Puppeting has been a part of my life for about six years. I joined my local puppet team in seventh grade and loved being a “Foamhead” from the moment I began.
Though I don’t mind being up front or being seen by people, I found my real niche with the “Faithful Foamheads.”
Even the shyest person can do puppeting, for no one ever sees you. Through your puppets, you can be as crazy, unique, and self-assured as you want. No one even knows which puppet is yours, unless you tell them.
And through puppets, you can say things to people you probably would never be able to say in real life.
Performances
As I began this ministry, performances affected me more than anything else. The smiles I saw glowing on the faces of young and old were what I began to live for. I wanted to go places, tell people, and share my God with others. The more I puppeted, the more fulfilled I felt. People were being touched by something I was doing for my God.
Leaving Grade School
Leaving grade school was a bittersweet accomplishment. I headed for Auburn Adventist Academy, an experience I’d eagerly anticipated. But by “growing up,” I was leaving behind puppeting. Every time I would go home and see my now-former puppet team perform, I ached to be up there with them.
Then, this year at Auburn, I decided things were going to be different. I was going to get more involved in my school and do something worthwhile. Within my first few hours of being on campus, Auburn’s pastor, Jay Coon, spoke to me about a children’s ministry he was working on putting together.
So, now I’m back into puppets. It will be an awesome outreach opportunity for our school, and I’m really excited about it. We don’t know how things will work out, but I’m ready to pour my heart and soul into this, to back up Pastor Jay.
I thought I’d have to give up puppeting to “grow up,” but now it’s become a life-long commitment. It combines my favorite things in life: God, children, and smiles. Through it I’ve discovered a great passion for children’s ministry. It’s something I’ll be doing the rest of my life.
For me, the most worthwhile thing in the world is to mold the lives of young children into a life of loving Christ.
Hidden inside Auburn’s rolling puppet stage, Courtni Mundy is once again using her hands and voice to share Jesus’ love with children young and old, through puppets.
