Hey there! I’m Bunkey, an 11-year-old balloon twister and decorator from East Texas!

People ask me all the time, “How did you get into balloon twisting?”
So I thought it’d be fun to finally tell the whole story.

Several years ago, I went to a local church with some friends for an Easter event. At the event was this stupendous guy. He was doing illusions, sharing the Gospel, twisting balloons… all while his face was painted white with a big red nose.

Yes, he was a clown.
And not just any clown.
This was Kornpop the Clown, who is now my friend!

He shared Jesus with jokes and tricks, and we laughed the entire time. But even through all the fun, kids were hearing the Gospel. When we left that day, I told my mom something I felt deep in my spirit:

I had been called…
to be…
a clown pastor.

I know that sounds surprising. Most kids want to be astronauts or pro athletes. I wanted to be a clown… who preaches. But I was completely sure. I still am. I’ve never been more certain about anything, except that Jesus loves you and has a calling for you too. He doesn’t just want to be far away and unnoticed. He wants to be your friend.

Jesus died on the cross for you, and three days later He rose again.
And if you want a relationship with Him, there are three simple steps:

•  Admit you’re a sinner.

•  Believe Jesus died and rose again.

•  Confess your sins and repent.

Talk to Him like you talk to a friend. (Except you don’t need WiFi for this friendship.)

Speaking of friends, a couple days after that event, I told my best friend, Titus, that I wanted to be a clown pastor. Months later, on my birthday, he surprised me with my first balloon pump and first set of twisting balloons. That’s what good friends do, they don’t just cheer you on, they help you get started and push you towards your calling.

I learned every balloon from the instruction book that came with the set. When I finished it, I felt like I had reached the top. Then... I ran out of balloons. And for some reason, I never thought to ask for more… so everything just stopped.

Two years went by. Eventually I decided to try again, and my mom got me a huge set of balloons. If you don’t have younger siblings, this part might be hard to understand, but they can make a mess of things faster than you can say “don’t touch that.” My balloons were everywhere. Under couches, in drawers, in toy bins… I think some are still missing in action today. I got so frustrated cleaning up that I stopped again.

But one year later, my siblings had matured a bit and have better learned how to treat other people’s things.
So I picked balloon twisting back up and this time, everything started coming together.

I joined a kids’ entrepreneur event (and now I’m actually on the board!). I learned how to make SO many balloons for it. The very first event got rained out, but even in the middle of bad weather, I was still able to make balloons for the kids who came. We all had wet hair and soggy socks, but everyone smiled anyway. You can praise God in the sunshine and in the storm... literally.

Someone took a picture and showed it to the clown I look up to the most: Kornpop!
I got connected with him, and since then, God has been opening door after door.

My mom found a show in her hometown that invited me to do a balloon performance.
So I started writing my first ever Gospel Balloon Show, and I even created my first big decor pieces. It has only gone up from there!

God is still working on me and my heart. But Jeremiah says that God knows the plans He has for me, and He knows the plans He has for you too. So I’m taking it one day at a time, trusting Him with every new step… and every new balloon.

These days, I get to twist balloons at church events, birthday parties, and community festivals. I also create balloon décor for celebrations, and I’m working on expanding my Gospel Balloon Show so I can share Jesus with more families. I don’t know exactly where God will take me next, but I’m excited to find out... and I’m bringing my balloon pump with me.