignment in the States during this time so we were able to recruit them to join us for these events. None of us had any idea the fun that was in store this week as we joined forces to create the UniShow Christmas Circus for McLean’s 2nd annual Christmas Village Outreach. We surprised even ourselves with a show that packed a Christmas punch with purpose.
We spent the Saturday snow day prepping ourselves and the stage for 22 shows in the next 7 days in one great location. We hung giant stars, banners, and bungees; assembled and decorated silver and lime green Christmas trees; lined the stage and props with bright green rope lights; put a candy cane twist on the white 10 ft. unicycle; marked prop and equipment locations; and ran through transitions for our 30 minute show.
Come Sunday, we were ready to go for our first 3 UniShow Christmas Circus shows of MBC’s Christmas Village 2017. Misun started the show rocking her violin to some Christmas Dubstep. David soon appeared on stage to hype the crowd with his hip hop moves. Then Dustin rolled out on his electric unicycle as the crowd couldn’t help but smile and cheer, even if they didn’t quite know why yet. Welcome to the UniShow Christmas Circus!
For 7 nights straight, we presented 22 shows for 8,000 of the 20,000 people that came to the Christmas Village. Two of those shows were translated into Spanish for Latino night, two had sign language interpretation and one was sensory friendly for guests with special needs where we toned down the music and eliminated juggling fire.
The purpose of the entire Christmas Village was to share the Gospel. Guests heard the Gospel loud and clear at each UniShow, as well as in a crazy light show in a different auditorium and outside at the live nativity scene. A team of roaming evangelists engaged one on one with people around the campus to pray with them and introduce them to the Jesus of Christmas. Other festivities included the packing of 5,454 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, a carousal, live music, train ride, collection of 1,807 toys for at-risk children, an International bazaar and light displays. It was quite an event and such a privilege to be part of. In all, 294 spiritual decisions were recorded and each one was followed up on within 24 hours.
We heard many stories of lives changed through this event. One guy was approached on Wednesday by a roamer and asked if he knew Jesus. He said enthusiastically, “Yah man I gave my life to Jesus at the UniShow on Monday! I’m in!” A lady came to Dustin after one show with tears in her eyes and said that her granddaughter had just prayed the prayer with him to ask Jesus into her life!
We praise God for how He used our crazy Christmas Circus to touch lives with the true meaning of Christmas. It was awesome and refreshing to partner with a church who has the Gospel as their focus and will go to great lengths to get the Word out.
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| How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News! |
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| Amazing team, including room leader and sound tech! |
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| Thanks to the amazing officers who kept Christmas Village safe! |
